Integrated Communities Project: 2019-2020

The Integrated Communities project was set up in April 2019 with the aim of tackling some of the key issues affecting Roma families with young children in Folkestone, Dover and Margate.

The project was designed to focus on supporting Roma children aged 0-6 years, as well as the parents of those children. This support was to be delivered through community activity sessions, community events and an instructional school readiness programme created to be easily accessible for both English and non-English speakers. In our support, we cover multiple aspects of Early Years development from breastfeeding and baby-massage through to the British schooling system and its expectations of students and parents alike.

The objective of the Integrated Communities project was r to strengthen and improve the existing provision of Early Years, and facilitate in Roma people accessing this existing provision. As such, a key focus was to improve the relationships between the local Roma community and service providers working with Roma people. By working closely with service providers, the aim was to improve the quality and inclusivity of these services whilst simultaneously breaking down any pre-existing barriers between the local Roma community and these service providers.

Within a year, we planned to have engaged with over 400 members of the Roma community across Folkestone, Dover and Margate, as well as with 1,000 people from the wider community. This engagement was delivered by our Development Officers who themselves were from the Roma community of each local area. Our Roma Development Officers helped minimise the challenges around language, trust and engagement, whilst at the same time ensuring Roma voices and experiences were at themheart of our project. W

Our engagement with the Roma communities of Folkestone, Dover and Margate was implemented through our organised community activity sessions and community events:

In Folkestone, we organised an activity session for parents and children aged 0-6 years called Together Time. We also set up a coffee morning at one of the local primary schools that many Roma children attend: The Turner Martello Primary School. Alongside our partner project, Roma in the Lead, we also began an activity session called Family Hour that welcomed Roma people of all ages. Further to these activity sessions, we hosted one-off community events that included: a multicultural festival in partnership with Kent Fire & Rescue Service and a Christmas festival focused on celebrating the traditional Czech, Slovak and Roma figure of Saint Mikuláš.

In Dover, we worked in partnership with the Buttercup Children’s Centre to organise an Early Years activity session called Family Club. We also set up a coffee morning at one of the local primary schools that many Roma children attend: Priory Fields Primary School. Alongside our partner project, Roma in the Lead, we integrated our already established activity sessions: Healthy Lifestyle, working in partnership with Dover Big Local and NHS One You to educate on healthy eating and exercising; and Community Hub, an activity session welcoming Roma people of all ages.

Further to these activity sessions, we hosted one-off community events that included: a multicultural festival in partnership with Dover Big Local and Samphire, a Halloween event, a Christmas festival focused on celebrating the traditional Czech, Slovak and Roma figure of Saint Mikuláš and a Cultural Diversity Workshop for other service professionals to learn more information about working with the Roma community in East Kent.

 In Margate, we organised an activity session for parents and children aged 0-6 years called Kid’s Club, as well as two weekly ESOL lessons for Roma parents. We also integrated an activity session from our partner project, Roma in the Lead, called Family Time that focused on engagement with Roma people of all ages. Further to these sessions, we hosted one-off community events that included: a multicultural festival in partnership with Age UK, a community day for Roma people of all ages, a Halloween event, a Christmas festival focused on celebrating the traditional Czech, Slovak and Roma figure of Saint Mikuláš and a Cultural Diversity Workshop for other service professionals to learn more information about working with the Roma community in East Kent.