IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v13y2024i3p139-d1349584.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reasonable Hopes and Little Progress!

Author

Listed:
  • Sorin Cace

    (Quality of Life Research Institute, Romanian Academy, 050711 Bucharest, Romania)

  • Nina Stănescu

    (Faculty of Theology, Ovidius University of Constanta, 900527 Constanța, Romania)

  • Corina Cace

    (Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, 050107 Bucharest, Romania)

Abstract

In this article, we aim to describe how the Operational Programme for the Support of Disadvantaged People (POAD), part of the European Fund for the Most Disadvantaged People (FEAD), has contributed to reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion in Romania. We highlight the role of the auxiliary measures that accompanied the food support programme, as well as the added-value element of the implementation of the programme in Romania, emphasising the introduction of electronic social vouchers for hot meals for the eligible target group and electronic social vouchers to provide educational support for disadvantaged children. The research methodology used considered combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods, combining multiple data sources to reflect the perspectives of all stakeholders and relating quantitative data to representative samples using a participatory approach. Macro-level data on risk-of-poverty and social exclusion indicators, as well as information from sectoral analyses (social transfers), show an improvement in the situation of people in the POAD target group and a decrease in the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion. However, progress is limited, and it is difficult to determine the degree to which this is due to the POAD. Romania still ranks lowest in the European Union in terms of indicators measuring the risk of poverty and social exclusion. The provision and monitoring of accompanying programmes are an area where the potential of POAD could be further exploited. The need to strengthen the accompanying measures is extraordinarily strong and emerges from the analysis of information provided by final beneficiaries and public authorities responsible for the implementation of the programme. The distribution of social vouchers enables final beneficiaries to choose the goods they need. Purchases with social vouchers are less affected by the risks of financial corrections, final beneficiaries can monitor the consumption of the support received in real time, the number of supporting documents is reduced, and reimbursement is issued only for the amounts used by final beneficiaries.

Suggested Citation

  • Sorin Cace & Nina Stănescu & Corina Cace, 2024. "Reasonable Hopes and Little Progress!," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:3:p:139-:d:1349584
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/3/139/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/13/3/139/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Corina CACE & Sorin CACE & Cristina IOVA & Victor NICOLAESCU, 2010. "Capacity of Phare and structural funds absorption: pre-accession versus post-accession," Revista de cercetare si interventie sociala, Editura Lumen, Department of Economics, vol. 28, pages 78-96, March.
    2. Cace, Corina & Cace, Sorin & Nicolaescu, Victor, 2011. "Absorption of the structural funds in Romania," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(2), pages 84-105, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cace, Corina & Cace, Sorin & Cojocaru, Stefan & Nicolaescu, Victor, 2012. "The European Social Fund within the context of the economic crisis from Romania," MPRA Paper 85212, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Brancu Laura & Munteanu Valentin & Gligor Delia, 2013. "CRITICAL FACTORS IN HRD PROJECTSâ€(tm) IMPLEMENTATION: EVIDENCE FROM PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN ROMANIA," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 215-224, July.
    3. Droj Laurentiu, 2010. "The Analysis Of Absorption Capacity Of European Funding In The North Western Region Of Romania," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(2), pages 540-545, December.
    4. Claudiu George Bocean, 2012. "Absorption Capacity Of Eu Funds In Romania," Revista Tinerilor Economisti (The Young Economists Journal), University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 1(18), pages 123-130, April.
    5. Dan LUPU & Mircea ASANDULUI, 2015. "Comparative Assessment Of Efficiency In Attracting European Funds By Regions Of Eastern European Countries," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7(2a), pages 531-544, September.
    6. Eirini Aivazidou & Giovanni Cunico & Edoardo Mollona, 2020. "Beyond the EU Structural Funds’ Absorption Rate: How Do Regions Really Perform?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-24, July.
    7. Ewa Glińska & Wawrzyniec Rudolf, 2019. "City Brand Personality Projected by Municipalities from Central and Eastern Europe Countries—A Comparison of Facebook Usage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-22, October.
    8. Iulian Stanescu, 2011. "Social economy: Characteristics and needs for development," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 3, pages 69-92.
    9. Lewandowska Małgorzata Stefania, 2016. "Do Government Policies Foster Environmental Performance of Enterprises from CEE Region?," Comparative Economic Research, Sciendo, vol. 19(3), pages 45-67, September.
    10. Irimie, Sabin Ioan & Munteanu, Rares, 2013. "Sustainable development of Romania through the structural funds," MPRA Paper 50251, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Jun 2013.
    11. Gligor Delia Anca Gabriela, 2015. "The Effect Of Structural Funds On Regional Competitiveness In The New Eu Countries: The Case Of Romania And Bulgaria," Annals - Economy Series, Constantin Brancusi University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1, pages 225-235, January.
    12. Delia Anca Gabriela Gligor & Marius Ioan Pantea, 2015. "Regional Competitiveness And The Impact Of Eu Structural Funds: The Case Of Romania," Annals of University of Craiova - Economic Sciences Series, University of Craiova, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 1(43), pages 58-67.
    13. Armenia ANDRONICEANU, 2014. "Absorption of the structural funds by the local administration of Bucharest," REVISTA ADMINISTRATIE SI MANAGEMENT PUBLIC, Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 2014(23), pages 36-45, December.
    14. Victor Nicolaescu, 2016. "Poverty of the Romanian Roma minority - current dimensions," Journal of Community Positive Practices, Catalactica NGO, issue 1, pages 68-77.
    15. Gabriela Chivu & Romana Emilia Cramarenco, 2021. "On Regional Development In Poland And Romania," Romanian Journal of Regional Science, Romanian Regional Science Association, vol. 15(1), pages 77-97, JUNE.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:13:y:2024:i:3:p:139-:d:1349584. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.