“The greater the disadvantage, the better quality is needed of everything” – a case study on the activities of the TaLéTa Intercultural Center and Incubator House

Abstract

The attack launched by Russia on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, forced millions of people, primarily women and children, to flee their homes. In addition to the institutions of the state asylum system that had been dismantled in previous years, numerous local governments, charitable and civil society organizations, and informal initiatives also participated in supporting refugees arriving in Hungary. Among the support activities, the issue of education quickly became a priority, connected to which many difficulties arose in the case of disadvantaged Transcarpathian Roma refugee families living in deep poverty as well. For them, certain civil initiatives played a primary role in providing assistance in the field of education, an area of research that has received little analysis so far. This paper explores this topic through a case study: it presents the TaLéTa Intercultural Center and Incubator House’s program based on interviews with its leaders, mentors, a representative of a partner organization, and refugee and non-refugee beneficiaries, in the context of social impact and social innovation. The main research question is how the TaLéTa Intercultural Center and Incubator House implements its activities supporting Roma refugees in Transcarpathia, and to what extent these activities result in social impact and social innovation. Based on the results, the initiative provides a gap-filling and innovative response to the problems of disadvantaged children and families by applying a complex approach that strengthens empowerment and inclusion, complementing pedagogical support with mental and social assistance. Through its flexibility, continuity, professionalism and partnership implementation, the program – which operates entirely on a voluntary basis –achieves a positive social impact and innovation for both the target group and the host society, the effectiveness of which can be further strengthened by reducing the difficulties arising from the shortcomings of the institutional environment and by developing certain areas related to operation.