EU policies have increasingly recognised the importance of measures specifically targeting groups in the most disadvantaged regions and those at particular risk of poverty, such as one-parent families, minorities or persons with disabilities. The Roma population is one of the largest and most socially disadvantaged ethnic minorities in the EU.
The pilot project “Give Kids a Chance” has enjoyed considerable success throughout the incorporation of action and research elements in the region of Szécsény — one of Hungary’s most disadvantaged micro-regions, with a large and growing Roma component. (It has recently been transferred to ten other micro-regions)
In terms of achieving positive results, the main lessons learned from the Szécsény programme were the following:
- Projects must be sustainable
- Projects should build on previous experiences with demonstrated effectiveness and on proven principles
- Political commitment is essential
- The territorial approach has proven highly effective but also activities must be adapted to the different circumstances
- Effective data collection in the Roma context, is vital
- The involvement of universities and research centres can play a positive role in all the phases of the project
- Access to EU Structural Funds should be simplified
- Mainstreaming Roma issues into the general policies is very important