Projects / The International Internship Program of Students from Lehigh University with Professor Christine Novak

The International Internship Program of Students from Lehigh University with Professor Christine Novak

02.08.2014

International information and good practice exchange in the inclusion and integration:

The focus of the program is to understand the basic causes of social exclusion (with attention to Roma issues as the basic information source for the Czech Republic) and to create an online platform (´hub´) to serve as an international exchange of information. Other focuses of the program include the experience of good practice in the field of inclusion and integration, an online media campaign serving as a catalyst of innovation, and to share information on promotion of inclusive approaches.

This was the first step leading to cooperation of students, professionals and other interested persons. The importance was given to the international community from the point of mentoring, sharing of ideas and networking which shall lead to future changes in the systems and approaches.

Our cooperation was supported by the UN iCenter Prague and the American Center of the U.S. Embassy in Prague, where the students engaged in themathic meetings and workshops.

Six students, Estefania, Claire, Hana, Maren, Alyssa and Kevin, support not only Inclusio, but they cooperated also with ROMEA and Slovo 21 during the first two weeks of July 2014 and after they continued their creative project preparation.

Implementation: from June to beginning of August 2014

The students are financially supported by Lehigh University International Internship Program.

We would like to thank also to our volunteers for their work - Lucie, Jana, Eva, Olga, Tereza and Tereza, Veronika, Lukáš and Martin.

Creative Project - Week 4

The Lehigh University internship students continued their work on a creative project. This week was dedicated to the discussions on the purposes, goals, target groups, forms of the campaign. All the group worked hard to identify the data and to shape their ideas on the project. Thanks belong to all their effort, to the great support from Christy and Lukáš and Lucie, our volunteers. Friday belonged to the trip to the Museum of Romani Culture in Brno. The students are camping with our volunteers during the weekend.

Creative Project - Week 5

The Lehigh students had an intense week during their internship program. They continued their work on their creative project which will be presented in the American Centre on July 31 (from 1p.m. to 3 p.m.). You are all invited to come and see their work! We visited the Office of Government and talked to Jarmila Balážová, the spokesperson of the Minister of the Czech Republic´s Government for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation, we visited the UNIC Prague, the Czech Radio and worked with children at the summer camp of the NGO RSOP Nymburk. Students also continued the tutoring classes in Slovo 21.

Many thanks to Jarmila, the UNIC Prague, Iveta Demeterová and our volunteers - Lucie, Veronika and Martin!

Presentation of the Internship and the students´ project at the American Center - Week 6

The Lehigh students presented their work on their creative project at the American Centre on July 31 followed by the discussion on the theme of ´Equal Opportunities in Education in the Czech Republic´.

The results of their work are the following: Info graphics and the short interviews with Roma people speaking about their experience on education in the Czech Republic.

Media: Czech NGO to host US students this summer to study social exclusion, Alyssa Wedge, a volunteer from Lehigh University: I was taken aback by the contrast between the “tourist” Czech Republic and the excluded community, Kevin Basek, a volunteer from Lehigh University: Roma people face systematic exclusion