Pilot project - Roma Cultural Influencer Training
Coordinator: Andrea Kárpáti
Partners and teachers: Ágnes Veszelszki, Eszter Deli, Márton Rétvári, Lajos Kovács
Mentor: Julianna Nyári, Marcsi Baranyi
Partners and teachers: Ágnes Veszelszki, Eszter Deli, Márton Rétvári, Lajos Kovács
Mentor: Julianna Nyári, Marcsi Baranyi
Context
The biggest Hungarian minority, the Roma (about 10% of the population of 9.500.000 in Hungary, inhabitants of central and Eastern Europe since the Renaissance, 14-15th century). Sociological research on Roma culture helped reveal paths for education to follow in order to build bridges between minority and majority cultures that supports mutual communication, and ultimately leads to a better understanding. In the framework of the ‘Societies and Lifestyles’ project, realised between 2006-2009, 10 post-communist countries documented and analysed lifestyles and values of so-called fringers: small ethnic groups living on the fringes of society. The Hungarian Roma served as examples of social groups whose rich cultural heritage had been exploited without its integration into an authentic and empowering curriculum, without exhibiting in a dedicated museum and consequently, without recognition even by members of the cultural group. (Forray & Beck, 2008).
Most young Roma who continue their studies after the compulsory eight years of primary education, attend vocational schools that often train redundant workforce, as the system of vocational training in Hungary has not been restructured to meet the needs of a transformed economy. Thus, undereducation and unemployment are intricately related and the social distance between the Roma minority and the social majority constantly increases (Kertesi & Kézdi, 2011).
The Hungarian Roma should have a cultural representation of their own in the social media, too, where their life is often represented in stereotypes of violence and crime or is reduced to entertainment music. Roma cultural identity needs expression, and social media seem to be ideal for this. Easily accessible, free platforms like Instagram, Facebook or YouTube may distribute knowledge about Roma culture: arts, crafts, customs, and the related visual and verbal heritage. Moreover, digital literacy and communication skills are a big advantage at school, during training and in the job market.
The biggest Hungarian minority, the Roma (about 10% of the population of 9.500.000 in Hungary, inhabitants of central and Eastern Europe since the Renaissance, 14-15th century). Sociological research on Roma culture helped reveal paths for education to follow in order to build bridges between minority and majority cultures that supports mutual communication, and ultimately leads to a better understanding. In the framework of the ‘Societies and Lifestyles’ project, realised between 2006-2009, 10 post-communist countries documented and analysed lifestyles and values of so-called fringers: small ethnic groups living on the fringes of society. The Hungarian Roma served as examples of social groups whose rich cultural heritage had been exploited without its integration into an authentic and empowering curriculum, without exhibiting in a dedicated museum and consequently, without recognition even by members of the cultural group. (Forray & Beck, 2008).
Most young Roma who continue their studies after the compulsory eight years of primary education, attend vocational schools that often train redundant workforce, as the system of vocational training in Hungary has not been restructured to meet the needs of a transformed economy. Thus, undereducation and unemployment are intricately related and the social distance between the Roma minority and the social majority constantly increases (Kertesi & Kézdi, 2011).
The Hungarian Roma should have a cultural representation of their own in the social media, too, where their life is often represented in stereotypes of violence and crime or is reduced to entertainment music. Roma cultural identity needs expression, and social media seem to be ideal for this. Easily accessible, free platforms like Instagram, Facebook or YouTube may distribute knowledge about Roma culture: arts, crafts, customs, and the related visual and verbal heritage. Moreover, digital literacy and communication skills are a big advantage at school, during training and in the job market.
Context
Cultural empowerment: we educated young Roma girls and women to disseminate knowledge and change negative attitudes about the Roma minority.
Meaningful social media presence as content creators, who are motivated to explore and represent their own cultural heritage.
Integration of cultural achievements with contemporary social issues concerning Hungarian Roma, and its presentation in a youthful, easily accessible environment.
Increased digital literacy is an effective aid in the establishment and propagation of an enterprise as well. It enhances their learning-to-learn skills through developing a better understanding of texts and images, and a more effective presentation of their knowledge.
Media-based intervention to change the mindsets of majority Hungarians about the Roma minority. (The power of social media to change mindsets and influence beliefs, values and attitudes was proven repeatedly in research studies).
A bi-directional learning process: the communicational professionals also learnt a lot from the participants and gained new perspectives about Romani culture.
Cultural empowerment: we educated young Roma girls and women to disseminate knowledge and change negative attitudes about the Roma minority.
Meaningful social media presence as content creators, who are motivated to explore and represent their own cultural heritage.
Integration of cultural achievements with contemporary social issues concerning Hungarian Roma, and its presentation in a youthful, easily accessible environment.
Increased digital literacy is an effective aid in the establishment and propagation of an enterprise as well. It enhances their learning-to-learn skills through developing a better understanding of texts and images, and a more effective presentation of their knowledge.
Media-based intervention to change the mindsets of majority Hungarians about the Roma minority. (The power of social media to change mindsets and influence beliefs, values and attitudes was proven repeatedly in research studies).
A bi-directional learning process: the communicational professionals also learnt a lot from the participants and gained new perspectives about Romani culture.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND: The Trialogical Learning Model
Media pieces are created in a collaborative environment, where the roles of mentor and mentee, teacher and student are not hierarchical. While learning, joint knowledge is built and shared among a group or community. Knowledge building interactions enable participants to experience creativity development supported by group interactions, inspiring them to grow.
We apply the Trialogical Learning Model to invite tutors and learners to develop, transform or create artifacts, realizing shared knowledge and media objects. Trialogical learning focuses on the interaction, not the final product and engages participants in collaborative creativity not just between the learner and the teachers ("dialogical approach"), or within one's mind ("monological" approach). Combining digital technologies with traditional means of expression supports the Trialogical learning design: digital tools enable the transmission of knowledge from individual learner’s knowledge to a communal knowledge repository: media channels on Hungarian Roma culture.
Media pieces are created in a collaborative environment, where the roles of mentor and mentee, teacher and student are not hierarchical. While learning, joint knowledge is built and shared among a group or community. Knowledge building interactions enable participants to experience creativity development supported by group interactions, inspiring them to grow.
We apply the Trialogical Learning Model to invite tutors and learners to develop, transform or create artifacts, realizing shared knowledge and media objects. Trialogical learning focuses on the interaction, not the final product and engages participants in collaborative creativity not just between the learner and the teachers ("dialogical approach"), or within one's mind ("monological" approach). Combining digital technologies with traditional means of expression supports the Trialogical learning design: digital tools enable the transmission of knowledge from individual learner’s knowledge to a communal knowledge repository: media channels on Hungarian Roma culture.
Participants
Students: young Roma girls and women aged 18-40. This group is disadvantaged on multiple levels: as Hungarian Roma, a socially undervalued, economically disadvantaged minority. Moreover, as Roma women, they have even more limited life perspectives and possibilities to decide about their future. The expected attitude in this community is to prefer motherhood over further education and professional career. However, strong-willed Romani women are often the catalysts for change and the driving force in the families. Their situation is especially difficult in the countryside, where the scarcity of jobs forces women to give birth and support their families through childcare allowance. The girls were eager users of social media, and knew some Roma media figures whom they followed and. Most of them had very little or no practice in social media content creation.
The course was open to applicants from the whole the country and required no prior training. The only requirements are commitment, motivation, and openness. In Course 1, 20 students were accepted, 12 graduated. In Course 2, 8 students graduated from a class of 13.
The girls came from a wide variety of social environments:
Students: young Roma girls and women aged 18-40. This group is disadvantaged on multiple levels: as Hungarian Roma, a socially undervalued, economically disadvantaged minority. Moreover, as Roma women, they have even more limited life perspectives and possibilities to decide about their future. The expected attitude in this community is to prefer motherhood over further education and professional career. However, strong-willed Romani women are often the catalysts for change and the driving force in the families. Their situation is especially difficult in the countryside, where the scarcity of jobs forces women to give birth and support their families through childcare allowance. The girls were eager users of social media, and knew some Roma media figures whom they followed and. Most of them had very little or no practice in social media content creation.
The course was open to applicants from the whole the country and required no prior training. The only requirements are commitment, motivation, and openness. In Course 1, 20 students were accepted, 12 graduated. In Course 2, 8 students graduated from a class of 13.
The girls came from a wide variety of social environments:
- secondary school students from small villages who were curious about media career paths
- a social worker who supports children in state care
- young entrepreneurs who intended to learn how to popularise their products
- beginning social media content providers
- an established Roma television anchor, self-taught, who wanted to improve her communication knowledge
- a university student who wanted to use social media to spread her cultural knowledge
- a university graduate who wanted to strengthen her ties with her Roma heritage
- a doctoral student, who came to polish her science communication skills.
Methodology
Communication through media is a motivating platform for self-expression, and visual language may facilitate their conceptual development. Our verbal, visual and digital communication skills development program. Focus on social media content production: easier access, higher acceptance than traditional journalism.
Two parts: a 30-hour introductory and a 60-hour immersion course. Activities: creation of oral and written media pieces, photos and videos and different genres in online journalism. Both courses were practice oriented, with mentoring, extensive laboratory work and visits to Roma television and media channels.
They were furnished with conflict management skills to negotiate prejudice, develop a better self-knowledge and self-understanding. Many of them need to acquire basic project management skills (planning their work, making decisions, pursuing a goal systematically). We also invite them to engage in creative activities like filming, photography and multimedia arts that increase their well-being and contribute to their self-esteem.
Most popular themes the course:
Communication through media is a motivating platform for self-expression, and visual language may facilitate their conceptual development. Our verbal, visual and digital communication skills development program. Focus on social media content production: easier access, higher acceptance than traditional journalism.
Two parts: a 30-hour introductory and a 60-hour immersion course. Activities: creation of oral and written media pieces, photos and videos and different genres in online journalism. Both courses were practice oriented, with mentoring, extensive laboratory work and visits to Roma television and media channels.
They were furnished with conflict management skills to negotiate prejudice, develop a better self-knowledge and self-understanding. Many of them need to acquire basic project management skills (planning their work, making decisions, pursuing a goal systematically). We also invite them to engage in creative activities like filming, photography and multimedia arts that increase their well-being and contribute to their self-esteem.
Most popular themes the course:
- Potentials and threats of social media: how to survive online presence? Good advice given by an expert in Visual Rhetoric
- Self-branding, explained by an expert of media analysis
- Genres of popular media, with examples of how Roma are depicted by Maria Baranyi, journalist and coach of Roma origin
- How to create effective photos and films, and how to build them into a media channel? A prize-winning documentary filmmaker and a web design expert explained, demonstrated, and helped with techniques, tools, and, above all, methods of capturing and keeping the attention of your audience.
Major results - skills development and attitude change
Research questions and answers
- Enhanced (social) media literacy: ability to plan, organise, design, and execute media pieces
- Positive self-image as creative individuals with an important cultural mission experienced through comradery and support from peers, tutors, and coach
- Assertive attitude through acquaintance with values of Roma culture for Hungarian society
- Finding their voice: assuming a place in a wide spectrum of media styles, from on-site gonzo journalism on sensitive social issues to vlogging on Romani fashion or science communication
Research questions and answers
- Is it possible to acquire basic knowledge and skills as well as a healthy media related identity and critical attitude during a short course of 30+60 lessons?
- Can young women of Roma heritage establish themselves in social media through cultural messages?
- Do they have an appeal and impact among their own community and among Hungarian youth?
- Can they have an impact on the attitudes and publication practices of mass media covering Roma issues?