The specific objective of the project was to increase the chances of TCNs to actively participate in the social, economic and cultural life, by offering them packages of integrated services that included:

• improving Romanian language skills and cultural knowledge;
• increasing their access to public services (health, social insurance, education, recognition of diplomas and qualifications, unemployment, social aid, etc.)
• increasing their chances to access the labor market, by improving their access to professional training or recognition of skills;
• preventing marginalization and social exclusion and protection of vulnerable groups, by providing them with legal and social counseling, as well as financial aid;
• increasing the level of information of TCN communities regarding their rights, obligations and integration opportunities in Romania, by offering free information and counseling services and materials;
• increasing the opportunities of long term economic and social integration, by providing legal and financial assistance for accessing permanent resident status or Romanian citizenship;
• liaising the TCNs with the public authorities and raising awareness in the latter regarding the main obstacles that the TCNs face in the process of integration in the Romanian society.

The main activities of the project in the first phase were:

• providing Romanian language classes (105 beneficiaries)
• organizing cultural orientation and accommodation sessions (165 beneficiaries)
• organizing special cultural ice-breaker sessions in multi-ethnic communities (minimum 80 beneficiaries)
• participating in entrepreneurial courses, professional training or skill assessment courses (90 beneficiaries)
• legal assistance for the recognition of diplomas/qualifications (minimum 50 persons)
• information, legal and social assistance for vulnerable persons (minimum 120 beneficiaries)
• financial assistance for special social assistance, medical assistance, psychological/ rehabilitation treatment, school education, housing, etc. (minimum 65 persons)
• information, assistance and counseling for the long-term residence and for Romanian citizenship (minimum 50 beneficiaries)
• publishing a Romanian language manual for Turkish speakers, for levels A1 and A2 (beginners)
• editing a guide on the long term residence and Romanian citizenship.

• Romanian language classes were provided to 116 final beneficiaries
• cultural accommodation classes and cultural events for 195 beneficiaries, cultural ice breakers for 93 final beneficiaries
• professional training courses to 113 final beneficiaries
• legal assistance for recognition of diplomas to 51 final beneficiaries
• social and legal assistance services to 187 final beneficiaries
• financial assistance of 900 lei/person/year to a number of 70 vulnerable persons
• information, assistance and counseling services for long term residence and Romanian citizenship to 67 persons
• information and counseling regarding the labor market, professional training and recognition of diplomas to 207 persons
• publishing a Romanian language manual for Turkish speakers in 800 copies, available also online
• publishing specific training material for acquisition of the Romanian citizenship in 800 copies, also available online.

The indicators used were objective indicators, such as the number of final beneficiaries of the services or the number of materials published. The project team submitted periodic reports to the supervisory authority and all materials published were evaluated and approved by the latter.

The target group of the project consisted of TCNs with legal stay in Romania and family members of TCNs without Romanian citizenship, based in Bucharest and the counties of Ilfov, Iasi, Constanta and Suceava, and, upon request, any other county in Romania. It also targeted vulnerable persons in the same geographical area.

The total budget of the project is 824.753,33 lei out of which: > 75% EU funding (618.564,99 lei); > 20% national budget funding (164.950,67 lei); > 5% beneficiary’s contribution (41.237,67 lei).