The EU-funded Acceder programme has had a positive impact on helping Roma find and maintain quality employment, enabling them to improve their quality of life and autonomy in Spain according to a recently published report. 

Funded by the ESF since its launch over 20 years ago, Acceder currently promotes the advancement of Roma in 14 regions and 61 communities across Spain. The programme improves access to the labour market for Roma people, building equal opportunities through the development of a personalised support model. Over 82 000 people have been enrolled in labour-market inclusion pathways, with over 32 000 people finding a job – around 40 per cent of participants. Through awareness campaigns, nearly 16 000 companies, private organisations and public authorities have been able to collaborate to bring better job opportunities and quality of life for Romani people across the country. 

Supporting education and labour market inclusion   

The Acceder programme is run by Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG), an organisation with over 35 years of experience advancing equal opportunities for the Roma population in Spain and across Europe. Acceder offers a range of support measures for Romani people with the help of two sub-programmes: 

• The Promociona Programme helps young Roma people to finish compulsory education and continue studying, thereby improving the conditions under which the Roma community can access the labour market and fostering equal opportunities.  

• The Calí Programme increases the social and labour market inclusion of Roma women by boosting equal opportunities and gender equality and fighting against all forms of discrimination, with special attention paid to the multiple forms of discrimination suffered by Roma women and by victims of gender violence. 

Continuous EU support  

The Acceder programme would not have been possible without the support of the European Social Fund (ESF) and its model of sustained social investment. The ESF, and now the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), focuses on social transformation and awareness of the needs of vulnerable groups, such as the Roma, enabling tailored responses to the needs of each group. This funding allows the Fundación Secretariado Gitano and other organisations to continue their work towards guaranteeing equal opportunities for people facing barriers to social inclusion and employment.