Università degli Studi di Bergamo
Italy
In the STORY_S project the University of Bergamo has the coordinator role and works to guarantee a qualitative project management, both coordinating partners’ work and being actively involved in the implementation of the actions of the project. Its team is composed by people expert in Roma issue and contrast to discriminatory processes.
The University of Bergamo was established in 1968, with the creation of the academic institute of foreign languages and literatures.
The University of Bergamo is characterised by a deep link with local areas and institutions, so to listen, and answer to local needs in the fields of economy, law, science, culture and society. The Athenaeum is so organised in five university departments: Law; Engineering; Literature, Philosophy and Communication; Business, Economical sciences and quantitative methods; Human and Social sciences.
In the last decade, it increased its international relationships and partnerships with foreign universities and research centres, so to facilitate and improve international advanced study opportunities for its students.
The Department of Human and Social Sciences covers a wide-range of sectors and disciplines (among which Pedagogy, Philosophy, Sociology and Anthropology) and it is committed to interdisciplinary approaches and innovation. The aim is to ensure students the right synergies for acquiring flexible educational training based on a mix of knowledge and skills.
Associazione bambini in Romania
Italy
BIR is a no-profit volunteer organisation founded in 1999 in Milan. The aim of the organisation is the empowerment of children and youth, both in Italy and abroad. By one side, we promote child rights in Italy and Eastern Europe, with a specific focus on disadvantaged children and families experiencing social exclusion and discrimination. On the other side we promote active citizenship and the involvement of young people in volunteering and social responsibility projects. BIR actively collaborates with people, organisations and institutions, both at local and global level, promoting social justice, sustainability and participation.
Asociatia Carusel
Romania
Carusel is an organisation built in 2011 by a group of activists and professionals in the field of harm reduction. By the work of a multidisciplinary team, Carusel aims to improve the quality of life for drug and alcohol users, sex workers or individuals who have multiple sex partners, persons who live on the streets, socially and economically challenged people and those at risk of getting sick or facing social exclusion.
The mission of the organisation is to create an active, proactive and reactive social environment, in order to promote and defend human rights and civil liberties.
To promote human rights and to sustain the development and implementation of efficient public policies for vulnerable and marginalised groups, Carusel provides social and medical services in drop-in centres and mobile units; organises conferences, experience exchange, summer schools and trainings; conducts studies and plays an important role in advocacy of marginalised people.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Spain
The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona was established in 1968. Since its first years, the UAB strived to set the foundations for a university model based on the respect for the basic principles of autonomy, participation and social commitment. This model did not receive support from the then authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco, thus the University was suspended until its end.
Later, this participative, autonomous and socially engaged university model was restored and intersected with the attention to academic social responsibility.
From this point of view, UAB aims to become integrated in its area of influence and in society in general, adopting the principles of social responsibility and organisation, with a special regard in consolidating and increasing social commitment. Thus, UAB aims to apply a policy with the criteria of sustainability in the accomplishment of the different university functions, in order to achieve ethically responsible management.
UAB offers over 80 bachelor’s degrees, organised in six academic departments: Health Sciences; Sciences; Biosciences; Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences and Law; Technological Sciences.
With a high level of competences and know how in the field of European Projects, the UAB defines itself as a public Catalan university with an international outlook. For the university, internationalisation is one of the tools to achieve its objectives in offering quality education, research and knowledge transfer throughout three fundamental lines of action: mobility, collaboration and cooperation, and the attraction of talent.
To foster these objectives, UAB places special importance on strategic alliances with other universities through a variety of consortiums and networks.
Federación de Asociaciones Gitanas de Cataluña
Spain
The Federación de Asociaciones Gitanas de Cataluña – FAGiC was created in 1991. Nowadays it gathers 96 Roma associations from all over Catalonia. FAGiC is the most representative Roma organisation in the region, which purpose is to defend and promote the rights and culture of the Roma people in Catalonia.
To achieve its aims, FAGiC improves the creation of actions addressed to Roma communities, gathering their aspirations and worries, building bridges between Roma and non-Roma people.
The Federation also interacts with the Catalan government, the Public Administration, at local and national level, to ensure Roma rights will be respected; it promotes the civic participation through community-based initiatives and support for member associations, it represents Roma associations in Catalonia and promotes and studies the Roma language, history, and culture in order to challenge Romaphobia, xenophobia and all kinds of racism.
Health and Social Development Foundation
Bulgaria
The Health and Social Development Foundation (HESED) works on breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and places vulnerable groups on the path of development.
The mission of HESED is to promote opportunities for personal and community development, health and social well-being in socially excluded communities.
With a particular attention to Roma communities, the Foundation helps children and their families in building fundamental life skills together. Furthermore, HESED works with children and their social environment to support successful educational paths, develops work-ethic and builds confidence for success in Roma youth.
The Foundation reaches its purposes using the Model for Integrated Development (MIR). MIR targets the most important periods of personal development and simultaneously makes solvable both main education and professional problems. The program for children and parents ensures successful integration in schools, while the development of social skills among teenagers improves their participation in the labour market.
Bulgarian Youth Forum
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian Youth Forum (BYF) is a non-profit organisation. It has been created to help the young people of Bulgaria in their efforts to formulate a comprehensive, long-term, and sustainable vision for their development.
With a wide web of partners active in the fields of sport, training, education, music, media and tourism, BYF provides to young people projects with the purpose to support the empowerment of youth in Bulgaria, especially in marginalised areas.
Since 2012 Bulgarian Youth Forum is officially a basic institution of the Faculty of Education at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Experts from the association organize and carry out the pre-diploma practice of the students from the Faculty of Education.