Support for discrimination on grounds of sex, nationality, disability and age in the Southern Latgale region
The society integration fund, in collaboration with the training centre “FIBRA” in the South Latgale region, implements a motivation and support programme for people who are faced with obstacles to employment or education because of their gender, nationality, disability or age. In the period from January 2021 to July 2021, support is given to 59 people at risk of social exclusion in Vilnius, Vilnius, Riebinu municipality, of which almost everyone has managed to participate in employment or education.
"It is truly delighted that, during the implementation of the service, we had the opportunity to support people in different target groups, several of which are often not receiving adequate support or disappointed to the quality of the support services provided to date and are not aware of the essential support services available to them. Reducing social inequality and discrimination is a need for individual, targeted and professional support. The agents of change and other specialists work with people who are at risk of social exclusion and discrimination, capacity, ability to realise the causes of problems and their resources, to understand where to seek help, and to encourage a desire to change their current situation,” the Director of the Secretariat of the Society for Public Integration, Zaiga owl.
“Now, we live in a situation where many have uncertainty and concern about their future, since THE COVID 19 pandemic has left their impact on everyday life. This applies in particular to persons subject to discrimination. Therefore, any support that can be received makes it possible to take a slightly different look at different situations of life, solve problems, build their own self-awareness, even change their lives,” says South_Latgale Coordinator Iveta Bridge.
Persons at risk of social exclusion and discrimination who are at risk of discrimination on grounds of sex, persons after parental leave, victims of violence, persons who share another family member and one parent family, persons after 50 years of age, disability, including unemployed persons with disabilities, persons with disabilities and low level of education, ethnic origin, including Roma and other ethnic minorities.
A professional team created under the motivation and support programme, with both a psychologist, a career consultant and a lawyer, was active alongside social worker/change agent. Both individual and group consultations are provided. It provides an opportunity not only to work in group activities, thus motivating people to further work, but also identifying and finding solutions to the individual life issues of each client, thus creating a solid foundation for his future. As a psychologist recognises, specialist consultancy changes not only the lives of the person himself but all his family, improving both the psychological atmosphere of the family and providing children with better opportunities for education and various extra-school activities.
Following the implementation of the project: “customers who were given the opportunity to participate in the motivation programme were initially skeptical against activities and long-term engagement, however, in the dynamic working process, they showed interest in the advice of the support staff. Of course, in life, the events are changing rapidly so there was a trend in the development of events, both rises and decreases. During the negotiations, customers noted that the value was to be aware of the availability of a support person in the municipality, as a number of interconnected issues, rental contracts, land-based issues, which were more difficult to do than usual in the context of the pandemic constraints, were often addressed, but through the possibility of cooperation all these issues were addressed. By the end of the motivation programme, customers had received encouragement, confidence in their abilities, even if they had been long-term unemployed or were suffering from social discrimination from the population. Customers gained confidence in their forces and opportunities, to enjoy their achievements, to make a variety of challenges, to motivate more in life and in the vicinity.”
As part of the 2018 project “Promoting diversity”, motivation promotion and support services to persons at risk of social exclusion and discrimination are provided. The motivation programme is implemented throughout Latvia. More than 2,000 people who are faced with obstacles to employment or education because of their gender, nationality, disability or sex receive the assistance of professional specialists (social workers, lawyers, psychologists, careers and other professionals), individual and group counselling, thus promoting their integration into society, integration into social life, raising awareness of their rights, helping to engage in employment, including self-employment, education/training, training.
The motivation programme and support measures for people wishing to participate in employment and education are carried out under the European Social Fund project “Promoting diversity” (No 9.1.4.4/16/I/001). Funding of 85% is granted from the European Social Fund and 15% is financed by the Latvian State.