ROMA people have become scapegoats for social problems in Glasgow's south side but a two-year project has begun to tackle that stigma, according to supporters.

However, there are fears that work to encourage integration of the ethnic minority group will suffer a setback when the funding runs out in March.

It is estimated that more than 3,000 Roma have settled in Glasgow since 2003, the majority in Govanhill.

The diverse community has traditionally been favoured by migrants, beginning with the Irish in the 1800s, followed by people from the Indian sub-continent and, most recently, from Eastern Europe.

The £3m Roma Matrix scheme was set up by the European Union in April 2013 to help the latest wave of migrants assimilate.

It covers nineteen cities in ten countries, with Glasgow taking around £100,000 from the pot of European funding.

Chairman of Govanhill Hub, Gordon Smith, who oversees the project, said: "In Scotland there are approximately 5,000 Roma and in Glasgow approximately 3,500, mostly in Govanhill, which is seen as the gateway for migrants.

"The vast majority in Glasgow you don't see because they are just like the rest of the population. They go about their business.

"My starting point is that they are absolutely no different from anyone else. There are good people and bad people. There are people who are going to get on in life and those that aren't.

"However, they carry this stigmatisation and I'm very keen to break that down. There is a lot of misunderstanding about their actions, like standing on the street corner, which is not seen by the Roma community as threatening. It is how they communicate.

"If you roll back two years ago there were a lot of complaints about people standing on street corners. I'm not seeing the same level now.

"Whether that's because people now accept it is not so bad, it is hard to judge. The council also did streetscaping and improved the lines of sight. That does seem to have helped.

"But I don't think the problem now is as bad as it was a few years ago."

One of the methods used to reduce tensions is placing seven Roma 'mentees' in local services such as Govanhill Housing Association.

Gordon Smith explained: "They get job experience but they do engage with a number of clients. They get exposure to the broader community and vice versa, so you break down some of the stigmatisation.

"The posts involve visiting residents in their homes or in the community, to provide one-to-one support with referrals to other agencies and to assist service users in accessing mainstream support services such as schools, GPs, housing and employment advice."

Claudia Nicola, 33, a mother-of-two who lives in Govanhill with her husband, has been a mentee with Jobs and Business Glasgow since November.

She speaks five languages - Roma, Romanian, Flemish, Italian and English - and moved from Romania to Scotland a year ago with her family when they faced discrimination in their own country.

Claudia said: "I came here because I don't have opportunities to study or work back home. I also want to put my children on the path to studies at university. I want them to go far but it is difficult for us in Romania.

"I was so happy to be offered this job. I am trying to help other people in Govanhill by translating, because language is a barrier.

"Many Roma people here don't speak English and they don't have education and skills. In Romania the Roma children don't always go to school."

The project has won the backing of local councillor Soryia Siddique, who said: "The Roma Matrix Mentee scheme is providing an opportunity for a number of people to gain new skills, experiences and to aid their professional and personal development."

However, it is due to be wound up in March and mentees like Claudia Nicola will be again be out of work.

Gordon Smith said: "There is now Roma children attending primary school and going on to secondary school. There are families moving into social rented housing.

"You're beginning to see signs of integration, which is a process other immigrant communities went through. I think ten years down the line it will be a far more integrated community.

"The programme is helping that and I'd certainly like to extend it. However, if funding is not forthcoming it will come to an end."

A spokesman for the project confirmed that there is "no continuation funding" after March 31.

He added: "We will seek further money in future for the European project to continue the good work, but there will as a minimum be a big time gap. Some activities may be continued locally through other funding sources."

Gordon Smith plans to pursue EU cash which will ensure the Roma Matrix scheme does not end.

He added: "We will constantly chase money from Europe. Whether it is specifically for that project, we don't know, but there will be associated work.

"What we're looking to do is see if there are opportunities to take some of the learning forward."