Roma & Travellers
T’aven bachtale! (Welkom!)
Since 2003, Foyer’s Roma Service has been a central reference point for Roma issues in the Brussels-Capital Region. Our aim is to promote the emancipation and self-sufficiency of Roma and Travellers, leading them toward realistic future prospects with an emphasis on integration througd education, training and employment.
| Contact |
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| You can request an intervention by mail (koen.geurts@foyer.be) or phone (02/411.87.32) |
| Roma and travellers can drop in from Monday till Thursday between 14h and 17h. Or they can call us on 02/411.87.32. |
Our service
An estimated 11,000 Roma people live in Brussels (2019), mainly from Romania, Bulgaria, the former Yugoslavia and more recently Syria (known as Doms). They are an ethnic group that often lead a marginalised existence in their countries of origin and therefore face extra challenges in relation to integration. Brussels is also home to about 120 Rom, Manouche and Traveller families. Manouche and Roms have been here since the 15th and 18th centuries and live in caravans. They live on private land in Anderlecht and Haren, among other places, and at temporary sites in various municipalities.
For Roma and Travellers, the Roma service is a first-line point of contact for mediation, family support, guidance, reference, sensibilisation and information sessions about rights and responsibilities. For 200 or so Travellers, the Roma service is their reference adress.
As a second-line support point we provide information and consultation about the target group, offer tailored training and mediation at the request of services, schools, authorities and individuals. We have structured cooperation with a range of partners.
In relation to current issues (education, begging, homeless families, etc) the Roma service offers support and advice to local and regional governments and to Brussels organisations and public authorities that work with Roma people. The service also makes recommendations on policies.
At the centre of the Roma service is a team of mediators of Romanian, Bulgarian, Syrian and Roma origin. Their mission has three parts:
- Increasing education levels: outreach, guidance, enrolment, school mediation, increasing parental engagement and supporting teachers and pupils.
- Supporting neighbourhood actions: facilitating relationships between local partners and the Roma community to respond to problems and involve them actively in society.
- Guiding Roma people towards training and employment: outreach, supporting ESF colleagues.
Want to know more?
The Roma Service is very actif and has different initiatives. Below you can find an overview of their projects, publications, …
ESF-Project
The ESF-Project (Europian Social Fond) is a cooperation between the Roma Service and VGC (Flemish community commission). Since 2015, the project offers marginalised groups – such as Roma – guidance in their orientation towards education and employment. More information about the project you will find below.
Publications
Foyer has already published various books about Roma and Travellers. Some examples of the themes in the books are Dom-fugutives in Brussel, Roma in action and Roma and education.
Attention: the books are only available in Dutch or French
You can order the books by mail (secretariaat@foyer.be) or phone (02/411.74.95).
Principles for working with Roma
The Roma and Travellers Service has and broad operation scope. All information on the Roma communicty is bundled in our ‘General Principles for working for working with Roma’. This bundle is available in Dutch and French and gives a comprehensive description of the history of Roma and its migation as weel as general guides. Furthermore, it gives more information on specific topics, suchs as employment, education, housing and begging.
Educational material – Roma in the Classroom
‘Roma in the Classroom’ is a collection educational material, available in Dutch and French, for students of the third grade primary school. About 10 yeard ago, the Roma Service developed this material at the request of some primary schools in Brussel to be teach about the culture and history of Roma.
Media
A thematic selection of articles an videos about Roma and the Roma Service
Attention: The articles are written in Dutch!
