Alicante City Council continues its support for the Roma community

Authorities renew a partnership agreement with Fundación Secretariado Gitano non-profit agency for the twentieth consecutive year

The Local Agency for Development (ALD), part of the Alicante municipal government, has re-signed a partnership agreement with Fundación Secretariado Gitano (or FSG) as on ongoing part of the roadmap to social and labour inclusion for the Roma community. Today marks the twentieth consecutive time that this activity was carried out.

Improving the employability of Roma people

The long-running collaboration between the public authorities and the non-profit organization, which advocates the recognition of Gypsy culture and defends minority rights, is done in accordance with the ‘Acceder’ (Access) program. This program seeks to promote inclusion and incorporation of the marginalized community into the mainstream labour market.

FSG will receive EUR 10 000 from the ALD in order to enable it in its mission to provide work guidance services for those Romani people who need it. The goal is to promote their inclusion and acceptance in the sphere of salaried labour.

"The career advisory services carried out by the Foundation are a way to perfect the skillset of Romani workers since those include anything from training and awareness activities to help with finding work," pointed out Mari Carmen de España, head of the ALD. Furthermore, the ‘Acceder’ program is designed to promote activities which seek to implement gender equality and conciliation.

"This year the program is emphasizing the importance of training its beneficiaries in all the necessary digital skills so that they will be able to follow a variety of career pathways, especially now in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic," concluded de España.

‘Acceder’ is an initiative which forms part of the Operational Program for Social Inclusion and Social Economy and the Operational Program for Youth Employment of the European Social Fund.