• Our work

    Eurodiaconia links diaconal actors to examine social needs, develop ideas and influence policies impacting Poverty and Social Exclusion, Social and Health Care Services and the Future of Social Europe.

    Eurodiaconia also provides a platform for transnational networking and best practice sharing.  

     

  • Our vision

    As the leading network for diaconal work in Europe, we look to develop dialogue and partnership between members and influence and engage with the wider society.  We do this to enable inclusion, care and empowerment of the most vulnerable and excluded and ensure dignity for all.

     

  • Our goals

    We aim to see a positive social change in Europe through:

    Praxis, enabling membership engagement and partnerships

    Advocacy, creating a network of competence to impact policies at European and national level

    Identity and values, supporting the development of approaches and thinking on Diaconia in Europe today

     

Calendar Thursday, September 09, 2010
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Roma and Sinti
Roma
Eurodiaconia has recently started working on Roma issues as our members are increasingly aware of the social challenges faced by Roma communities in Europe and are running projects and social services to help empower Roma and support their social inclusion. In the Brussels’ secretariat we are following EU events and policy developments that concern Roma and we communicate relevant news to our membership through the e-news and a Roma Network mailing list. We are in the process of writing a briefing and policy paper on social rights for Roma and we also facilitate a Roma Network meeting once annually. To join the Roma Network mailing list, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• Policy paper on Social Right for Roma coming soon
• Briefing on social rights for Roma coming soon

To learn more about our work on Roma issues, please contact Catherine at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

News
• Report of the 1st Roma Network Meeting
• Report of the 2nd Roma Network Meeting
 
Eurodiaconia invites input from members on Social Rights of Roma

2 August 2010

Eurodiaconia is developing a policy paper on social rights of Roma and would like to hear from members about work they have done on the topic. The document will outline Eurodiaconia’s position and present proposals to decision makers to tackle issues raised.

Examples of useful material would be policy positions on the main challenges that Roma face, and how Diaconia is helping to overcome such challenges, or examples of services that are meeting those challenges. Any documentation should be sent electronically to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by the end of August. Members' input from the Roma network meeting held in June will be incorporated into the paper.
 
Roma Network meeting report now available

8 June 2010

On 3rd June, Eurodiaconia held its second Roma network meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. 17 participants represented 12 diaconal organisations working with Roma. Members shared recent developments in their projects, including Diaconia Valdese who has recently started to support Roma in response to recent evictions in Italy and the Helsinki Deaconess Institute’s project ‘Roma on the Road’. Eurodiaconia Award winner, the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organisation (EHO) in Serbia presented their participatory project aimed at enhancing the living conditions in Roma settlements.  And Reverend Tilly Wilson spoke about her work as a chaplain for the Church of Scotland among travelling people.  In small groups, the group discussed the major social challenges for Roma in Europe, followed by some of the possible responses by diaconal organisations, national policy makers and by Eurodiaconia. The group also suggested ways to develop and improve the network, and agreed that Eurodiaconia should aim to hold one meeting annually.  A full report of this meeting is available here.
 
Working with Roma and Sinti People a consultation among Eurodiaconia members

On 6 October 2009 in Brussels, Eurodiaconia held its first consultation with members on working with Roma and Sinti people. The aim of the meeting was to provide an opportunity for exchange and discussion on this topic, hear from some Roma experts and try to draw some conclusions for the future work of Eurodiaconia. Participants gave short presentations on current Roma projects and some of the challenges they faced. Expert speakers also came from the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) and from the European Roma Information Office (ERIO).

On a European level, it was suggested that Eurodiaconia could lobby for the social rights of Roma and access to services. Eurodiaconia could also assist churches to get a genuine overview of the real situation of Roma communities, and together come up with a common strategy to respond to the issue.

Given the positive reaction of participants to the day, it was agreed that future meetings of this type could be useful for sharing information and projects on Roma.


Eurodiaconia will forward information on Roma and Sinti from our European NGO partners to interested members. If you would like to be added to this special Roma and Sinti issues mailing please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Click to download a full report of the meeting and conclusions.

 



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