Final Conference in Valencia

The Roma T&T has organised its Final Conference in Valencia in the 21st of March 2013. In the Conference there were presented the results of the project in all the partner countries but also there were presentations from major stakeholders regarding important issues relevant to the pre-school education of the various minorities, the reforms in the school system in Spain etc. The conference was attended by members of the Roma community, by education officials from the region of Valencia and teachers/ educators interested in the results of the project.

The conference final Roma Project T&T took place in Pineda Palace, Valencia Spain, between the hours of 9:00 to 14:30 hours.

 
Counted with the participation of more than 80 people, including parents, teachers, students from universities, local government representatives, as well as the assistance of partners of the Roma T&T project, Greece, Spain, Hungary and Italy.

 
The conference was held as follows:

 
•    Welcomed the participants and was provided equipment for  the simultaneous translation. (English - Spanish and Spanish - English).

•    Opening of the conference by José Alfredo Maya, President of Maranatha Federation welcomed all participants and project partners.

•    Presentation of the project, this talk was given by Kostas Diamantis and Natassa Balaska. They gave an explanation of the project and its objectives, in addition to presenting the methodology used by all partners.

•    This talk was given by the partners of Hungary “Former State Fostered Children’s Association”, who spoke about the resources and infrastructure necessary for preschools, they are an example of this type of activity and who have spent years developing these activities and have a incredible infrastructure for the development of children of preschool age.
 

•    The next talk was given by the Greek partner “Panhellenic Union of Greek Roma”, they explained their work to organize the preschool center, contact with families, the work of mediators and organization to mobilize children to school.

•    Presentation by Italian partner "Associazione Mediatrici Interculturali Sociali e Sanitarie", the subject of his talk was the work of the mediators in Italy, as it is the very important communication link between the  gypsy families with the school, social services and health

•    Presentation by Maranatha Federation, Spanish partner of the project, the talk has been about the development of the pre-school center pilot, in the town of Burjassot, it showed the working model and activities.

•    The next talk was given by Intercultural Plataform  “Por Tod@s”,  is a network of associations of groups at risk of exclusion, the topic discussed was how this project can be directed at other groups at risk of exclusion, such as Latino, Arab, Jewish. They discussed the situation of children in this group of exclusion and their situation in schools. In this network Maranatha Federation is also a member, and works with them to adapt the model of pre-schools in their communities.
 

•    Presentation by the Ministry of Education, was conducted by Antonio Ramos Olivares, the topic at hand was "politics of educational integration", speach about the new politics of education and integration, to meet to and education for all

•    The next presentation was given by Educators from Coma neighborhood, they showed a preschool center model as that used in the Roma T&T project, talked about  benefits in children, because with these new methodologies is achieved with children a better preparation to elementary school, using this format of preschool center have reduced truancy in primary school. Because children were better prepared and adapted to the school environment.
 

•    Action Synergy, directors and coordinators of the project, showed the final conclusions of Rome T&T project, the objectives achieved by each of the partners involved, also talked about the new projects that are an extension of the current project to improve education of the Roma community