Increasing Opportunities for Roma and Sinti on the Labour Market: The THARA Project
Free education counselling, workshops, and information events: In this way, the project aims to help promote equal opportunity for Roma and Sinti.
Roma and Sinti are the biggest ethnic minority in Europe, and even today they often do not have the same educational and job opportunities as the majority of the population. Volkshilfe aims to counteract this inequality of opportunity with the THARA initiative. Under the initiative, Roma and Sinti in Austria can receive free career and education counselling. Volkshilfe also offers information events and workshops about living and working in Austria.
Face-to-face and online career counselling
Counsellors from the THARA initiative provide information about education offerings and job opportunities to Roma and Sinti seeking advice. They also help with the preparation of application documents and offer job coaching and potential analyses. People seeking advice can also turn to the counsellors for questions about their residency status or if they would like to have their education qualifications recognised. Education counselling is offered in German, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Romani, or English as needed. Along with face-to-face counselling, advice can also be provided by telephone or video call.
People interested in completing education or training can also apply for financial assistance via an education and emergency assistance fund.
Workshops and information events on topics such as labour law and language
Under the title of “My Life, My Work”, the project offers workshops for Romnja and Sintize – i.e. Roma and Sinti women – who have experienced war, fleeing, violence, or discrimination and thus have difficulties finding a job. These are conducted in cooperation with the FEM Süd Women’s Health Centre and are supervised by therapists and psychologists.
As part of the THARA project, Roma and Sinti can also take part in workshops in which they can improve their language skills and receive information about the labour market in Austria. The project managers also frequently offer information events in which experts provide information about topics that are important for living and working in Austria. These information events cover topics such as insurance, pensions, labour law, or new legislation, for example.
Awareness-raising workshops for interested people
The project offers workshops for people who work with Roma and Sinti in their jobs under the title “Roma History, Culture, and Family/Social Structures”. Other interested parties can also attend workshops for free.
Volkshilfe is responsible for implementing the initiative, and it is funded by the European Social Fund and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection.
About Roma and Sinti
Roma and Sinti are terms for groups of people who originated in India and have lived in Europe for several hundred years. Sinti primarily live in Western and Central Europe, and Roma in Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Roma and Sinti are from the same tribe. The different terms merely describe where in Europe the members of this tribe settled. Outside of the German-speaking countries, the term “Roma” is also used for the minority group as a whole. Members of this very heterogeneous ethnic group use different names for themselves (including Arlija, Gurbet, Kaale, Kalderaš, Lovara, Manuš, Sepečides, and Sinti), and some groups also call themselves Roma. “Sinti” and “Roma” are group names and also masculine plural forms. The feminine plural forms are “Sintize” (or “Sinteze”) and “Romnja”. The language and culture of the Roma groups are determined on a country-specific and/or regional basis. Historically, they have been subject to exclusion and persecution and were victims of genocide during the Nazi period.
Further information:
- THARA project
- THARA Romani Zor project brochure (PDF)
- EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation for 2020–2030 (PDF)
- Information fact sheets on Roma history
- Initiative Minderheiten: reflections from the Austrian Roma movement
- Education study on the status of Sinti and Roma in Germany
- Article in Der Standard: A lobby for Roma students
- Documentation and Information Centre of Austrian Roma
Text/Author of original article in German: Lucia Paar/CONEDU
Redaktion/Editing of original article in German: Jennifer Friedl/CONEDU
Titelbild: Unsplash-Lizenz, Alejandro Escamilla, unsplash.com; Video: Standard-YouTube-Lizenz, Volkshilfe, youtube.com
