Development of a multifunctional facility for children and youth in Stráne pod Tatrami
Stráne pod Tatrami Municipality (SVK) ·Slovakia
About this project
<p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color: #222222"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF">The largest concentration of the Roma population lives in the settlement near the target village, where this marginalized group lives without electricity, water and sewage. Children live in an unsuitable family environment, neglected by their own parents, their lack interest in education and the provision of basic living needs. In order to improve the situation and solve the above-mentioned problems, the Applicant, together with the project partners, plans to implement the construction of a new multi-purpose facility for children and youth in Stráne pod Tatrami and neighbouring villages. The facility will include a gym hall, a fitness room, a computer room, tutoring class and a room for field social work. Moreover, another goal is the creation of a network of 6 centers, which will organize activities for children and youth in the target village Stráne pod Tatrami as well as in the nearby villages of Ľubica (8km) and Rakúsy (12 km). All three locations are identified in the Atlas of Roma Communities 2019 and are located in the district of Kežmarok. All the activities will be offered free of charge and inclusive for the target group. </span></span><span style="color: #000000">In the implementation of the project, the Slovak partners will provide premises, including their equipment, which are currently used in the personal hygiene center and can be used in the project activities, they will expand the educational activities for the endangered group of children but also older youth, including young parents, and they will support the employment and employability of young adults from the marginalized Roma community in the target village through career counselling, education and job mentoring needed for adaptation in the workplace. Partner 4, Åpenhet, is a Norwegian private company that will help raise awareness and increase the reach of the activities. Åpenhet will collect, process and disseminate data and information to support the project objectives and deliverables. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 14px"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="color: #222222"><span style="background-color: #FFFFFF"> </span></span></span></span></p>
Bilateral cooperation results
The involvement of the Norwegian partner brought significant benefits to the project, particularly in terms of expertise, knowledge-sharing, and methodological support. Their contribution was crucial in developing strategies to improve access to education and employment for vulnerable children and youth. With extensive experience in social inclusion and community development, the Norwegian partner provided valuable insights that enhanced the effectiveness of the project’s activities. Additionally, their participation strengthened the credibility of the initiative and facilitated the exchange of best practices between Slovakia and Norway. At the bilateral level, the cooperation led to several key outcomes. One of the most important results was the development of a comprehensive report containing measures and methodologies to improve access to education and the labor market for marginalized children and youth. This document, prepared by the Norwegian partner, was translated into Slovak to ensure its accessibility for local stakeholders. Throughout the project’s implementation, regular videoconferences and consultations enabled continuous knowledge exchange, ensuring that best practices from Norway were effectively adapted to the local context. Moreover, the collaboration strengthened institutional ties between Slovak and Norwegian organizations, promoting long-term capacity building and improvements in education, employment, and social inclusion policies. Although the formal cooperation within this project has concluded, the established bilateral relationship remains valuable. Future collaboration may continue in the form of knowledge-sharing initiatives such as workshops, training sessions, and joint research focused on social inclusion and employment opportunities for vulnerable groups.
Project partners
- ÅPENHET AS Donor project partner· Norway
- Municipality Rakúsy Project partner· Slovakia
- Leisure centre Rakusy no. 81 Project partner· Slovakia
- Private joint school, Biela voda Project partner· Slovakia
- Private centre for special education counselling, Stráne pod Tatrami Project partner· Slovakia