Last Saturday was International Roma Day. We thought it was the perfect timing to interview our friend Daniel, long time participant in Y-E-N’s activities and founder member of Nevo Parudimos, one of our Member Organisation from Romania which dedicates its work to Roma Youth Inclusion.
Thanks Daniel for answering our questions!
Could you tell us a brief history of your organisation Nevo Parudimos?
Nevo Parudimos was founded in 2008 by a group of Roma Activists and teachers working with Roma kids with the idea to work and try to increase the social inclusion of the Roma communities and to develop civil society in our area.
What is your role in the organisation?
Actually, I was the person initiating the group of people which founded the NGO. Initially I was the president, then I was working as a project manager, now I am mainly dealing with the fundraising and everything in relation with developing our project which targets Roma.
When did you join Y-E-N?
Nevo Parudimos joined Y-E-N immediately after we were funded because I was personally involved with Y-E-N since 2005 as an individual member.
And what did Y-E-N bring to your organisation?
Initially, we joined Y-E-N to be part of the experience and to seize the opportunity to train some of our people. Then, we started to work more on the inclusion side, specially targeting Roma young people. We learned from Y-E-N, we became partners with Y-E-N… Actually, Y-E-N was the first international network we became a member of, but at this moment we are member of 5 different networks, all connected with Roma or inclusion.
As you may know, International Roma Day is coming soon. Could you tell us about your project Roma Youth – European Youth?
Y-E-N is partner with the project Roma Youth – European Youth since the beginning: Roma Youth 1, Roma Youth 2 and Roma Youth 3. During these 3 events, we created the guide « 9 steps in working with Roma youngsters ». We are currently implementing the 4th session of this training with the same great core team of trainers, together with some COE experts. It is a great project, one of our best trainings until now. It is a long term training course dedicated to Youth Worker which aims to teach them how to work with Roma Youth specifically. After the first training session, the participants work at home, at their local level, and facilitate a Roma Youth group to develop activities. So, it is actually Happening and it gives great results.
To finish, we would like to know, on a more personal level, why did you chose to work with Youth?
The first time I attended an international activity was a Y-E-N General Assembly in Turkey in Cappadocia. It was the moment when I realised: Okay, that’s what I want to do. I decided to quit my job, I was a teacher at that time, and I started to attend trainings to learn more about non-formal education and how to become a trainer. And since that moment, I’m only working in civil society, doing project for civil society, fundraising and developing civil society… Y-E-N changed my life.
Interviewed by Margaux Dos Santos