Opportunities for social inclusion for those living in deep poverty, and in segregation

The Hungarian Government is launching a comprehensive 4.7 billion-forint settlement rehabilitation programme using EU funds, for which local governments may submit their applications by 31 March 2012. The sub-measure coded 5.3.6.-11-1 within the Social Renewal Operational Programme (SROP, in Hungarian: TÁMOP) provides opportunities for social inclusion for those living in disadvantaged settlements, in deep poverty, and in segregation.

The EU funding allocated for this application is higher than the total budget of all programmes for similar aims over the past six years. This programme, launched by the State Secretariat for Social Inclusion at the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice (KIM), is a new basis for Roma integration policy, and part of the National Social Inclusion Strategy of Hungary (adopted last year). The latter aims, among other things, to involve those concerned, and encourage them to participate in programmes. We can only achieve real results through comprehensive programmes such as this.

The EU call for applications launched today contains numerous new elements compared to previous projects with similar aims and topics. In the comprehensive settlement rehabilitation programme, the social inclusion and integration of participants is assisted with complementary measures: social, communal, educational, healthcare, training and employment interventions. One of the most important new elements of the application is that both during the tendering process and when implementing the project applicants may obtain professional help from the background institute of the State Secretariat: the Türr István Training and Research Institute (Türr István Képző és Kutató Intézet, TKKI). Professional assistance is available from today, at bizalomesmunka@tkki.hu.

This service may be provided to those local governments registering at this address by 7 March 2012; consortia may be developed up to 16 March, and the finalization of programme plans must be achieved by 25 March. In previous years there have been similar procedures related to slum clearance, but programme elements aimed at individual and human development were absent or ineffective.

This programme aims to give a chance of social inclusion to those people living in inadequate conditions or slums; it also provides employment opportunities and learning − on the basis of personal development plans − and the alteration or creation of community spaces for social services (e.g. nursing care, consultancy, day-care facilities etc.). In many cases services will be available on a local basis − including early childhood development, medical services, administration of official papers, and promoting peaceful co-existence between majority and the minority populations. This will enable more successful inclusion. At the same time, the programme benefits settlements, since positive results from development of run-down neighbourhoods will soon be felt by less deprived areas.