Opinion: Czech Agency not interested in employing educated Roma

The majority society in the Czech Republic often accuses Roma of being unwilling to educate themselves as well as being unwilling to work. Both experts on the Roma issue and politicians perceive education as a determining factor for Roma and the starting point for improving their social position in Czech society, often elevating the significance of education above other aspects of Roma integration such as employment or housing.

In the context of promoting the social inclusion of Roma at local level, the Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities has been created. One of its aims is to strengthen the inclusion of Roma from socially excluded Roma localities on the labor market. Many nonprofit organizations in this country also present themselves as “pro-Roma”. These organizations strive to support Roma in asserting themselves on the labor market and advocate for employers opening up to Roma by offering them opportunities to participate in projects that are generously financially supported from both the state budget and the European Social Fund. However, are these organizations themselves open to employing Roma? Do they actually implement in practice what they advocate for others?

Even though I have more than 20 years of study under my belt, I have been unemployed for the last eight months. During the past month I have responded to 56 job offers and interviewed seven or more times for interesting positions around the country (project manager, SAP specialist, research analyst, process specialist, etc.). None of these have panned out – but here I would like to discuss the two positions that are the most relevant and that I regret the most not having been offered.

The first experience was competing for the position of Local Coordinator for the Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities, which I saw advertised on the pages of the Office of the Czech Government. I should explain that the Agency is one of the departments created by the former Czech Human Rights Minister, whose staffs were always ethnically diverse. After careful consideration of all the requirements (a college degree in the humanities, orientation in the field of integrating the inhabitants of socially excluded Roma localities, orientation in subsidy programs, familiarity with the organization of municipal and state administrations, etc.) I applied. As a graduate of both technical and academic high schools with a TOEFL certificate in English, the completion of four years of study at Anglo-American University and at the Escuela de Marketing y Administración, five years of experience working for the Czech Education Ministry, and experience working at a Roma civic organization that brings together Roma high school and college students, I believed I was an appropriate candidate. I listed all of the above details in my CV and application letter.

I was contacted by the Agency and invited for a first meeting, which was conducted like any other job interview. I introduced myself and discussing my previous work experience. To make a long story short, at the end of the interview the staff member told me I would be invited into the second round. I do not understand why this verbal commitment was not honored or why I never received an official invitation to the second round, which would have involved being interviewed by Agency director Bc. Martin Šimáček. Instead, I received a letter which literally said: “After evaluating the CVs received we have decided not to offer you the position.”

Act Two:

At the same time, the organization Open Society Fund (OSF) announced it was seeking someone for the position of Roma Project Coordinator. The requirements included knowledge of English and experience with project management. Even for this position my daring to apply seems to have been too confident. Experience working at a ministry, a TOEFL certificate, and my other studies were not enough to get me into the second round.

I am certain that thanks not only to my education and work experience, but in particular to my Roma origin, my knowledge of this target group, and my familiarity with the rules by which it operates, I would be an asset to the Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities. Moreover, as a member of the Agency staff I might even have become a kind of model for other Roma, because they might have convinced themselves that “you can get it if you want it.” I have done my maximum best, and I really wanted these jobs, but unfortunately, once again it hasn’t turned out my way. This has again confirmed to me that even pro-Roma organizations advocating for the Roma are not interested in hiring Roma and leads me to ask whether despite my college education and rich work experience I should not just give up my personal mission to help the Roma.

In conclusion, I would like to take the time to philosophize a bit over why it seems practically impossible for jobs at government organizations to be staffed with qualified Roma. Even when they are hired, why are Roma not allowed to work in positions with full decision-making powers, why are they not allowed to become key staff addressing the area of Roma in particular? I would be interested to know how the Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities is meeting its goal of increasing Roma employment, what tools it uses in practice to “help” unemployed Roma in various localities. What concrete impacts have the 25 experts working for the Agency achieved? How was the Agency’s budget of CZK 13 million spent in 2009? How will CZK 50 – 100 million in taxpayer money be used for its activities in future? Will that amount of money show up in the overall statistics of Czech investment into addressing the Roma issue? I am sure it WILL!

I want society to realize that the Roma do educate themselves, they constantly increase their qualifications, and they are interested in quality work, but there are still some barriers here, some considerations and influences which make it impossible for the Roma to break into the professions. How is it possible that some government bodies, which seem to be so active, competent, and expert, are unable to set an example to society? Why don’t they hire Roma who could be part of addressing the Roma issue, could take part in the decision-making process, not through qualifications alone, but also through their enthusiasm, through their passion for the cause?

I know my bitterness is probably the main thing coming through here, but believe me – based on my actual experience, this is how it is. I am losing faith in the declarations of all the Mr Kocábs, Waleks and Šimáčeks, the assurances by this society that the solution to the Roma problem is a good education. “The experts” are staying employed even as the Roma keep falling to the bottom!