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THE ASCEND PROJECT: THE HUNGARIAN RESARCH REPORT OF AN INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATION
43-52Views:321Our experience was that the social participation and active citizenship of young people with disabilities were low in Hungary. It was difficult to involve young people with disabilities in advocacy work at the national or EU level, because they did not recognize discrimination. The other problem was that they were not aware enough of the anti-discrimination systems that protect them. In many cases, they were skeptical about the effectiveness of anti-discrimination systems. We wished to explore and expand their knowledge of the democratic and anti-discrimination systems operating in their country (Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, and Slovakia) Central and Eastern Europe. We also wanted to increase their trust in these systems. This was one of the main pillars of the one-year Ascend program locally lead by The National Federation of Organisations of People with a Physical Disability (in short: MEOSZ) In Hungary, the main goal of the study was to examine the phenomenon of discrimination and anti-discrimination in education. In the Hungarian part of the research, we used qualitative methods (focus group interviews, mind maps) for examination.
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TEACHERS IN A DISADVANTAGED POSITION
39-50Views:274The writers of this study will use the expression ‘disadvantaged’ in a broader sense. The first part of the study deals with teachers and teacher trainees who are in a disadvantaged position because they have got a physical disability. Structured interviews were made with 8 persons. The interviews focused on their educational experiences and also their experiences in the labor market. The key question of the interviews was whether the interviewees had experienced negative discrimination or not. The other part of the study written by Noémi Csilla Borsodi deals with teachers who are in a disadvantaged position because they are working in a vocational school. Many times, a lot of people have written about pedagogical success, its determination, and the grouping of its indicators. First, pedagogical success will be discussed from a different perspective, then the working conditions at a vocational school will be mentioned. Furthermore, the reasons for why the traditional concept cannot be ’substitute’ into the ’equation of success’ for vocational school. Finally, some good practices will be shown that could help motivate students.
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Promises and Practicalities. The Evolution and Future Direction of EU Roma Policy
137-149Views:110The historical development of Roma policy in Europe has been characterized by discrimination, assimilation and some would say failure. Other see an attempt in recent years by Europe to reflect solidarity through Roma inclusion policies. Progress has been made towards a social Europe, but policy on the Roma minority remains on the margins. This paper deals with the historical development of EU Roma policy. The EU Youth Guarantee would be a powerful tool for young Roma, but the necessary institutions are often lacking. The same applies to the new EU Strategic Framework for Roma, which is a positive development compared to its predecessor, adding three new pillars. An interview with Dr. László Andor, former Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, on Roma policies was conducted, adding to the existing literature on the subject. Inclusive targeting proves to be the best measure for effective Roma policy making. In the future, a re-evaluation of the migration issue, a move away from the securitization approach, or the enlargement of the EU to include the Balkan countries could breathe new life into the importance of Roma policy. But the practical relevance of EU policies is often limited, as they struggle to adapt to social realities on the ground. Although the article deals primarily with recent history, attention is made to early policy dating back to the arrival of the Roma in Europe in the late Middle Ages.
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HR TOOLS SUPPORTING EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
7-17Views:421Hungarian statistical surveys, as well as previous research, point out the disadvantages experienced by persons with disability and a reduced work capacity on the labour market, due to which their employment falls behind the employment of the average population. In the background of these drawbacks, there are partially negative attitudes in the society and among employers which are based on prejudices. On the other hand, in the course of the integration and permanent employment of persons with disability and a reduced work capacity not only the accepting attitude of employers but also that of employees is essential. Employment policy instruments may facilitate the economic activity of the disadvantaged labour market groups but they may need their employers to help them further with employment, integration and work. The expected or received help of the open labour market or its degree do not always meet. No empirical research has been done into this topic yet. The aim of my research is to explore the attitude, approach, and knowledge of workers in social institutions in three districts of Hajdú-Bihar county and of the inhabitants in these districts regarding persons with disability and reduced work capacity. Questionnaire research was conducted, and altogether 747 persons (408 workers at social institutes and 339 citizens) were interviewed. The present study focuses on the exploratory-like results of the research which reveal the test groups’ familiarity with and knowledge of the application of those HR management tools that can further the employment of persons with reduced work capacity. The study assesses the results based on the following variables: sex, school qualification, position, previously gained knowledge about the reduced work capacity and work experience with persons with reduced work capacity. The results of the research suggest that for persons with a reduced work capacity the organisations mainly ensure the personalised field of work, preferential working hours, and accessible work environment, but it is not certain to be enough for the permanent employment of the target group as due to their mobility difficulties they would really need support to get to their work as well.
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Educational Policy Responses to Support Roma Students
113-121Views:175This study examines Hungarian educational policy measures implemented between 2015 and 2025 to improve the academic success of Roma students. Education is viewed not only as a means of knowledge transmission but as a key driver of social mobility and equality. Roma students face complex challenges rooted in social disadvantage, cultural differences, and systemic issues such as segregation and institutional discrimination. The paper provides an overview of major interventions, including compulsory early childhood education, the Complex Instruction Programme (CIP), community-based tanoda initiatives, the Útravaló Scholarship Programme, and Roma Special Colleges. While these programmes have yielded positive local outcomes—such as improved cooperation, reduced dropout rates, and enhanced access to higher education—their long-term impact is limited by underfunding, project-based approaches, and lack of systemic integration. The study adopts a critical perspective, highlighting the need for sustainable strategies, teacher training in inclusive pedagogy, community involvement, and comprehensive monitoring systems. Recommendations include strengthening teacher education, promoting integrated social support, and ensuring Roma participation in decision-making. The findings underscore that only systemic, long-term measures can effectively reduce educational inequalities and foster genuine social inclusion for Roma communities.
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LIVING CONDITIONS OF FAMILIES RAISING CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN BERETTYÓÚJFALU
7-23Views:445Bass (2004) examined the living conditions of families raising severely disabled children in the framework of national data collection. His research results reflect the circumstances nearly twenty years ago. The present study aims is to compare the research results of Bass to the present living conditions of interviewees who live in Berettyóújfalu in the 2020s, revealing the changes which have occurred in their lifestyle, family relationships, and future plans in the course of the past years. We used a qualitative interview to reveal the characteristics of the living conditions of ten families living in Berettyóújfalu. According to our research results, there are positive tendencies in the families’ social situation, relationship system or in the economic activity of the parents, but they still face hardship and drawbacks in accessing public services and ensuring their child’s long-term future.
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THE REPRESENTATION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN CONTEMPORARY CHILDREN’S BOOKS – USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL, SIMI AND THE MESSY LETTERS, AND CSONGOR MIHÁLYI AND THE TIME PLASTICINE
67-82Views:366The present study focuses on contemporary children's books that reflect some form of special educational need. Since recently there has been an increase in the number of books on topic available in the children's book market, with publishing series, issuing the difficult life situations and on the presentation of ’otherness’, including learning disabilities, it is of great importance to take a glance at these publications. In this essay, my aim is to focus on how the texts are written and the language of representation. In particular, I will pay attention to the illustrations, which make a crucial part of the experience of reception and interpretation. With this analysis, my aim is to show how concretely or abstractly a particular educational need can be represented, whether it reinforces stereotypes or not, and how this may impact the connection to the phenomenon. The analysis of the texts also provides an opportunity to validate different attitudes, behaviours, and perspectives, and can thus contribute to sensitisation. The presentation of specific educational needs, with its positive or negative connotations, and the phenomenon of positive discrimination, are closely linked to methodological possibilities and practical implications of interpreting the texts. Here it is worthcalling attention to the concepts of helpful books, sensitisation and prevention, the relationship between these terms and literature, and reflecting on the close connection of the aesthetically shaped texts to these problems. Accordingly, the paper will first aim to explore the concept of special educational needs, then it will present its types to point out the difficulties of definition, the different approaches, and to define its own terminology. Similarly, this paper will take into account the terminology of literary studies and the perspectives relevant to this thesis. This will be followed by the analyses of the three preselected volumes which on the one hand ask whether the books are appropriate for the age group they are aimed at, while, on the other hand, they concern the possible directions for future methodological inquiries. Finally, the conclusion part summerises the results of the study and the controversies surrounding the presentation of the subject in children's books.
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PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FROM LEARNING TO WORKING
17-26Views:1345In our study, we discuss the problems of those people who live with Special Educational Needs (SEN). These are - in the beginning - connected to education (learning opportunities, ways to get professional qualifications), then to employability, and to getting a job. Besides all this, in the framework of Human Resource Management (HRM), we also study all the connotations and expectations which regard people who live with Special Educational Needs (SEN). In our opinion, special treatment is not discrimination, but t means equal judgment, support, and help, so it promotes integrating people into society and their development of feeling useful and valuable.