Almost immediately after religious conversion occurs because the loss of the aforementioned "social pathologies" and the subsequent social inclusion of excluded Roma into mainstream society. Along with the conversion and the Roma often strengthens the phenomena that in the longer term may help their success in the labor market. Is for example the elimination of illiteracy (resp. Increase literacy) and also to the increase of communication and social skills. Equally important factor is also increasing the frequency (double-sided) positive contact between Roma and the majority population, which leads to overcoming common stereotypes and bilateral barriers. Provisional also appears that converting Roma are actively trying to reduce external social care (either from the state or internal Roma groups).

 

Instrument of social inclusion of Roma religious path in the current economic situation in Slovakia shows just how multi-spectral, but also extremely effective. Despite the expected efficacy of this tool for social inclusion of Roma into mainstream society its effectiveness has not yet been mapped.
The project is therefore in its various stages of trying to map quantitative and qualitative factors of religious conversion in the process of social inclusion among Roma in Slovakia.

 

Currently operating in Slovakia in marginalized Roma communities, some traditional and non-traditional (new) religious movements that have a different impact on Roma inclusion. According to the census of 2001, the Roman Catholic Church reported 76% of the Roma, the Greek Catholic Church professes 6.3% to 1.83% of the Orthodox Church, the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses 1.63% and no religion reported 7.69% Roma (http://www.culture.gov.sk/pk/CIKE_22_04_04/material.htm). This statistical data, however, apply only to those Roma who at the census themselves as Roma, which distorts the real percentage of. In describing the initial situation, so we can only rely on several previous studies, but this phenomenon does not map a comprehensive and coherent way, but nevertheless serve as a sufficient basis for the starting position of the project SIRONA. In particular, the research project and the final publication of an edited Milan Kovac and Arne B. Mann God sees everything. (The Del is Dikh). The spiritual world of the Roma in Slovakia in 2003 and the anthology published in 2009 by the Institute for State-Church Relations: Pastoral Roma in Slovakia. Based on two studies, we can see that in selected localities in which churches and religious movements carried out a mission specifically aimed at marginalized Roma communities, there have been some significant changes. In addition to internal interim statements of individual churches and denominations of their active missionary work with the Roma, the total current range of pastoral work among the Roma in Slovakia known. Since the effectiveness of social inclusion of marginalized Roma, depending on the particular mission has not yet been subject to any research project, the project would SIRONA in this direction has brought unique data and we believe that even at the most socially relevant findings. In order to permit the conceptual and systematic pastoral and missionary work in Roma communities, we must first know the real status of this work and its potential for social inclusion of marginalized Roma. Project SIRONA feature allows mapping of the real situation.

 

In the first phase of the project has been implemented comprehensive mapping of ongoing research missions among socially excluded Roma in Slovakia (based on internal reports of the various churches and denominations, supplemented by interviews with representatives of various churches and denominations). The research team addressed all registered across the board, but also unregistered churches, denominations and religious movements operating in the Roma community in order to summarize the pastoral work among the Roma in Slovakia. From the research found that the registered churches in Slovakia is developing (or previously developed) special efforts for the Pastoral Care of Roma 15 churches, namely: Reformed Church, Methodist Church, Baptist, Old Catholic Church, Evangelical Church and. in., Christian Churches, New Apostolic Church, Brethren Church, Orthodox Church, Seventh Day Adventists, Greek Catholic Church, Apostolic Church, Religious Society of Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholic Church and the Bahai. For unregistered religious movements in Slovakia are particularly important activities of several Pentecostal and charismatic movements (the research team focused its attention on five of these movements).

 

Following the first phase of the research was of selected 15 sites for subsequent qualitative research to be representative across the board as many churches and religious movements. Qualitative research was aimed at testing the effectiveness of an instrument of social inclusion religious path between the Roma in Slovakia (semi-structured interviews with priests and pastors of various denominations, by representatives of the government, local social field workers, Roma converts nekonvertitmi Roma and the majority population). The research took into account the gender different motivations conversions t. j. ultimately gender effect in social inclusion of Roma converted. In addition to qualitative interviews, the project aims to "measurable indicators" social inclusion of Roma converted, t. j. the rate of decline in "social pathologies" rate decrease social care, peace activism in the process of integration into the labor market, ev. percentage in the process of finding a job.
The research team realized qualitative research in the following municipalities: Thursday Swimming street Kecerovce, Čičava earth Sabinov, Slavkovce, Hanušovce n. Topľou, Slovinky, Rudňany, Kežmarok, Cross Ves, Cinobaňa, Rankovce, Bardejov. For these sub qualitative case studies in October 2010 created the final research report and public presentation of research results in the form Worskshop with inviting leaders and pastors of churches and denominations working among Roma in Slovakia, state administration bodies, bodies of local self-field social workers, converted Roma NGO representatives, academics and university staff, representatives of the print and audio-visual media.

 

The project also has significant application dimension, as the research team assumed that the conclusions and results of research pastoral action with regard to the effectiveness of social inclusion of Roma can streamline not only the strategy of social policy at the local government level and the pastoral activities of the particular churches, but can also contribute to more targeted strategy planning Roma inclusion at the national level, which is undoubtedly a level which could be reflected in the total effective inclusion of Roma in Slovakia in the short or medium term, even in areas that currently suffer from a weak or completely dysfunctional labor market.