European Round Table on the Social Inclusion of Roma Youth

The “European Round Table on the Social Inclusion of Roma Youth” aimed to shape an empowerment-driven discourse on Roma Youth in Europe by creating a space for youth organizations and stakeholders targeting Roma Youth to share experiences and to create expertise. The initiative aims to create synergies and cooperation between the main stakeholders in order to raise the active participation of youth both as young people and as Roma in the development of social inclusion policies and the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, and to raise the recognition of social inclusion through Roma youth organization.

The need for coordination to create synergies and co-operation targeting Roma youth 
In May 2012 ternYpe International Roma Youth Network and its member organization Roma Active Albania hosted a 1,5 day networking meeting with a variety of stakeholders and youth organizations such as the European Youth Forum, Open Society Foundations Roma Initiatives, SALTO South-East Europe and ERGO Network, in order to share practices, strategies and approaches regarding the empowerment, mobilization and participation of Roma Youth. There is an expanding pool of experiences and practices of empowerment and grassroots mobilization, youth activism, non-formal education and youth mobility, capacity-building and challenging stereotypes and racism. There is the need for critical and constructive discussion and experience- and evidence-based reflection in order to create synergies, learning effects and cooperation between all partners and stakeholders in the field, including Roma youth. A critical debate on effective strategies and approaches appears necessary in order to share a knowledge and expertise on empowerment, mobilization and participation of Roma Youth, and to generate a meaningful and sustainable investment for the future. The participants of the networking meeting agreed to work towards a Stakeholder Platform on Roma Youth.