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The Community Centre for Minorities was established to support the integration of Roma and socially disadvantaged residents, raise educational attainment, and strengthen the inclusion of members of marginalised Roma communities.
It was founded by Mr Adrián Berky and Dr Janette Knapeková.
The organisation emerged in response to the deteriorating social situation of many Roma families in Veľký Krtíš and the absence of adequate social services at the local level. From the outset, the Centre focused on intensive outreach work to address the housing situation of marginalised Roma communities and cooperated closely with the manager of municipal rental housing.
Since 2004, the Centre has implemented a project of community housing assistants providing on-site support to tenants and mediating between residents and housing managers. Activities have aimed at improving housing conditions for socially disadvantaged families and supporting them in maintaining tenancy, with the prospect of acquiring flats into private ownership. From 2009 onwards, it also became involved in the management of the housing stock. Through sustained fieldwork and cooperation with residents, it contributed to reducing household indebtedness, improving housing standards, enhancing the surroundings of residential buildings, and revitalising public spaces.
The Community Centre for Minorities serves as a first-contact point for individuals and families in need of social assistance. It is registered in the Register of Non-Public Social Service Providers of the Banská Bystrica Self-Governing Region. Since 2015, it has participated in national projects supporting the operation and development of community centres.
The Centre’s activities include long-term individual outreach work focused on stabilising housing situations, in cooperation with the municipality of Veľký Krtíš, the municipal housing enterprise, private property owners, and residents. It provides community and outreach social work, including social, employment, and debt counselling. It also organises educational and training activities and offers guidance on scholarship opportunities for members of marginalised communities.
"In recent months, I visited two inspiring projects that have long and effectively supported the inclusion of poor Roma families. In Veľký Krtíš, I was impressed by the visible improvements in housing quality achieved through more than a decade of work by Adrián Berky and Janette Knapeková at the Community Centre for Minorities.
Within a programme for apartment building caretakers, in buildings that were at the time in poor condition, they agreed with families on maintenance rules and subsequently supervised their observance. With the support of the community centre, families gradually renovated their homes and improved the surrounding environment.
Berky and Knapeková gradually took over the housing management of a total of 11 buildings with more than 1,000 residents. They have supported them in seeking employment, tutoring children, and resolving debt. Over time, all families were able to purchase their flats from the municipality. As residents confirmed to me, they were satisfied that they had succeeded in jointly building safe and dignified housing."
Zuzana Čaputová, President of the Slovak Republic (2019–2024)
4 August 2020
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