Zoltán Kovács, Minister of State for Social Inclusion at the Ministry of Human Resources paid a visit to Szerencs to attend the local opening event of the Child Chance programme funded from the New Széchenyi Plan with an allocation of some HUF 600 million.

The Szerencs micro-region in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County is one of the country’s most disadvantaged areas. It incorporates 18 localities, each of which is characterised by a mass loss of population due to migration and a drastic fall in the number of inhabitants. The ratio of the Roma population increased significantly in all of the localities of the micro-region between 2001 and 2012; however, there is no locality in the micro-region inhabited exclusively by Roma.

The number of those receiving regular social benefits was three times the national average in 2010. While the ratio of the active population remains significantly below the national figure and the region is characterised by a low employment rate and a dramatically high unemployment rate, the ratio of minors is well above the national average and most families raise minimum three children.

Consequently, the deficiencies of services and programmes related to young people – such as summer day-care, summer camps and meals - presented a major problem before the launch of the local Child Chance programme. The Szerencs Multi-Purpose Micro-Regional Association submitted a bid for the complex resolution of these deficiencies as part of the project implemented under the auspices of the New Széchenyi Plan which began in April this year.

The purpose of the two-year period is to reduce poverty and, in particular, child poverty, to prevent the re-generation of poverty in order to stop the passing on of inherited poverty from generation to generation, and to provide multi-directional support for children. Active social work relies on a series of sessions and programmes organised with the involvement of families and the active participation of parents, with the aid of which institutional developments will be implemented and services will be extended to cover a number of walks of life such as child welfare and child support, health care services, education, culture, sports and community development. The Minister of State stressed at the opening event that programmes are required that span political cycles and generations. It is therefore desirable to plan projects, wherever possible, for terms of 4 to 5 years, rather than for 2 to 3 years as is the case at present, in order to render the effects of the good practices so established more perceivable and stable.

(State Secretariat for Social Inclusion)