Education

of Roma children
in Europe

Guide for Roma school

mediators/assistants

Guide for Roma school mediators/assistants

Calin Rus and Mihaela Zatreanu

Directorate General IV
Directorate of Education and Languages
Division for the European Dimension of Education

Council of Europe Publishing

French edition:
Guide du mdiateur/assistant scolaire rom
Romani edition:
Gido va o romano kolako mediatoro/asistento

The opinions expressed in this work are the responsibility of the

authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Council
of Europe.
All requests concerning the reproduction or translation of all or part of
the document should be addressed to the Public Information and
Publications Division, Directorate of Communication (F-67075
Strasbourg Cedex or [email protected]). All other correspondence
concerning this publication should be addressed to the Department of
School and Out-of School Education.

Cover design: Graphic Design Workshop, Council of Europe

Council of Europe, May 2009

Contents
1.

WHO IS THE GUIDE FOR?..................................................................5

2.

WHAT DOES MEDIATION MEAN?...............................................7

3.

SCHOOL MEDIATORS.........................................................................9
3.1.
3.2.

4.

WHAT DO ROMA SCHOOL MEDIATORS DO? .............................................9

ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR ROMA SCHOOL MEDIATORS .............................11
ORGANISATIONAL SUGGESTIONS...............................................13

4.1.

ANNUAL WORK CYCLE ............................................................................13

4.2.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ...............................................................................15

Phase 0 starting work: information and preparation.............................. 15

Phase 1 analysing the initial situation.........................................................16
Phase 2 helping to draw up an action plan .................................................18
Phase 3 overseeing the implementation of the action plan.........................19
Phase 4 helping to evaluate the implementation of the action plan ...........20
5.

PRACTICAL GUIDELINES................................................................22
5.1.
5.2.
5.3.
5.4.
5.5.
5.6.
5.7.

6.

WORKING WITH SCHOOL MANAGEMENT ...............................................22

RAISING PARENTAL AWARENESS AND EDUCATING SCHOOLS
ABOUT THE NEED TO WORK WITH FAMILIES ..........................................24
COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS ..........................................................26
COMMUNICATING WITH CHILDREN........................................................28
ORGANISING MEETINGS ..........................................................................30
MANAGING CONFLICTS BY MEANS OF MEDIATION ................................33
TACKLING LANGUAGE, CULTURAL AND IDENTITY-RELATED ISSUES ....36
TOOLS AND DOCUMENTATION ....................................................40

A DIARY ....................................................................................................40
A REPORT FOLDER ...................................................................................40
AN EDUCATIONAL AND FAMILY BACKGROUND FOLDER.........................40
A CONTRACT WITH SCHOOL MANAGEMENT ...........................................41
AN ACTION PLAN ......................................................................................42
A CONTACT LIST ......................................................................................42

1.

Who is the guide for?

A number of European countries employ members of Roma1

communities to help improve the education of children from those
communities. The practicalities of such arrangements vary widely, as
do the situations of Roma communities in relation to schooling.
In some countries, for instance, these workers are employed by
schools or by the education system, while in others the employer may
be a local authority or NGO. Differences may also be observed as
regards initial and in-service training, job profiles and specifications
and so on. Different terminology is used to designate such positions in
different settings. The two most common terms are mediator and
assistant.2
Generally speaking, assistants focus primarily on supporting Roma
children in the context of school activities (classroom learning,
communication with teachers, homework), but also facilitate
communication between schools and families. School mediators focus
on relations between the school and families, and are also responsible
for raising both school and community awareness and informing the
Roma community about school-related issues.
Notwithstanding these differences, there is thus a common core of
activities: facilitating relations between the school and the Roma
community(ies), and between teachers and other school staff and
parents of Roma children. This is also in line with the text of
Recommendation No (2000) 4 of the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe, which states:
Particular attention should also be paid to the need to ensure better
communication with parents, where necessary using mediators from the
Roma/Gypsy community which could then lead to career possibilities.
1

Roma is used here, as in the case of other documents produced in the project
Education of Roma Children in Europe, as a generic term for practical reasons
without aiming to impose it to a variety of related groups that have other terms for
self-identification. Roma/Gypsy is used only for quotes from Recommendation
(2000)4 of the Committee of Ministers.
2
Further details in French, English and Romani may be found in a number of
documents available on the Council of Europes website, in the section on Education
of Roma/Gypsy Children.

Use should also be made of mediators from within the

Roma/Gypsy community, in particular to ease the contacts
between Roma/Gypsies, the majority population and schools and
to avoid conflicts at school; this should apply to all levels of
schooling.

As part of its Education of Roma Children in Europe project, the

Council of Europe has looked at how different member states are
implementing this recommendation. As well as highlighting the wide
variety of practical measures and a number of good practices in the
employment and training of Roma school mediators and assistants, the
research identified dangers that might adversely affect their work.
Accordingly, this guide is aimed primarily at all categories of staff
from the Roma community working to improve schooling conditions
for Roma children,3 and is intended to provide them with wideranging tools and practical guidelines that can be adapted to different
contexts. However, it may also be of use to others involved in
activities connected with the schooling of Roma children, such as
trainers of assistants or mediators, inspectors, school principals, etc.
The guides content is therefore designed to help improve the work of
Roma school mediators and assistants and reduce the impact of any
undesirable effects. In addition, the proposed approach aims at
supporting a more structured day-to-day activity and highlight aspects
of mediation that are often not used in practice.
It must be emphasised, however, that the guide is not intended to
replace either the specific tools available in different countries, or
training for those working to improve communication between
schools and the families of Roma children. We hope the guidelines
and proposals set out in the guide will be incorporated into initial and
in-service training courses, and that the efforts of mediators who opt
to organise their work according to the guide will receive the full
support of teachers and administrators at all levels of the education
system.

Irrespective of the terms used in different countries: school mediator, teaching

assistant, school assistant, etc.

2.

What does mediation mean?

Mediation is a process originally associated with the resolution of

conflict situations through the intervention of a neutral third party: the
mediator. The mediator participates with the agreement or at the
request of the parties to the conflict. The decision resolving the
conflict situation is taken by the parties rather than the mediator.
Party 2

Party 1
School

Neutral party
Roma school
mediator

Roma community

The mediation process is based on the principle that the parties may
have different needs, exhibit cultural differences and see things
differently. It provides scope for clearly identifying problematic
issues, breaking down communication barriers, exploring possible
solutions and, should the parties decide on such a course of action,
arriving at a solution satisfactory to both parties.
The mediators role in this process is to help the parties communicate.
This means the mediator:
-

must have both parties confidence. If he or she is seen as

favouring one party, the process cannot take its proper
course and the outcome may be unsustainable or not
mutually satisfactory;

is not responsible for the outcome of the mediation process.

He or she may be doing his or her job properly, yet the
parties may not arrive at a solution.

Even if no solution is found, the mediation process usually has a

positive impact on relations between the parties.

During the mediation process, the mediators role is to:

-

establish a relationship of trust and open communication with

the parties representatives;

ascertain the situation in order to understand their respective

viewpoints and the basis for their opinions, feelings, attitudes
and actions;

establish contact between the parties by ensuring effective

communication.

In many cases problems appear because teachers and Roma parents

perceive themselves as being on opposite sides and tend to blame each
other. A successful mediation process should start from agreeing that
both parents and teachers want the best for their children. The
mediator should support both parties to move from stating opposite
positions on a specific matter, towards expressing their needs,
interests and priorities, as a basis for a mutually acceptable solution.
Details about how to manage a conflict situation through mediation
are presented in section 5.6.
A mediation process such as that aimed at facilitating communication
between schools and Roma communities is not simply a matter of
reacting to conflict situations, but also helps to defuse conflicts and
ensure constructive progress towards measures geared to the needs,
viewpoints and interests of both parties.
In addition, it should be made clear that conflicts are not necessarily
negative. Conflicts are inevitable in any society. The key is to set up
mechanisms for handling conflict which emphasise the constructive
role it can play.

3.

School mediators

3.1.

What do Roma school mediators do?

The role and practical responsibilities of the mediator will depend a

great deal on the kinds of issues specific to the schooling of Roma
children in the context of your work. According to the situation and
the priorities, you will focus on objectives such as:

ensuring school attendance;

preventing and tackling the problem of school drop-outs;
encouraging academic success;
favouring positive relations between Roma and non-Roma
children.

If school attendance at early ages is not an issue, the work will

concentrate on the reasons pupils drop out of school and ways to
improve their chances of academic success. If, on the other hand, the
local community faces problems such as access to schooling or the
school being rejected by the local Roma community, these issues
should be addressed by working with both partners: the school and the
community.
In more practical terms, the work of a mediator will focus (inter alia)
on:
-

welcoming Roma children to the school and helping them

integrate, particularly at the start of the school year;

facilitating communication between the school and Roma

parents;

fostering a school climate conducive to intercultural

communication between Roma and non-Roma based on
mutual understanding and recognition.

For the purpose of achieving these objectives, your duties will

include:

10

visiting families, particularly those living in underprivileged

neighbourhoods, with a view to ascertaining the social
environment, parental attitudes and childrens state of health;

arranging meetings and working with parents to involve them

more fully in the education process;

informing the community of measures connected with the

education of Roma children and making Roma families aware
of the need for pre-school and school education;

promoting tolerance, helping to overcome prejudice and

encouraging contact between Roma and non-Roma parents and
children;

offering special activities for Roma mothers;

helping to arrange meetings between teachers and Roma

parents;

working with Roma and non-Roma NGOs;

helping to identify the school population;

encouraging young Roma to pursue their studies beyond

primary school and helping them gain access to proper
vocational guidance;

providing mediation for conflicts between and within

communities, and publicising the availability of such
mediation;

encouraging parents to participate in their childrens education

and in school activities;

informing the school of specific issues that may have arisen

within the community, and alerting the authorities;

supporting children at school;

organising activities for children.

3.2.

Essential skills for Roma school mediators

In order to do a good job, Roma school mediators should:

-

be familiar with the local community in general and the Roma

community in particular;

be familiar with the school environment (both the local school

and its teachers and the education system as a whole, including
the regulations and the facilities available for disadvantaged
children, particularly Roma);

be familiar with local authorities, the social welfare system,

protection of childrens rights and so on.

In addition, mediators should have a good understanding of Roma

culture in general, the history and different aspects of Roma cultural
identity, the current position of Roma at national and European level
and the various forms of discrimination to which Roma are often
subjected.
Mediators should also demonstrate good mediation and
communication skills. If they are genuinely to bridge two cultures,
they must possess intercultural communication skills as well as
general communication skills (active listening, open mind, etc.) and an
ability to communicate with children. They must therefore:
-

speak both the language used in the education system and the
language of the Roma community (if applicable) well;

understand the cultural codes of both the majority culture

and the Roma culture, that is, know how to behave in both
environments and being able to see the meaning attributed to
specific behaviours in both cultures, as well as the reasons
behind them.

11

In addition to specific personal qualities and a genuine interest in this

kind of work, acquisition of the above skills necessitates a learning
process that can take various forms (initial training, training courses,
seminars, field training under the supervision of an experienced
mediator, for example and so on).

12

4.

Organisational suggestions

4.1.

Annual work cycle

Your work as a Roma school mediator will take place throughout the
school year, involving regular interaction with:
-

school management and staff;

Roma parents;

Roma children;

other members of the local Roma community;

other children and their parents;

representatives of local government institutions and NGOs

active locally;

where applicable, educational administrators responsible for

supervising mediators at different levels (regional level, for
example).

Let us imagine that you are taking on this role at the start of the school
year. We shall follow your work step by step, attempting to identify
key elements that are applicable regardless of the specific context and
ensure the best chance of success while avoiding pitfalls and dangers.
At the very outset of your work as a mediator, you will undertake a
crucial phase: making contact with the different groups of people with
whom you will have to interact, and preparing the ground for your
subsequent work.
Once this phase has been completed, your work will involve a cycle
that is repeated each year.
This cycle (see diagram below) begins with (1) a phase of analysing
the situation at the start of each school year, thereby assessing key
aspects of the education of Roma children at your school.
13

During the next phase, (2) on the basis of the findings yielded by the
analysis phase, you will ask representatives of the school and the
Roma community to set joint objectives and priorities for the coming
school year and draw up an action plan for accomplishing them.
It is then a matter of (3) contributing to the implementation of the
action plan, both through the activities for which you are directly
responsible and by following up the efforts of the other people
concerned (in the school and the community) and helping them fulfil
their undertakings.
Lastly, the final phase (4/1) consists in evaluating the implementation
of the action plan and the resulting situation at the end of the school
year; this may also be regarded as phase 1 of the next cycle.

Phase 0
Information and
preparation

Phase 1/4
Analysing the
initial situation

Phase 3
Implementing activities
Follow-up meetings

Phase 2
Drawing up an action
plan specifying
timeframes and
responsibilities

This approach is consistent with the concept of mediation, the

mediator being someone who supports the parties and helps them
reach a mutually satisfactory solution, but it also takes into account
the need:
14

not to consider the mediator solely responsible for failures or

successes;

to provide the mediator with the necessary tools and resources

to avoid various forms of manipulation;

to state the mediators tasks and responsibilities clearly so that

he or she can evaluate his or her work properly and continually
attempt to improve it .

To this end, however, you must bear in mind at each stage the limits
of your position as a Roma school mediator and use appropriate tools
in order to perform your duties effectively. Moreover, if your work is
to be effective, everything you do must be part of a wider school
policy aimed at improving every childs education.
4.2.

Step-by-step guide

Phase 0 starting work: information and preparation

Objective and strategy: Identify the key people with whom you will
be working, introduce yourself to them and explain your role.
Practical strategies will depend a great deal on the local situation. If
you are originally from the community in which you are to work as a
mediator, that will make this phase easier; however, it is still
important to meet key people and make them all aware of your new
position and your plans.
Activities:
-

Make contact with school management and establish a

contractual relationship (clarifying specific responsibilities on
both sides and the procedures to be followed in the event of
problems. Details are given in the section 5.1.

Meeting with teachers and explaining your role and the

process envisaged. This should be done by attending a
teachers meeting, where the school principal will introduce
you, explain your tasks and request teachers to provide
support, while defining the ways you will communicate and
cooperate with the teaching staff and other school staff. Your
status in the school team could also be improved if this
meeting will be attended also, if this is possible, by special
15

guests, such as inspectors in charge with schooling of Roma

children, Roma leaders, NGO representatives, etc.
-

Meetings with key figures in the Roma community(ies) to

introduce yourself and explain the type of work you will be
doing. Particularly in traditional communities it is important to
take into account internal community networks and
hierarchies, prove respect for the leaders by meeting them first.
However, it is important to also meet influential mothers and
young people that can provide support for your work. In some
cases there are different Roma groups in the local community
and it is important to make sure you meet representative of all
of them and explain that your task is to support all Roma
children to get better education.

Meetings with any other individuals and representatives of

government institutions or NGOs relevant to your work as a
mediator. As in many cases educational difficulties of Roma
children are associated with a situation of social disadvantage,
establishing a good cooperation with representatives of the
social services will be extremely important.

Phase 1 analysing the initial situation

Objective and strategy: Gathering information at the start of the
school year about the situation with regard to the schooling of Roma
children. Objective data (for example, statistics) must be combined
with efforts to ascertain the subjective opinions of all concerned. What
teachers, parents, children and the other people involved think is just
as important as the actual situation.
Activities:
-

16

Recording data about the Roma children in the school and

within the community. This activity should be done very
carefully, avoiding the problems that might arise from the fact
that some children prefer not to be identified in school as
Roma. Their option must be respected but you should be aware
that this can change in time. If a positive and secure
environment is gradually created in the school and if being a
Roma is not associated with negative stereotypes, they might

feel comfortable to acknowledge their affiliation to Roma

community. This does not prevent you from including in your
database Roma and non-Roma children that have various kinds
of difficulties and that might benefit from your support.
-

Identify, where applicable, the number of Roma children not

enrolled at school, the families concerned and the motivations
of this situation. This can only be done in an effective way
with the support of the local community. Sometimes there are
situations of disrupted attendance, due to temporary migration,
or to an itinerant lifestyle, and you should aim at both at
obtaining information about how many children are affected,
and at understanding the reasons and barriers preventing them
for attending school regularly.

Obtain data on Roma childrens academic results and

participation in extra-curricular activities organised by the
school. The cooperation of the teaching staff is essential for
this. You must take into account the possible restrictions that
you might face in accessing childrens data. Families can
compensate this by providing you with information on a
voluntary basis. But in most cases it is possible to get from the
school management at least a statistical situation of the school
performance of self-declared Roma children.

Organise group and individual discussions with parents,

teachers, other members of the community and so on, in order
to obtain form them information about the way they perceive
the situation of Roma children in school, the main challenges
and needs. You will find some advice in sections 5.2. and 5.3.

Discuss with the children in order to get also their perspective.

In most cases it will be more effective to have individual
discussions with Roma and non-Roma children to ask them
what they think. When speaking with Roma children it is
important to give them the confidence that you are supportive
and that they can share with you their even thoughts that they
would not mention to teachers, colleagues or parents, but avoid
creating or accentuating negative attitudes towards teachers
and non-Roma colleagues. On the contrary, you should
promote a positive and constructive attitude, based on the idea
17

that everybodys rights must be equally respected. Details are

presented in section 5.4.
Phase 2 helping to draw up an action plan
Objective and strategy: Asking school management, members of the
teaching staff and representatives of Roma parents to set specific
objectives and agree on the action to be taken and changes to be made,
so that each can help improve the schooling of Roma children and
relations between Roma and non-Roma children. As a mediator, your
role in this process is to incite and encourage both teachers and
parents to become involved. The example afforded by your own plans
plays a crucial role in encouraging parents and teachers to take
responsibility. You will thereby gain the support of both sides,
together with relevant, constructive suggestions for the organisation of
subsequent work. Such an approach will mobilise and empower both
the school staff and the members of Roma community.
Activities:

18

Ask, both teachers and parents to state their expectations (on

the basis of the findings of the previous phase): what does each
side think needs to be changed? These discussions, which may
take place on an individual basis or at meetings, generate a list
of proposed changes to the existing situation.

Ask representatives of both parties to identify, from this list,

priorities by focusing on changes that can be achieved within
the current school year and with the resources available or
potentially available to the school and local community.

Finalise the action plan by asking teachers, parents (and, where

applicable, the other people involved, such as the parents
association representative, the social worker and
representatives of local authorities, NGOs and other local
community organisations or groups) to identify what each can
do to advance towards the changes envisaged. As part of this
process, you will state the responsibilities that you can take
and include them in the plan. This will result in a list of
specific measures, with one or more people responsible for
each, and timeframes. Once this is achieved, it is important to

check the results with all persons, organisations or institutions

that appear with responsibilities in the plan, in order to avoid
misunderstandings. You should specify that the plan might
need periodic revisions, that additions are welcome, and that
you must remain flexible to respond in the best way possible to
new challenges.
Phase 3 overseeing the implementation of the action plan
Objective and strategy: Improving the schooling of Roma children
and their relations with non-Roma children by implementing the
measures set out in the action plan drawn up in conjunction with
representatives of teachers and Roma parents.
Activities:
-

Ensure that all persons and institutions concerned are aware of

the action plan (including the objectives, that is, the changes
envisaged, and the list of specific measures); The plan should
be displayed in a visible place in the school, presented and
discussed during a teachers meeting and during meetings with
parents. A key task is to make sure that community members
are also aware of the plan and some of its elements might need
additional explanations, in an accessible language.

Implement the measures for which you, as a mediator, already

took responsibility, as specified in the action plan. Make sure
that you communicate the progress obtained and that both
people in the community and school staff is informed about
what you do.

Meet regularly the various people listed in the action plan

(teachers, parents, other members of the community,
representatives of institutions and NGOs and so on) to find out
what is being done, offer support, identify obstacles, provide
mediation in order to break deadlocks where necessary, offer
encouragement and take note of achievements.

Meet with the people involved or concerned by the activities,

including members of the Roma community that are in a
19

difficult situation, even if they do not attend the meetings that

you organise in the community or in the school.
-

Attend regularly school staff meetings to review progress,

explain your work and activities with the community and
receive suggestions and requests from teachers.

Organise joint monitoring meetings with the ones that appear

with precise responsibilities and other interested participants.
At these meetings, which should be announced and planned
with enough time in advance, participants should be asked to
describe what they did, mentioning both difficulties and
achievements. Ask school management to present a synthesis
of the progress made. Avoid focalising the discussion on
barriers and difficulties and move the emphasis on analysing
possible solutions, while underlining the successes obtained by
all parties. Between one and two such meetings should take
place during each semester. They will be finalised with a
revision of the action plan (activities accomplished will be
marked, some activities might need to be reformulated, some
responsibilities could be modified and some new tasks can be
added). This revised plan must be communicated to all
stakeholders and will serve as a reference for the activities to
follow.

Phase 4 helping to evaluate the implementation of the action

plan
Objective and strategy: Evaluating what has been achieved during
the school year. This is essential in order both to conclude the
activities of one school year and to start (phase 1) a new cycle for the
following year. Accordingly, this phase may be divided into two parts:
an evaluation conducted at the end of the school year, while
impressions of the measures taken are still fresh, and an additional
phase at the start of the next school year, similar to drawing up a new
action plan (phase 2); this affords an opportunity both to recall the
conclusions of the initial evaluation phase and to update that
information, incorporating those children expected to join the school
during the coming school year and the outcome of holiday activities
run by yourself, as a mediator, or others (the school, NGOs, etc.).
20

Activities:
-

Collect information about the situation through group and

individual discussions with parents, teachers, other members
of the community and so on.

Discuss with the children in order to obtain their perspective

and compare it with the feedback obtained during previous
discussions.

Combining information gathered during the school year with

that obtained from the school on Roma childrens academic
results and on their participation in extra-curricular activities
organised by the school. School management and/or a group of
teachers can help this process.

Review with the group of active stakeholders the measures

mentioned in the action plan, point by point. Compare them
with what has actually been done. Where there are
discrepancies, it is important to identify the difficulties
encountered and the changes that need to be made in order to
improve the situation. The conclusions should not focus on
what has not succeeded or on who did not do what he or she
promised, but on general lessons learned and on what and how
to do in the future to improve chances of success.

21

5.

Practical guidelines

5.1.

Working with school management

Your job as a mediator may have arisen from a decision taken by the
school, the education authorities, local government or a nongovernmental organisation working with the school. Depending on the
situation, there are different ways of establishing a relationship with
school management.
Whatever the case, however, school management will have a decisive
influence on the success of your work.
In an ideal world, you will have the full support of school
management. In reality, this is not always the case. Sometimes,
although it may not be made clear, the head teacher sees you as the
solution to the problems of schooling for Roma children, expecting
you to find the magic recipe that will put a stop to such problems.
What are you then to do?
The best advice is to draw up a contract with school management
from the outset, clearly and explicitly specifying responsibilities on
both sides and how the situation is to be handled if undertakings are
not fulfilled. This document is neither your employment contract nor
the job specification listing your duties as a mediator, but a document
setting out clear procedures in the event of problems.
The mediator should draw up this document in conjunction with
school management on taking up his or her post, bearing in mind the
specific situation of the school and community. Its main purpose is to
simplify the mediators job by guarding against undesirable effects,
such as:

22

use of the mediator as an odd-job person;

exploitation of the mediator by the school or community;

conflicting pressures on the mediator (where his or her

employer is a local authority or NGO rather than the school,
for example, in which case it is better if representatives of

these institutions are involved in drafting the contract with

school management);
-

the mediator becoming a scapegoat, being held responsible

for any difficulties or failures.

Make sure you bring up any delicate matters when the contract is
drafted. It is better to do this at the outset rather than suffering the
consequences throughout the school year.
Two issues, which are never covered in employment contracts or job
specifications, are crucial in this connection:
1. What is your position in relation to the school and the Roma
community?
In many cases mediators are employed by the school or the education
system. There is therefore an expectation, expressed or otherwise, that
the mediator will primarily represent the interests and views of the
school, or of school management. Likewise, since the mediator is of
Roma origin, members of the Roma community may pressure him or
her to assert his or her role as a Roma representative or advocate. It
must be explicitly stated that the mediator will maintain a neutral
position. This avoids, or reduces, the risk of pressure from
management regarding the task of mediation.
2. What to do in the event of problems
While the mediators tasks are normally set out in a separate
document attached to his or her employment contract, the school
should also specify how it intends to support his or her work and the
responsibilities it intends to take on. In some cases, job specifications
do not clearly state what the mediator has to do. The first step is
therefore to specify the mediators tasks. During this initial phase,
however, the mediator should also ask school management to provide
an explicit written description of its own responsibilities. Management
may then be asked to advise the mediator what to do in the event that
school management or staff fail to fulfil the undertakings given. This
explicit description may subsequently serve as a crucial tool in the
mediators work, reducing the risk of conflict with school
management and staff. For example, it may be stated in writing that,
23

in such a situation, the mediator must first request a meeting with

management to explain his or her point of view; if the problem is not
resolved, he or she should then approach a higher authority (a school
inspector, the schools board of governors, the mayor, etc., as
applicable).
Another key aspect that ought to be clarified at this stage is respect for
confidentiality. As a mediator, if a parent, member of the community
or teacher gives an opinion or information to you, asking you not to
disclose it to others, you have a duty to keep that information to
yourself. Not even school management has the right to ask you to
communicate such information without the agreement of the person
who gave it to you.
For more information about drafting the contract with management,
see chapter 6.
This document should be taken out at every meeting you have with
school management throughout the year. You should check together
on a regular basis that it is being implemented; where necessary,
adjustments may be made in the light of such discussions.
5.2.

Raising parental awareness and educating schools about

the need to work with families

Good relations with families can be crucial in strengthening the

schools position and making it more effective. This is even more
important in the case of underprivileged families, and when children
encounter problems at school. Schools that learn how to communicate
well with parents and work with them derive significant benefits:

24

greater parental involvement in different areas of school life;

greater willingness on the part of parents and teachers to

communicate, share opinions and inform the mediator of
misunderstandings and conflict situations at an early stage;

better academic results, bearing in mind that parental support

and encouragement for childrens learning will have a positive
long-term impact;

more positive attitudes and behaviour on the part of children.

The vast majority of parents want:

-

the best for their children, both in terms of schooling and in

general. For most, this means quality education that is
meaningful to the childs life, provided in a favourable
emotional environment;

to be kept informed about what the school is doing and how its
activities affect their children;

clear, comprehensible, balanced information about their

childrens learning progress and difficulties;

practical advice about how they can support their children as

they learn.

Notwithstanding the great benefits of developing an effective

partnership between families and the school, this is not always
straightforward. In some cases, Roma families need specific measures,
special arrangements and extra help to enable them to participate fully
in school life, support their children and work with teachers.
All parents want their views to be taken into account; in many cases,
however, their own negative experiences of school and government
institutions in general make it difficult for them to trust the school,
even when teachers show a clear interest in them.
Experience has shown that, in order to develop an effective
relationship with parents, schools must:
-

use a variety of techniques rather than focusing exclusively on

formal meetings with parents;

show an ongoing interest in what every parent has to say;

show that parents opinions, requests and suggestions are taken

into account.

25

Where there are significant cultural differences between the Roma

community and the school environment, such an approach becomes
even more complex. As a school mediator, therefore, you have an
essential role to play: conveying to Roma parents the message that the
school is receptive to their views, and explaining, translating and
clarifying the opinions, behaviour and expectations of Roma parents
for school representatives. In doing so, you must maintain a balanced
position, avoiding being seen by parents as a representative of the
system who wishes to impose his or her view on the community.
Why listen to parents opinions?

5.3.

No one knows children and young people better than their

parents. The family is the sole element of continuity in most
peoples lives.

Children may behave differently within the family and at

school.

Parents can have a considerable impact on childrens learning

and priorities.

Parents have both rights and responsibilities, including the

right to be listened to regarding their childrens education.

Schools need to know what parents think of the work they are
doing and how children are progressing at school.
Communicating with parents

Dont forget that there are different types of family: couples with
children, extended families including several generations, lone-parent
families where just one parent lives with the children, and situations
where children live with grandparents or other people.
It should also be borne in mind that some Roma parents may not have
gone to school and may not feel comfortable participating in school
activities or interacting with teachers or other parents.
For various reasons, many parents both Roma and non-Roma find
it difficult to maintain ongoing communication with the school. These
26

include the pace of life, a lack of confidence in the school, the way
teachers communicate and teachers lack of understanding of the
realities of parents day-to-day lives.
You should also be particularly sensitive to traveller families or
families arriving in the community following a period of travel. A
meeting should be held with parents and/or other relatives to inform
them of the schools policy on school attendance by Roma children
and the role of the Roma school mediator in this connection. Set up a
support system for parents who have just arrived.
Your presence is especially important in those communities where
parents travel abroad. In most such cases, children are left with other
relatives. These children need greater encouragement to continue at
school, and their academic results should be monitored. Where parents
travel with children, you must take steps to help the children fit back
into school and gain access to additional remedial programmes.
As a mediator, you must make yourself available to parents and gain
their trust in your receptiveness and ability to answer their questions.
This can be achieved, for example, by having set hours each week
during which you can be contacted both at and outside the school.
Organising monthly meetings with parents can also be a good
solution. The mediator should contact separately those families who
do not wish to engage in relations with the school: take a positive
approach, however, telling them about the meeting and encouraging
them to attend future meetings without accusing them. Meetings can
also take place outside the school where this is possible.
Use appropriate language whenever communicating with parents
(avoid words whose exact meaning may not be clear to them), and
avoid adopting an inflexible, bureaucratic attitude.
It is important to take into account each familys specific
circumstances and ensure a balance between encouragement and the
provision of information when communicating with parents. Dont ask
for things that are beyond the familys capabilities or put it in an
embarrassing situation. For example, avoid communicating in writing
if parents have reading difficulties.

27

Encourage parents to help their children to learn, but identify

appropriate tasks (relating their experiences, for example). The
mediator has an essential role to play in helping each parent identify
positive elements of his or her experience and knowledge that might
be relevant to classroom learning while also heightening the selfesteem of the parents and children concerned. Where after-school
remedial programmes are available locally, you should encourage the
parents of those children needing such assistance to enrol them.
Particular consideration should be given to the transition from primary
to secondary school. Parents should be directly consulted in a very
open, but not superficial, way about decisions to steer children
towards a particular course of study or occupation.
It is also important to encourage parents to become involved in school
activities as volunteers, depending on their interests and availability,
and to ensure that Roma parents are represented in parents
associations.
Dont forget that one of your main tasks is to listen to parents, while
remaining discreet and respecting distinctive cultural features and
differences between Roma groups. You must avoid entering into
conflict with families, by communicating openly and acting
appropriately, thereby retaining their respect and trust.
5.4.

Communicating with children

Bear in mind that as a school mediator you are an important role

model for Roma children. Your impact on children may therefore go
far beyond the direct support you offer them through your work.
You should establish a relationship characterised by positive, open
communication with Roma children, irrespective of their sub-group or
social status, encouraging the development of positive attitudes and
fostering effective learning.
Research on learning shows that children learn best if they:
-

28

feel comfortable and safe;

are involved in activities that are challenging but not anxietyinducing;

regularly receive positive, detailed feedback from adults about

their work;

believe they are capable of succeeding.

To develop positive relationships with children, a mediator must:

-

establish a relationship of trust by initiating communication,

taking an interest in what children are doing and thinking and in
their feelings, needs and demands, and demonstrating an ability to
see things from their point of view as well;

identify and give feedback on positive aspects of childrens

behaviour, congratulate them not only on their achievements but
also on doing day-to-day activities well, and thank them;

acknowledge childrens right and ability to make choices; rather

than telling children what they have to do, it is better to identify
their options and the consequences of each. This instils a sense of
responsibility in children and encourages them to make mental
links between choices and consequences, reducing the frequency
of conflict situations;

enhance childrens self-esteem. If children have a continually

negative experience of school and fail to achieve, over time they
will start to believe that they are incapable of succeeding. This
causes them to accept the idea that such a lack of success is
normal for them. They will thereby develop a negative attitude
towards school, prompting them to opt out of learning; they will
have a tendency either to withdraw and avoid challenges (which
are precisely the best source of learning), or to engage in negative
and even violent behaviour. Self-esteem can be heightened,
however, by means of effective strategies on the part of teachers
and adults in general. As a mediator, this means that at all times
you should explicitly express an attitude of trust in the childs
abilities, convey the message that he or she is valued despite his or
her failures and, as far as possible, put him or her in situations in
which he or she can experience success and feel valued.
29

You should monitor and regularly encourage participation by Roma

children in:
-

individual and group activities in class;

extra-curricular activities;
the student council.

As soon as you identify Roma children who are marginalised or

excluded from certain educational activities for various reasons, or
whenever such cases are brought to your attention by teachers or
parents, your role is to bring together those in a position to intervene
(teaching staff, school management, school psychologist, parents, etc.)
with a view to improving the situation and asking them to suggest
solutions.
5.5.

Organising meetings

All your work as a mediator is aimed at establishing effective dialogue

between the school and the community. This also involves organising
meetings with teachers, with parents and with members of the Roma
community, as well as with participants from both sides.
In order to prepare properly for a meeting with community
representatives, you need to establish a relationship of trust and
identify key people who could play a more active role in the entire
process. If you already have contacts within the community, you can
build on existing relationships. It is also a good idea to involve
community leaders and the most competent individuals (traditional
chiefs, elders, religious authorities, leaders of womens groups and
representatives of Roma organisations, as applicable) from the outset.
These individuals play a key role in communication with the
community: they can provide information, make useful suggestions
and put development workers in touch with other people. The support
of community leaders lends credibility to your work, as well as
contributing to its success and sustainability. This can also help to
attract the interest of a significant proportion of the community, even
outside the group of parents directly concerned.

30

Once these contacts have been established, particularly in the case of

small, compact communities, it is a good idea to arrange a meeting
with the whole community. If the entire community meets regularly or
for a specific reason (for particular celebrations, for example, or as
part of a community development process), you can ask to speak at
such a meeting. If not, you can ask local leaders to call a special
meeting. This initial meeting will give you an opportunity to introduce
yourself and explain your role. Over the next few days or at
subsequent meetings, you can continue the discussion individually or
in small groups.
In the course of such discussions, you must be careful not to create
misunderstandings and to avoid making promises you cannot keep.
The community must be informed from the outset of your intentions,
your scope to intervene and your limits.
It is essential to involve as many people as possible in this dialogue on
education and relations with the school. You should ascertain the
timetables of the different groups within the community, such as men,
women, young people and adults, so that you can liaise with the
community to organise visits and meetings at times when those groups
are available. Other arrangements may be necessary in order to ensure
that the people concerned can attend. Women, for example, may need
childcare facilities. Such arrangements can also be discussed and
planned with the community.
Women usually have a key part to play in getting this participatory
process off the ground, owing to their prominent role in childrens
upbringing and the management of family affairs.
Those families and individuals most in need of help tend not to be
involved in consultation and community decision-making processes.
This isolates them further from development opportunities. Similarly,
other social groups, such as young people, are often excluded. You
can attempt to identify such groups from the outset, and actively
promote their involvement in all aspects of your work.
How you communicate during the meeting may be crucial if you are
to reach valid conclusions. You should avoid positioning yourself as a
representative of the education system who has come to moralise, or
talking in terms and on subjects with no bearing on the day-to-day
lives of members of the Roma community. The crucial role you have
31

to play at such meetings is primarily a listening role. You must, of

course, ask questions in order to encourage people to speak up and
foster discussion. The other essential role you have to play is that of
moderator: you must ensure that everyone has a chance to express his
or her views, while respecting any community customs (elders may
speak first, for example).
In meetings with teachers notwithstanding the differences you
should adopt a similar position. Here too, you will have to ask for the
support of school management and either attend routine meetings or
request a special meeting.
The key is both to allow teachers to express their views and to ask
them what they can do to improve the situation and what they think
you, as a mediator, can do to help them. You should note down (or ask
a teacher to help you do so) all the ideas discussed and conclusions
reached. Participants should receive a report of each meeting so that
they can make any corrections, and you should refer to the
conclusions during subsequent meetings.
As a mediator, you will organise various types of meeting, including:
-

meetings of a group of parents to establish a common position

on an issue;

meetings with teachers to convey a message from the

community, evaluate the educational situation of Roma
children, take note of the needs and recommendations
expressed by teaching staff, plan subsequent work, present the
work done and so on;

meetings at which Roma parents meet teachers

representatives of different local government institutions.

or

For each meeting, dont forget to:

-

32

check that key participants are available (on both sides, if

teachers and parents are to attend), set the date and time in
consultation with them and notify them sufficiently in
advance;

inform all participants of the subject of the meeting and remind

them of the date and time in the days leading up to the
meeting;

take note of the main ideas generated during the discussion and
the decisions taken;

communicate the conclusions reached and decisions taken to

all participants, at the end of the meeting or shortly afterwards,
and notify other people concerned who did not attend the
meeting of those decisions (for example, other teachers and
other members of the Roma community).

Bearing in mind the work programme suggested in the previous

chapter, it would be a good idea to consider giving titles to each of the
main meetings planned so as to clarify the objectives.
At the beginning of the school year, for example, the initial meeting
between teachers and the parents of Roma children starting school
could be entitled, Getting to know one other.
Once the necessary information on the initial situation and the needs
of each side has been obtained, a meeting could be held under the title,
Childrens success depends on us as well. Each partys contribution
to the action plan will be discussed at this meeting.
Lastly, the evaluation meeting at the end of the school year could be
entitled, Together we can do more; it will yield important
conclusions with a view to improvements the following year.
5.6.

Managing conflicts by means of mediation

As explained in chapter 2, mediation is also a technique for effective

management of conflict situations. Naturally, in the course of your
work, by systematically facilitating communication between teachers
and the families of Roma children you will help to prevent such
situations developing. Conflict cannot always be avoided, however,
and sometimes a conflict if managed constructively may have
positive repercussions, unleashing energy that will help to improve the
situation all round.
33

In order to manage a conflict situation by means of mediation, it is

essential both to respect the principles of mediation, as listed in
chapter 2, and to follow certain procedures and stages.
For instance, the mediator must:
-

ensure that both parties agree on his or her involvement and

accept that his or her position is halfway between them;

hold separate meetings with each side to identify the problem

and each partys needs, positions, interests and fears; explain
that your position requires you to keep the information
received confidential and that it is up to each party to decide
what to communicate to the others and how to go about this;

organise a meeting
representatives)

between

the

parties

(or

their

this meeting should take place in a neutral setting if

possible, and in any event in a setting in which both
parties feel at ease;
during the meeting, the rules of communication must
first be established by consensus, possibly at the
mediators suggestion (for example, allowing balanced
speaking time, maintaining an attitude of mutual
respect and so on);
when each party expresses its view of the problem and
its own needs, the mediator can then step in with
questions intended to clarify the situation, possibly
rephrasing the content to ensure that it has been
correctly understood by the other party;
lastly, the mediator will ask each party to think of
possible solutions, bearing in mind the needs expressed
by the other party;
-

34

help the parties draw up a list of possible solutions;

discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each solution with

each party, retaining those that might be acceptable to both
parties;

help the parties agree on a joint solution and clearly specify

each sides responsibilities for implementing the decision
taken;

bring the process to a close by reiterating the solution chosen,

check with each party that the solution and its consequences
have been clearly understood and undertake to be available if
they need his or her help in implementing or perhaps
reviewing the accepted solution.

Throughout the process, dont forget to:

-

maintain a positive attitude towards both parties and actively

listen to them;

try to see beyond behaviour and words in order to understand

the different viewpoints; most conflicts arise from incorrect
interpretations;

focus on the problem rather than the people, and use

appropriate language to describe situations;

use open questions designed to clarify the situation, and ask

for more information in order to gain a proper understanding
of each sides argument;

identify barriers to communication and try to help overcome

them;

request, if necessary, the opinion of other people who might be

able to provide solutions to the problem, but without disclosing
confidential information obtained from the parties to the
conflict.

35

5.7.

Tackling language, cultural and identity-related issues

The Recommendation 4(2000) of the Committee of Ministers of the

Council of Europe, cited in introduction, mentions the employment of
mediators issued from the Roma community . Indeed, by sharing
with Roma children a common cultural background, the
communication and comprehension, both with Roma children and
with their parents will be facilitated. Moreover, in many cases, the
Roma Mediator or Assistant is the only Roma person within the whole
educational staff. It is obvious that such a person will also represent a
role model for the Roma children.
Taking into account the importance of this quality of role model, it is
however essential to consider the image transmitted from this
perspective to the Roma children: if the mediator is perceived as
inferior to the other categories of staff in the school, or as an
instrument of the school imposing to the Roma community a model
seen as superior, the psychological impact of childrens self esteem
will be negative.
Of course, you can do a good job as a mediator even without
belonging to the respective community. In any case, you need to take
into account the local specific situation. Indeed, there is a great
diversity of Roma communities and your work needs to be adapted to
the local context and to the need of the concerned communities.
In some communities specific languages are used, differing from the
majority language (for instance, various dialects of the Romani
language). Speaking the language of the local Roma community
represents a clear advantage for the mediation process and will
encourage the openness towards better communication of the
members of the Roma community.
However, often, school staff is not aware that the Roma speak a
different language and this fact is not taken into account in the
planning and implementation of educational activities. It is your task
to inform the teachers and the school management about the situation
of the languages used in the families of the Roma pupils, but also to
advise about the best ways to make these languages recognised and, if
possible, visible within the school. Such an action will certainly
improve the perception that Roma children and their parents have
36

about the school. Even if you do not speak the local language you may
learn some words (greetings, basic words in a conversation) and show
this way your respect for the Roma community.
Some communities have strong informal structures, based on tradition,
while in others the traditional social relations are not present. Your
task as mediator is not to push the traditional communities towards
modernisation, nor to encourage the modernised communities to
rediscover their tradition or their specific identity markers. However,
you can have an important role by supporting the members of the
community, or of the communities you work in, in their attempt to
define and formulate their aspirations and their requests in this regard
and by passing on the conclusions to the school.
Particularly sensitive are the situations when certain traditions are not
compatible with the values and the principles of a democratic society.
Such is the case, for instance, of issues concerning the role of women,
the right of girls to education under the same conditions as boys,
arranged marriages, imposition on the young people of decisions taken
by elderly or by traditional leaders, based on their status in traditional
communities, etc. You need to be firm and clear in these cases and
explain that you respect the traditions and the values of the Roma
community in question but as long as they are in agreement with
fundamental principles such as the respect for the dignity, equality and
rights of each individual, regardless of gender, age, social status or
belonging to a specific cultural or ethnic group. Un argument that
could be brought in this context for avoiding negative reactions or
feelings of inferiority from the part of the members of the Roma
community is to mention that in all traditional rural communities in
Europe, only a few decades ago, traditions opposed to human rights
were present and that within a rather short period their influence has
been strongly diminished. A very effective way in the attempt to make
these fundamental values accepted by the traditional communities is to
start by convincing the leaders or members of their families and to
engage them in promoting these ideas within the community.
However, you should keep in mind that these changes in attitudes and
social behaviour need a lot of time and patience from the mediator, as
well as from the school.
There are also situations where members of the community do not
affirm publicly their affiliation to the Roma ethnic group. Your
37

essential task is from this point of view, not to impose an external

cultural identity, but to offer the best chances to all children to
develop a positive social identity. They should have the freedom not
to be labelled as Roma by the others if they wish so, but also the right
to feel ok as Roma, to be proud of their affiliation and of their culture.
In certain cases one cannot speak about only one Roma community
associated to a school, but of different groups of Roma origin, without
relations between them, or having relations of opposition, even
conflict. This happens more and more in cities of Western or Southern
Europe, where besides local Roma some Roma communities from
Central and Eastern Europe have recently arrived. In such situations,
you need to facilitate also the relationships between the Roma parents
of these communities. You need to explain clearly to the
representatives of all groups that your work aims at facilitating the
access to a quality education for all Roma children and to maintain a
balanced attitude, without favouring one group or the other. An open
communication, transparency of your actions and the regular
consultation with representatives of each group are the best options for
preventing tensions among Roma groups and between them and the
school. You should also insist that the school also expresses an
equidistant attitude and attention to the needs of all groups.
An other type of sensitive situation that risks to be found in the work
of a Roma school mediator is represented by the exhibition, often in a
hidden or even unconscious way, of racist attitudes or of
discriminatory behaviour within the school, by teachers, pupils,
parents of other pupils, other school staff or event by school
management. Two reactions are possible towards such situations:
confronting explicitly the person in question, or adopting a more
diplomatic approach, trying to gradually determine an increased
awareness and a positive change of attitudes and behaviours. The
choice between these options depends on the concrete situation and it
is up to you to choose. You only need to take into account that
confrontation, if that is judged necessary, needs to be done without
delay, immediately after the problematic situation and that it implies
the risk of a defensive reaction and of an open conflict that can harm
the effectiveness of your work and the relations within the school
staff. If you choose a gradual approach, you may, for instance,
emphasise the example of persons and situations that contradict the
stereotypes and prejudices, considering that often the racist
38

convictions and behaviours rely on abusive generalisation of specific

situations. A much more effective solution is to propose to school
management the organisation of training courses for teachers or the
participation of teachers from your school to courses organised by
various institutions, on issues concerning education for Roma
children, including modules of anti-racist and anti-discrimination
training.
Finally, among the many controversial elements related to identity
issues appearing in the work of Roma school mediator, we mention
here also the European and International Roma movement. Knowing
about the initiatives taken at European and international levels for the
recognition and affirmation of a common, transnational, Roma
identity, supported by the Council of Europe and by other
international bodies, can contribute in a very pertinent way to the
development of self-esteem and of a positive identity of Roma
children. However, you should be careful that this pan European and
transnational process is not accepted and supported by all Roma
groups and communities. Therefore, before speaking about this to the
children and to the teachers, check the attitude of the leaders of the
community, or of the communities with whom you work, and, if
needed, inform them, before speaking to the others.

39

6.

Tools and documentation

Your work can be facilitated considerably by using a series of tools,

including:
-

a diary
A dated diary can be used, but an ordinary exercise book is
often a better solution. The key is to note the date at the top of
each page and then to give a brief but clear description of the
activities undertaken (family visits, discussions with teachers,
meetings and so on). Whenever the situation of a child or
specific family is under discussion, write down the number of
the corresponding sheet in the educational and family
background folder (see below). Whenever a meeting is held,
write down the corresponding number in the report folder.
Regularly updating this kind of diary may initially seem rather
an effort, but you will soon get used to the system; it will save
time in the medium term, enabling you to locate all the
necessary information more easily and to draft the reports
requested by your supervisory authority without any difficulty.

a report folder
If your work is to be effective, it is very important to write up
a report at the end of each meeting. You should include the
date, time and participants, the agenda, the main ideas that
emerged during the discussion and the conclusions reached or
decisions taken.
Put a copy of each report in this folder, keeping the meeting
reports in chronological order. To locate the information more
easily, you can use different colours for meetings with the
community, meetings with teachers and joint meetings. You
can also insert dividers for each term, for example.

an educational and family background folder

This tool will help you store relevant information, particularly
on struggling children and families. The folder will contain a

40

sheet for each child. It is best to keep the sheets in alphabetical

order.
Information on the childs educational circumstances will be
listed on each sheet, along with information about his or her
family background, which you will obtain from visits to the
community and discussions with parents and other members of
the community.
Dont forget that this information must be kept confidential,
and discussed only with teachers and other people working
with the child, as well as family members. It will be invaluable
when it comes to analysing the initial situation at the start of
the school year and evaluating the progress made.
-

a contract with school management

This document should be drawn up on taking up your post
within the school, and reviewed whenever any significant
change takes place (a change of management, for example).
Even if the authority employing you provides a detailed list of
the duties associated with your post, it is still essential.
The contract should include specific duties and stipulate your
position in the administrative set-up (for example, to whom
you have to submit reports, and who is entitled to
supervise/evaluate or responsible for supervising/evaluating
your work). However, it will also specify the responsibilities
of school management and the entire teaching staff in relation
to your work, how any conflict situations or disagreements are
to be handled, and a number of basic indicators allowing an
annual evaluation of the quality of your relationship with
school management.
Ideally, the person heading the schools management team will
play an active role in drawing up this document, possibly in
conjunction with another key person (inspector directly
responsible, head of a Roma NGO working with the school,
local authority representative, etc.).

41

an action plan
As explained above, you will be able to work effectively if you
manage to involve both members of the community and
teachers and to suggest and implement practical measures
designed to improve the educational situation of Roma
children. Accordingly, after the initial meetings, you should
draw up an action plan which, as well as including your own
intentions, also sets out what parents, other members of the
community, teachers and representatives of the various other
institutions have undertaken to do.
The action plan may be drawn up in different ways, but should
include the following:
Description
of activity

Timeframe

Person
responsible

Partners

Other
comments

It is important to describe the activities clearly and in as much

detail as possible, to distribute the action plan to all concerned
and to refer to it at each subsequent meeting, as well as during
the evaluation phase.
-

a contact list
Your work will involve interaction with many other people
and institutions. It is clearly important to note the names,
addresses and telephone numbers of everyone you work with,
regardless of whether they are from the Roma community or
the school, or employed by other relevant institutions.
Noting names and contact details does not suffice, however.
You should write down comments about each person so that
you can then use the information to ensure the success of
future work. In the case of members of Roma communities, it
is worth noting, for example, whether they have any special
relationships (relative, friendship, conflict) with other
individuals or families or whether they have had particular life
experiences. In the case of teachers and employees of NGOs or

42

local institutions, in addition to this kind of personal

information, dont forget to specify their position in the
institutional set-up, their precise role, their responsibilities and
any relationships they may have with other key institutions.

43

Directorate General IV
Directorate of Education and Languages
Division for the European Dimension of Education
Contact : [email protected]