Waste no chance! – Enhancing employability and labour rights of Roma waste collectors

Details

Wednesday, 01 March 2017 09:46

The Project Waste no chance! aims to contribute to labour inclusion and better working conditions of Roma waste collectors. It will provide capacity building of one of the most endangered group of unemployed persons belonging to Roma minority and offer sustainable solutions and institutional mechanisms in that regard.

Specific objective of the project is to improve protection of labour rights and productivity of Roma and non-Roma waste collectors through capacity building and association will be achieved through achievement of the expected results listed below, by producing specific benefits to each target group and beneficiary, as follows:

1) Improved knowledge and health protection of waste collectors through provision of equipment and trainings on occupational safety measures
2) Increased competitiveness and enhanced productivity of waste collectors through association and targeted trainings
3) Developed local partnership between waste collectors, business companies and local authorities.

The project partners have carefully designed activities to match and reach stated and expected results, taking into account the general needs of Roma waste collectors, based on the long-term experience in the given area and findings during the project preparations.

This project proposes concrete actions to increase the capacities and raise the level of participation of Roma waste collectors in process of their labour inclusion and business development.

Namely, Roma waste collectors will be included in the training process, participate in procurement processes and in later meetings with relevant local authorities. Participation in the project activities will contribute to improvement of their personal communication skills and networking with other peers and relevant institutions, also contributing to building of their self-confidence, which is very important for persons from marginalised communities with low economic power.

Roma waste collectors will improve their knowledge and capacities in the health protection, occupational safety measures, leveraging social and economic rights through unionisation and particularly in financial management and market processes.

The USSCG representatives will be in charge for providing technical assistance and transfer of know-how to the waste collectors, who will obtain knowledge on this mechanism through tailored trainings and consultations. The establishment of a Trade Union of waste collectors will have multiplying effect with regard to Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro. It will bring new members to this umbrella organisation, strengthen it and bring-in new perspectives.

As a result of overall and comprehensive action, Roma community members will be more proactive with regard to shaping their future; opportunities for their social and labour inclusion will increase, while the gap between them and rest of the population will decrease as a consequence of their more substantial participation in public and political life of Montenegro.

Project “Waste no chance!” is financially supported by EU through Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA), Operational Programme - Human Resources Development for 2012-2013 (Implementation of trainings and employment projects for persons with disabilities and RE population)
Contracting Authority: Ministry of Finance, the Directorate for Finance and Contracting of the EU Assistance Funds.