41. Strengthening of the Representation of Interest Capacity in the Gypsy Community in Nagykanizsa
Authors: Hungary Foundation, Partners partners@partners.euroweb.hu
Abstract: Training and technical assistance to accelerate the skills of a newly established minority government
Region/Country: Zala County/Hungary
Minorities: Roma
Problems: Participation, representation
Keywords: Economic development, Social development, Human capacity building, Representation
Practices: representation of minorities in local governance
Actors: Local government, national NGOs
Target Groups: local minority
Full Text Case Study: in English
Summary:
Nagykanizsa is a middle-sized town in the southwestern part of Hungary in Zala County. The second largest town of the county has 55,000 inhabitants. There is some manufacturing (beer, furniture, lamps), and Nagykanizsa is the center of the oil industry in the country. The Gypsy population is more than 2,500, and seven Gypsy minority governments work in the county.
Partners began offering technical assistance and training in Nagykinizsa in 1995. A chronological list of activities follows:
June 17-19, 1995. Egervár. After needs assessment (discussions with the heading co-worker of the County General Assembly, the deputy mayor, the leaders of the Gypsy minority governments functioning in Zala County) we conducted a communication and negotiation skills development training for Gypsy leaders. In the framework of the training we dealt with the importance of effective communication in the prevention of different conflicts.
August 19, 1995. Cooperative skills development training for Gypsy children living in Zala County (the strategy of the Minority Government focused on education for those both in or out of school.)
September 22-24, 1995. Communication and conflict resolution training for the members of the Social Interest Conciliation Network Nagykanizsa (SICN). The Gypsy and non-Gypsy members were trained in order to resolve or manage their everyday conflicts in their workplaces. We built up the structure of the training by the four methods/opportunities of conflict management. Problems can be managed or prevented by permanent communication (like informal negotiation) and negotiation (like formal communication). In the case of facilitation and mediation a third party is ready to help to resolve the given conflict.
Using this conflict resolution system in the first training we dealt with the communication mistakes which the parties committed usually during negotiation. The participants also practiced the ways and techniques of effective communication.
November 3-4, 1995. Negotiation skills development training for the members of SICN. In this step the participants were familiarized with and practiced positional-bargain and interest-based negotiation. They brainstormed about the most important element of facilitation.
March 29-31, 1996. Mediation training for the members of SICN. The participants were familiarized with the main steps of mediation. In the second part of the training the members decided the frame/opportunity and the goals of their activity.
August 23, 1996. Communication skills development training for Gypsy children living in Zala County (the co-trainer was the member of the SICN).
October 19, 1996. Participation in the Tolerance Day conference organized by the Gypsy Minority Government
November 23, 1996. Communication training for the co-workers of the Gypsy Minority Government. The participants got to know effective means of communication for preventing conflicts.
August 15, 1997. Communication skills development training for the children living in Nagykanizsa (the co-trainers were the members of the SICN).
February 18-20, 1998. Training for potential members of future Gypsy minority governments. This training was one of the components of a project preparing for Gypsy minority government elections. The main goal of the project, supported by the Council of Europe, was confidence building among the Gypsy and Hungarian population living in Zala County. The experiences of the last years testify to the important role of Gypsy minority governments in this local confidence building. Therefore, we offered to assist the Gypsies interested in the establishment of the minority governments in professional preparation.
The training was arranged by the Nagykanizsa Minority Government (the center of the Gypsy minority governments functioning in the Zala County). One of the co-trainers was the president of the Minority Government as well as a member of SICN. The other trainer was a Gypsy MP)
March 10-11, 1998. Job-culture training for the Gypsy employees of the “Gourmandise” French-Hungarian joint venture. In the frame of the abovementioned project we conducted cooperative problem-solving exercises with training elements. The participants generally discussed their job problems, how to improve their job culture and, thus, keep their jobs. On the other hand, we contributed to change the Hungarians’ often prejudicial views about Gypsies. With the support of the Levy Strauss Foundation we carry on the work in this town.
April 7-9, 1998. Training for potential members of future Gypsy minority governments.
August 8, 1998. Communication skills development training for children living in Zala County (co-trainers were the members of the SICN)
September 16-18, 1998. Training for potential members of future Gypsy minority governments. The participants of the three-day training came from more than thirty villages in Zala County. After the next election we will meet with the participants in order to evaluate the collective work.
In total, Partners’ activity helped the Minority Government to represent interests more efficiently and to negotiate more effectively. We can summarize some results in the following:
–The Minority Government has a strong representation of interest capacity and a very good reputation, not only in the town but in the county, as well as in other national institutions
–The Government has a good connection with the local government and the County General Assembly as well
–The Government has a very successful connection with the minority governments functioning in the county (not only with the Gypsy ones) and with the Gypsy minority government federations of the adjoining counties
–The “A Nostru” Association of Gypsies living in Zala County was established in August with the assistance of the minority government, which is the fifth largest association in Hungary on the basis of the number of candidates for minority government elections.