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Irish Travellers in Education: Strategies for Equality

Section One: Introduction

1.1 Rationale for the Review

This review was commissioned to examine the existing national educational policy and educational work of Traveller organisations. The report aims to support Traveller organisations by identifying models of good practice that support Travellers in achieving educational outcomes.

It is underpinned by the knowledge, demonstrated by the research that, co-operation and partnership in developing and implementing policies is the most fundamental element of good practice.

It is well understood that Travellers experience high levels of educational disadvantage. In recent years there has been a significant improvement in the participation of Travellers in mainstream educational provision. Traveller organisations have played a particular role in bringing about this improvement as evidenced by the recent work by the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) to improve Traveller participation in post-primary schooling.

Current practice demonstrates the significance of involving those affected in decision-making. Travellers want to be ‘partners’ in the education process. This review aims to support Traveller organisations to achieve this.

Methodology

A number of methods were used to gather information, desk research, focus groups and interviews. Consultation was the cornerstone of this research as it was used to:

  • Gather information related to current educational provision and needs of the Traveller Community;
  • Gather information as to what is being delivered, both by Traveller organisations and community and statutory deliverers;
  • Assess the extent of educational inequalities;
  • Use that information to make recommendations to remove the educational barriers and ensure models of good practice are further developed and supported.

Following the design and piloting of a questionnaire it became clear that contact with organisations needed to be more fluid, focus groups were required to address specific questions and a number of one-to-one interviews were necessary to address specific issues being raised. Therefore, contact was made with a majority of the members of ITM who were asked to provide information on the education work they were undertaking. This secured a number of submissions and research reports and as a result two focus groups were held. The first was facilitated to concentrate on the issues and recommendations for primary and secondary school children, (connections to adult education and second-chance education also emerged throughout this discussion.) The second group focused on the barriers for Traveller organisations in engaging in education activities. In that discussion it became clear that lack of resources was not the only issue. Both focus groups will be discussed in more detail in the following report.

Structure of the Report

This report consists of five sections including the introductory section one. Section two outlines the current sets of agreed education policies aimed at redressing educational inequality for Travellers. Section three highlights the facts with regard to the persistence of educational inequality for Travellers. Section Four identifies some of the elements of good practice that are currently being progressed on the ground. Section Five contains recommendations for future action.

Section Two: Policies to Redress Educational Inequality for Travellers

Introduction

Travellers are distinguished by the fact that they are an ethnic minority in Irish society and by the fact that they are among the most marginalised groups in Ireland. The persistence of inequality in educational outcomes for the Traveller Community is a factor of that marginalisation. In their report to the United Nations, the Irish Traveller Movement state that despite a number of institutional and legislative changes the ‘reality on the ground for Travellers is that little has improved and in some areas the situation for Travellers has actually deteriorated’. 1

2.2 Agreed Policies on Traveller Education

Evidence shows that among those more likely to be poor are Travellers, that there has been increased economic inequality in recent years, which has worsened their relative position, and that they experience racism and discrimination as a group. However, the progress in achieving equality objectives, particularly with regard to equal formal rights is encouraging. The enactment of Equality legislation and the institutional support to protect those rights are tangible outcomes. Nevertheless, it could be argued that the size of the problem has been underestimated, the nature of institutionalised inequality and discrimination misunderstood. The enactment of Section 24 Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002 regarding trespass, despite the strong objections of the Traveller community and their representative organisations at national level, signals a dangerous direction for national policy. Many argue that this undermines any progress that can be aimed for in other social policy areas such as education. 2

As far back as 1993 the Report of the Special Education Review Committee recommended that “schools should adopt an inclusive, intercultural approach to curriculum development so as to ensure that their School Plan, class programme and teaching materials reflect a positive attitude towards the special customs, traditions and lifestyle of minority groups, including the children of Travellers”. While there was some progress in these areas, the slow pace of change with these and other recommendations resulted in the establishment of the Task Force on Travellers in 1995.

The Task Force on the Travelling Community published its findings and recommendations in 1995. The Government adopted its findings and set up the Monitoring Committee to monitor and co-ordinate its implementation. Recently, the Monitoring Committee published the first progress report which acknowledges that some developments have had a positive impact on Travellers education but also stated that ‘the Monitoring Committee is concerned however about the lack of progress generally on the recommendations of the Task Force in the area of education’.3

The National Advisory Committee on Traveller Education was established late in 1998. The Committee is made up of representatives from the Department of Education and Science and representatives from the Irish Traveller Movement, the National Traveller Women's Forum and Pavee Point. The National Advisory Committee on Traveller Education (NCTE) was established to advise the minister on the provision of education services to members of the Traveller community. One of its key roles is to develop the Traveller Education Strategy. The Statutory Educational Disadvantage Committee (SEDC) was established to address educational disadvantage issues and the NCTE is keen to link with this committee on all matters affecting Traveller education to ensure the mainstreaming of Traveller education issues. A joint working group has been established to oversee the development and completion of the Traveller Education Strategy from the SEDC and the NCTE.

In ‘Charting our Education Future – White Paper on Education’ published in 1995 a target was set that ‘all Traveller children of primary school age be enrolled and participate fully in primary education, according to their individual abilities and potential, within five years’. To date official data suggests that this target is broadly being achieved, but the inadequacies of our data collections systems that rely on enrolment figures leave a lot to be desired. Furthermore, it is recommended ‘the overall policy objective is that, within ten years, all Traveller children of second level school going age will complete junior cycle education and 50 per cent will complete the senior cycle’. To date there are no official figures to assess the progress towards achievement of this objective probably because of the fact that there is no agreement as to the system of data collection and tracking that is sensitive to the needs of ethnic minorities, including Travellers. This is a significant drawback as achievements and gaps cannot be identified and strategies remain unquantifiable.

It was also argued in the White Paper that the role of the family in the child’s development was ‘crucial’ and parents were described as ‘integral partners in the education of their children’. The White Paper highlights the importance of the parent’s role in their child’s education and recognises their rights “to be consulted and informed on all aspects of their child’s education at school level, and their right as a group to actively participate in the education system at school, regional and national levels”. More concretely it states that parents will have a statutory entitlement to be representatives on each school Board of Management and advocated the adoption of a range of measures to foster active parental partnerships in schools. Unfortunately many parents still do not have any direct contact with schools and are not consulted about their child’s education. There are no specific strategies to target Traveller parents’ involvement in formal school structures. To date, despite reports by the Department of Education and Science that it ‘encourages direct involvement between schools and Traveller parents’ and reports of some in-service training for teachers, no measure to foster active Traveller parental involvement and partnerships at this level has been initiated by the Department of Education and Science. 4

Targets within the recently agreed National Anti-Poverty Strategy highlight another problem. In 2001 it was agreed that ‘the transfer rate of Travellers to post-primary schools will be increased to 95% by 2004.5 The concentration on transfer and specifically the rate of transfer puts the emphasis and focus again on access and retention and away from attainment, which had been the focus of previous targets, specifically in the White Paper.

The following table summarises the substantive outstanding policy objectives that were raised during the course of this review. These issues are the ones that Traveller organisations have highlighted as the most pressing.

Table One:

Substantive Outstanding Objectives of State Policy on Education for Travellers

Policy Commitments

Current Status

The Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community, 1995

Introduction of Intercultural education in all areas of education, including: (page 160-166)

  • The commissioning of programmes within schools;
  • Availability of resources and materials for schools;
  • Training for teachers and school personnel as well as student teachers;
  • Resource Traveller organisations for role in pre- and in-service training.

Services, Advisory Committees and Partnership in Decision-Making: (page 166-167)

The establishment of a Traveller Education Service (TES) in Department of Education and Science to have overall responsibility for development of Traveller education and oversee implementation of recommendations as well as an Advisory Committee to advise the Traveller Education Unit in its work.

The report recommended that pre-school: (page 171-173)

  1. Service should be available to all Traveller children;
  2. National Policy on pre-school services should be developed;
  3. The Department of Education and science should take over responsibility for pre-school provision for Traveller children;
  4. Expand pre-school service in line with demand;
  5. Travellers should be trained and employed in pre-schools as teachers and childcare assistants.

At Primary Level, the report recommends: (page 174-181)

  1. An evaluation of the present primary education system to investigate underachievement of Traveller children;
  2. Additional resources to support Traveller children’s attainment;
  3. Mandatory integration of Traveller children;
  4. Regular reviews of Traveller children in special classes;
  5. Traveller children should have access to homework projects.

At Post Primary level, the report recommends:

  1. The Visiting Teacher Service for Traveller children should be extended to the post-primary sector;
  2. Traveller pupils should be integrated with mainstream;
  3. All Traveller pupils in post-primary should have access to properly resourced homework projects.

Some developments in schools through CSPE Models but no real impact in general curriculum, little change in text books/teaching materials and no resourcing of Travellers for training roles.

The Traveller Education Service has not been established.

The Department did establish a Departmental co-ordinating committee and the Advisory Committee on Traveller Education in 1998. The Advisory Committee is in the process of developing the Traveller Education Strategy.

An evaluation of pre-school service has been published. The White Paper on Early Childhood Education was published in 1999, which incorporates many of these recommendations. An Early Childhood Education Agency is to be established and be responsible for overseeing pre-school services.

No in depth evaluation of present primary system, integration of Traveller children in mainstream classes is Department policy, some parents still feel their children have low attainment levels in primary school, lack of after-school provision.

Traveller pupils in post-primary integrated into mainstream, with schools receiving 1.5 hours extra teaching hours for each Traveller child, some Traveller pupils benefiting from after-school projects, but on an ad-hoc basis with no commitment to funding of these initiatives from the Department of Education and Science.

“Learning for Life – White Paper on Adult Education”, 2000

The Paper highlights the lack of data relating to Traveller participation in the Adult Education sector and the need for increased Traveller participation in this sector. It states that there is a need to develop specific strategies to ensure integration into mainstream provision “awareness training, culturally relevant programmes and materials, an inter-cultural anti-racist curriculum, supporting services such as guidance and childcare, and outreach networking and dialogue with Traveller organisations concerning the delivery of programmes”.

The Paper also stresses that there is a need for Travellers to be “targeted within adult literacy and VTOS programmes and for dialogue on how the schemes can be adapted to strengthen their relevance for these groups. The employment of Travellers within these services needs to be encouraged given their importance as role models within the community”. (page 172)

Individual colleges/courses are developing Access programmes to target Travellers, but there is no co-ordinated national strategy. Some individual schemes target Travellers, generally in co-ordination with Traveller organisations, but no overall strategy has been implemented. Few, if any, Travellers are employed in Literacy work or VTOS.

Education Welfare Act 2000

The purpose of the Act is to provide “for the entitlement of every child in the state to a certain minimum education”. This includes raising the minimum leaving age from 15 to 16, or on completion of the Junior Certificate, whichever is the later. It also includes the establishment of a National Educational Welfare Board, to create a register of Early School Leavers (aged16-17) who leave school for employment and make arrangements for their continued education. It includes the identification of the causes of non-attendance at school and the adoption of measures for its prevention. Parents are to be consulted by school management on school attendance and codes of behaviour.

The Board and a CEO have only been appointed. Education and Welfare Officers only appointed to large cities and RAPID areas at present.

As the table illustrates priorities have been established and targets set, yet actions to secure equality outcomes are not yielding results.

Section Three: The Current Situation for the Traveller Community

Identifying the Extent of the Inequality

Achieving equality in education in Ireland has largely focused on activities to achieve equal access, the elimination of barriers and activities to achieve equal participation and eliminating under-representation or over-representation of particular groups such as Travellers proportionate to their size in the population. More recently policies have been directed at achieving equal outcomes using measures to eliminate difference in achievement between groups in society by allocating extra resources for certain groups of children. These liberal equality objectives have all at one stage or another been adopted within policy to achieve equality for Travellers in education.

Attendance has been the focus of educational policy for Travellers. The Task Force report highlighted that in 1995 only 100 children aged 12 to 15 years were attending mainstream school out of an estimated 2,000 children who were eligible to do so. More recently they found that of the 6,000 Traveller children that attended primary school in 1999 only 1,000 transferred to mainstream post-primary school. They also found that only 20 Traveller children attended 6th Year in post-primary school.

A sample survey, (albeit qualified as a small sample quoted by the Monitoring Committee in its first progress report in 2000), quantifies the progressive reduction in participation by Travellers in secondary education. In first year there were 314 (100%) Traveller children, in the second year 175 (56%), the third 91 (29%), in fourth/transition year 20 (6%), in fifth year 22 (7%), in sixth year 15 (5%) and there was one Traveller student (0.3%) retained in post leaving certificate level.

The same report highlighted that nationally in 2000 there were 960 Traveller children enrolled in second-level schools and that over 400 of these were in 1st year. In conclusion, it is only recently that a majority of Traveller children have completed primary education, a small minority of Travellers transfer to secondary school and only a tiny number complete second level education.

These figures show how difficult the current situation is. One study in the Archdiocese of Dublin highlights that while most Traveller children are attending primary schools, few of the 748 children aged 13-16 years attend second level education on a regular basis.6 A 2001 study conducted in North Cork found that of the 229 Traveller children in the 5-12 age category, there are 167 (73%) attending primary school but that while they are officially enrolled in schools, attendance is often quite poor. 7 Even at primary level, Traveller children are not benefiting from education services and many parents are concerned at the level of attainment of their children at primary and post-primary level.

There are links between school attendance, participation to gain educational outcomes and adequate accommodation. Poor accommodation is a strong factor determining ability to attend school regularly and get equal benefits from participation. This has become particularly apparent with the enforcement of Section 24 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

Crucially, there is no hard data available on how Travellers fare in the education system so we do not know what Traveller children are achieving by participating, and cannot make qualitative evaluations of the level of equality of outcomes between Traveller children and other groups. 

Another issue that is constantly raised in all the studies is the quality of the experience of attending and participating in education. Of the forty-five young Travellers aged ten to twenty years interviewed by the Southside Partnership, twenty-seven had experienced problems related to bullying. 8 The high number reinforces reports of incidents of discrimination and racist behaviour among pupils in some schools, resulting in fear of attendance among Traveller children and causing some children to leave school early.

With regard to adults, in North Cork they found that 59% of the adult population either didn’t go to primary school at all or attended only to prepare for the sacraments. There are no official figures for the numbers of Travellers in third level, but anecdotal evidence suggests there is only a handful. The Higher Education Equality Unit “Doing it Differently! Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Higher Education in Ireland” states that in 1998, only 5 Travellers were engaged in 3rd Level Education.9

With regard to after-school services the closure of two services because of a lack of funding is serious cause for concern. Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project and Club 2000 After-School Initiatives for Travellers in Post-Primary Education in Tallaght, which have been operating in partnership with Traveller parents, had to close in 2002 due to lack of funding. This, despite the fact that concrete outcomes were achieved for the children in both projects and Traveller parents wanted them to continue. These projects are described in detail in the next section.

3.3 Responses to Inequality

Official State Policy, stated in the Department of Education and Science literature is that Travellers should be fully integrated into mainstream schools. The central aim is

‘The meaningful participation and attainment of the Traveller child

so that, in common with all the children of the nation, he or she may live a

full life as a child and realise his or her full potential as a unique individual,

proud of and affirmed in his or her identity as a Traveller and a citizen

of Ireland’

To give effect to this aspiration the following resources are allocated by the Department of Education and Science.

Table Two:

Provision in Education for Travellers

Service / Resource

Nature of support

Travellers pre-schools

Subvention of 98% salary, 98% transport costs & annual Equipment grant

Resource teachers

Schools with at least 14 Traveller children allocated extra hours

Visiting teachers

Link between schools and Traveller families, 30 due to increase to 40

Traveller Training centres

5 Junior Centres and 740 places in Senior Traveller Training Centres

Special primary schools

All in Dublin

2nd level with extra teaching hours

1.5 hours for each Traveller child enrolled at 2nd level

Additional capitation grant

For additional teaching hours.

Primary with Resource Teacher €181.00 (€64 rate for settled children) for children < 12 years, €376 > 12 years

Post-primary €336 (€184 rate for settled children)

Grant aided school transport

98% costs met by Dept. to St. Vincent de Paul

Guidelines on Traveller Education, primary & secondary school

Provide technical guidance to teachers, schools, parents and management in implementing Department of Education policy on Traveller education

National Education Officer

1

Advisory Committee on Traveller Education

Representatives for the Dept., the partners in education and Travellers

Legislation

Education Act, 1998

Education (Welfare) Act, 2000

Equal Status Act, 2000

Evidence of continued inequalities would suggest that these and other activities are not radically altering the situation and relatively disadvantaged position of Travellers. While it is not within the scope of this review to establish definitively whether or not public spending is contributing to inequality, Archer (2001) has highlighted the fact that spending priorities in relation to inequality need to go well beyond measures to improve access and participation.10

In its evaluation of preventative actions in education, the European Social Fund Evaluation Unit clearly identified the challenge. There is a need to identify those at risk before they leave the system, and more appropriately for Traveller children the fundamental challenge of assisting children before they (and their parents) become alienated from the school system (original emphasis). This challenge has not been met, and left unmet continues to reinforce inequality in Irish society.

3.4 The Equality Challenge

Two Focus Group discussions were held with a range of representatives from Traveller groups to review current education initiatives being delivered by Traveller organisations. Those attending were delivering education initiatives that are aimed at supporting Travellers to access and participate in formal education and attain educational outcomes including after-school projects/homework support (both Traveller specific and integrated), Youth Developmental Programmes and Youth-reach programmes. Others are providing second-chance opportunities for adults including Primary Health Care Programmes that are Traveller specific such as Link Worker Programmes so that Travellers have an advocate with the local services, particularly education services, computer classes, literacy, personal development and research skills. Others are delivering FÁS training programmes and developing gender specific programmes for men.

Issues of discrimination, lack of accommodation, poor health, segregation, lack of inter-culturalism and recognition of Traveller culture were established as the reasons why Travellers are not accessing and attaining equal outcomes from education services. The evidence of bullying and its link to discrimination is of particular concern. The Task Force highlighted that an intercultural curriculum has to be based on a number of principles. This includes avoiding racist interpretation in texts, respect for all cultures, information about minority groups in the entire curriculum, a focus on broader equality and human rights issues, and the inclusion of the intangible aspects of culture such as values and perspectives. There is no doubt that the application of such principles would go a long way to preventing discrimination.

Participants agreed that education leads to change. Through education Travellers gain equality of opportunity in schools and workplaces, are more informed about their rights and about the potential for improving their quality of life. However, one point was clearly evident in both focus groups. Traveller organisations supplement the inadequacies of the education system. Travellers have to adapt to an education system that continues to fail them. All participants reported being under-resourced for this work and stressed that this not only contributes to inequality, it sends out a message that inequality is acceptable.

When seen in combination with the fact that the all the research highlights the most significant obstacle for Travellers is the lack of positive experiences of education in the Traveller Community, the scale of the challenge becomes clear. Few Traveller children complete formal schooling, few settled children interact with Traveller children, few teachers build experience in delivering multi-cultural education and institutional responses remain limited to special initiatives that by their very existence reinforce division instead of the accommodation of diversity. The situation is intensified at each stage of education levels, so at post-primary level, less Traveller children attend secondary schools, specialist services prevail and Youth-work is characterised by segregation between schemes.

Traveller Training Centres are acknowledged as having a role to play in the development of local leadership and a more positive self-image for Travellers, and the development of a more modern role as an important ‘culturally appropriate bridge to options in education and training as well as to employment’ has been identified as a medium term objective for these Centres.11 In the interim they are required because of the fact that ‘many young Travellers leave school, because their own cultural identity has been ignored in the formal education system’. 12 When considering third level, most adult Travellers are not declaring their ethnicity within third level institutions suggesting there is a reason to hide it, which in turn calls into question the policies and culture within these institutions.

The Guidelines on Traveller Education in Primary and Post-Primary Schools is a welcome development which if adopted will go a long way to redressing the current lack of accommodation of Traveller life experiences and culture in the education system. These guidelines refer to the need for concerted action integrated into school planning activities, approaches to intercultural education within the curriculum development, the development of home school links, attendance and assessment and transfer to post-primary school. In addition they provide a comprehensive list of resources for schools and teachers. The challenge is to disseminate the guidelines, support schools to adopt them and review their effectiveness.

At this point research does indicate that despite some notable initiatives (some examples of which are discussed below) the distance between Traveller organisations and education providers is not substantially reducing. The work at national level on working groups such as the National Advisory Committee is significant. However, while it is leading to greater interaction between policy-makers and Traveller organisations at a national level, this is not being reflected in the other layers of the education system. Given the nature of the education system in Ireland, in that each institution has a significant level of autonomy, each layer operates individually and decision-making with regard to budgets remains highly centralised. It is very difficult for organisations outside of the system to establish the most useful point of interaction and this remains a serious obstacle.

Ultimately, these factors combine to ensure that there are no or minimal connections or linkages being made between institutions or people. The institutions remain to a large degree ignorant of Traveller culture and the needs of the Traveller community and Traveller parents remain fearful and to a large degree uninformed of what education can offer their children or themselves. In terms of the overall framework for achieving equality, recognition is not being achieved and consequently, equality remains unattained and targets unmet.

The lack of parental involvement as partners in their individual children’s education, as decision-makers within the various layers of the system and as managers of educational institutions, is perhaps the most serious obstacle to equality for the Traveller Community. The difficulty arises because as Traveller organisations develop and deliver initiatives (details in the next section) to respond to the needs that they encounter, they have no power in the educational system. Initiatives, however successful in their own right, remain isolated as a result. The lack of linkages and partnerships with local education providers was identified by all who participated in this review (and in all the research) as undermining any efforts to achieve equality. The National Co-ordinating Unit of Senior Traveller Training Centres has strongly recommended the development and implementation of guidelines at a national level for Traveller participation and recommended that ‘these must be accompanied by a series of targets, performance indicators and suggested mechanisms for reviewing progress towards these. Resources must be made available to support this’.13 The lack of a partnership approach between Travellers and educational institutions is a significant barrier to the achievement of equal outcomes for Travellers.

The barriers currently arise from a lack of interaction, a lack of partnership, inequality in access, participation and outcome and inadequate support for informal, flexible and innovative approaches. In summary then equality can be achieved if the frameworks of equality of recognition, representation, redistribution and respect are established.

The educational system has a strong role in society in building respect for difference and cultural values that recognise and respect different identities. The challenge is to develop an inclusive system, (visible through inclusive schools that avoid homogenising culture and experiences), which seeks to gain equal outcomes for all groups, visible through equality policies and action plans within all layers of the system. Recognition cannot be achieved without interaction that leads to involvement in decision-making to achieve equal representation outcomes in society. By building equal representation in education individuals and marginalised groups can contribute to the achievement of equality in access to education and equality in participation, attainment and outcomes in education. Rather than reinforcing the current status quo in society education can then play a role in the achievement of equal redistribution outcomes. One important step is of course to share experiences as to what works and the next section provides some examples of good practice for that reason.

3.5 Improving the Effectiveness of State Policy

The Committee to Monitor and Co-ordinate the Implementation of the Task Force on the Travelling Community stated recently that,

‘The Department of Education and Science needs to be sure that the human rights of

children are respected. This includes their right to education. The child’s right

to a safe environment and its own cultural integrity must also be respected’.14 

Rights based approaches, are gaining increasing currency among those who are discriminated against. In the area of education there has been some progress with many new laws, however without resources and awareness raising to tell people about their rights and assist them to exercise them, legislation is of limited value. In the absence of clear equality policies rights are meaningless, so in the absence of school equality policies, Traveller rights are being neglected.

There is a growing recognition that in order to be effective policies need not only to be integrated into mainstream agendas, but the mainstream needs to be examined to ensure that it is not reinforcing current inequalities and causing discrimination. Equality proofing is one method to alert policy makers to the potential problems arising from the impact of a particular law or policy. Taking education, for example, all policy and legislative changes need to be equality proofed, that is examined in partnership with Traveller organisations to identify any hidden, unnoticed and unidentified ways in which systems and structures are biased against Travellers. Then, actions could be identified in partnership with Travellers to redress any negative effects, and any impact that could reinforce or create further inequality would be avoided. In this way education could, in real terms, make its contribution to social and economic progress and equality for all.

Section Four: Meeting the Equality Challenge

4.1 Introduction

Activity to secure educational outcomes being promoted by Traveller organisations engages Travellers, adults and children in educational activity, supports Travellers to access and participate in formal education in order to attain educational outcomes and seeks to promote Traveller interests at all levels of the education system. All report that despite achievements services are often threatened by a lack of funding. Taking the provision of after-schools services as one example. While it appears that policy-makers are currently open to this type of provision, the fact is that Traveller organisations seeking funding for this type of provision are experiencing difficulties and services are closing.15 Despite these drawbacks Traveller organisations, some operating alone, some with educational partners are establishing services to support the achievement of equality in education for Travellers. The following case studies are important examples.

4.2 Case Studies

4.2.1 Initiative to support Traveller Children in Post-Primary Education in Navan, Co. Meath

Context

Employment of a Part-Time Traveller facilitator, through Navan Travellers Training Centre (supported by Co. Meath VEC), to work with the Visiting Teacher Service, to support young Travellers transfer to, and retention in, post-primary education.

Barriers being Addressed:

  • Lack of young Travellers transferring to post-primary;
  • Lack of retention of young Travellers within post-primary;
  • Lack of Traveller role models working within formal education structures.

Key aspects of Delivery:

  • Integrated approach to initiative at all times which includes:
  • Establish early contact with parents and pupils of 5th and 6th class
  • Arrange meetings between parents and schools
  • Persistence to engage young Travellers and their parents with schools
  • Links with agencies that have contact with parents, including Public Health Nurse etc. to reinforce the importance of school with parents.
  • Arrange visits to schools for students and have questions and answers sessions;
  • Suggest ways of using per capita grant for the benefit of the young Travellers transferring to post-primary, after consultation with parents regarding their child’s educational needs;
  • Nominated a link person for parents, other than a year head, in each school.

Key Outcomes:

  • Agreement with Local Traveller Training Centre that young Travellers have to be out of school for longer than six months before their name can be included on the Centre’s entrance list, to encourage Travellers to stay on in school;
  • This approach has resulted in a considerable increase of young Travellers transferring to post-primary, 31 out of a possible 35 (89%) within the first two years of its establishment.

4.2.2 Education and Ethnic Minorities Programme

Context

Training and development of members of ethnic minority groups (Travellers and new ethnic minorities in Ireland) to deliver training to schools re: education and ethnic minorities and support schools to initiate the development of interculturalism and anti-racist policies. (Participants include eight Traveller women, five Nigerian women, one Congolese and one Japanese woman)

Barriers being addressed:

  • Lack of training and skills development for ethnic minorities to deliver anti-racism training to schools and support them to develop anti-racist and intercultural policies;
  • Lack of available speakers to meet demands from schools and teacher groups;
  • Lack of opportunity to develop relations and partnerships between ethnic minorities and schools;
  • Lack of experience within schools to develop anti-racist policies and lack of awareness of needs of ethnic minorities and elements of good practice and policies.

Key Aspects of Delivery

  • Interagency collaboration including Visiting Teacher Service, Tallaght Travellers CDP, Tallaght Partnership, Clondalkin Travellers Development Group, Tallaght Partnership and Draiocht;
  • Clear matching of training and trainee profile with the requests from schools;
  • Participants using own experience and knowledge and developing analysis of racism as well as learning particular skills in order to deliver training and obtaining a clear understanding of the Irish education system and developments relating to ethnic minority children;
  • Supporting Traveller women and women from new ethnic communities to build solidarity and support to challenge issues which are relevant to their communities, particularly in the areas of racism and education;
  • Provision of crèche facilities for participants.

Key Outcomes:

  • Traveller women and women from ethnic communities delivering anti-racism training and promoting awareness within schools of the needs of ethnic minorities;
  • Initiation of partnership development between ethnic minorities and local schools;
  • Confident, available speakers to meet demands for training from schools;
  • Schools undertaking to engage in training and examining school policies and anti-bullying policy for opportunities to develop positive policies towards ethnic minorities;
  • Participants have identified other opportunities to influence practice and policy i.e. Community Organisations, informal education projects, etc.;
  • Training Module developed that can be replicated for future participants.

    Youth-reach programme

Context

Ten-week part-time, culturally appropriate, Traveller Access programme, specifically for young Travellers aged fifteen and over, who have not attended school for at least two years.

Barriers being addressed:

  • Lack of targeted programmes for young Travellers who are not attending school to engage in second chance education;
  • Lack of Travellers engaging in mainstream Youth-reach programmes or other educational options;
  • Young Travellers lack of knowledge/information of mainstream Youth-reach activities;
  • Difficulty of engaging male teenage Travellers in Youth-reach activities;
  • Lack of literacy and previous educational background;
  • Lack of access of young Travellers to educational programmes.

Key Aspects of delivery:

  • Number of agencies pool resources to offer a comprehensive a service as possible. These include Youth-reach in Rathfarnam/Rathdown, STAG (Southside Travellers Action Group), Traveller Youth Service, FÁS, Southside Partnership and LES.
  • Securing Link Worker position for duration of programme for support and development of Travellers within programme.
  • Development of tracking system to progress individuals’ development and future access to educational opportunities.
  • Culturally appropriate programme, devised and delivered in consultation with the young participants.
  • Flexibility within programme to cater for various needs of participants and recognise culture, gender, educational background issues etc.

Key Outcomes:

  • Developed innovative new ways to alleviate barriers that occur in delivering Youth-reach programme of second chance education to Travellers;
  • Completion of specific project by group incorporating a high level of participation and a formal structure for the process of learning and development;
  • Two members of programme continued to attend mainstream Youth-reach programmes;
  • High expectations created by Traveller participants in their own training and development;
  • Relationships developed with key agencies to ensure effective targeting of participants, delivery and evaluation of programme and future educational and employment opportunities for young Travellers.

4.2.4 Education Link Worker Programme

Context

Pilot Project for Education Link Worker in a Post-Primary school, supported by Southside Travellers Action Group, as a co-ordinated support structure to parents and families of students transferring from Primary to Second Level School in order to enable the students to complete the secondary cycle. This is part of a wider project in which it is hoped that the two VEC’s active in the area (Co Dublin and Dún Laoghaire) will work in partnership with STAG to fund the employment of an Education Link Worker who will work to promote education issues in the wider Traveller community.

Barriers being addressed:

  • Lack of Traveller role models within Post-Primary education;
  • Travellers low participation and early school leaving;
  • Lack of Traveller parental involvement within school structures.

Key Aspects of Delivery:

  • Ensure there is an integrated approach by all those involved in the children’s education, by working with Visiting Teacher Service, school staff, Home School Community Liaison Co-ordinator, children and their parents, in order to provide a high level of support to the children who will transfer from primary to post-primary;
  • Supporting parents and pupils to become familiar with school and its expectations and systems;
  • Ensuring parental concerns are communicated to the support services within the school;
  • Supporting school staff and policy to be inclusive of the needs of Traveller children.

Key Outcomes:

  • Develop the learning from this initiative to inform a focused approach to the educational needs of adolescent Travellers attending second level education by ensuring an effective cross-sectoral strategy is developed which will enable Traveller children in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown area complete the secondary school cycle;
  • Ensure young Travellers equality of outcome within schools and the development of role models for younger peers;
  • Developed links between parents and formal school structures.

4.2.5 Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project and Club 2000 After-School Initiatives for Travellers in Post-Primary Education in Tallaght

Context

Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project caters for 16 young Travellers in Primary Schools in Clondalkin village, developed and supported by Clondalkin Travellers Development Group. Club 2000 is a post-primary initiative for young Travellers from transfer to post-primary to Junior Certificate Level, incorporating homework and educational support and developmental/recreational activities.

Barriers being Addressed:

  • Lack of educational attainment of Travellers. Both projects provide homework and educational support to enhance Travellers attainment within education. Clondalkin Travellers Project provides this support to primary school going children, as well as support for transfer to post-primary. Club 2000 provides this to young Travellers in post-primary education;
  • Lack of Intercultural School Curriculum - The Projects work with young Travellers in a culturally appropriate way, promoting pride in Traveller identity which is largely denied within the formal school system;
  • Lack of Traveller Parents involvement within their children’s' education - The Projects support parents access to a project directly linked to the formal education system, as well as consultation regarding their children’s educational needs and developing the management skills of Travellers to develop and run such initiatives;
  • Inadequate accommodation or study environment - The Projects provide space to complete homework and enhance educational development, which some participants may not otherwise have.

Key Aspects of Delivery:

  • Partnership approach to management and delivery of Project.

- Management Committee of both projects are comprised of representatives of formal school structures (teachers and Principals), Traveller Parents, Visiting Teacher Service and Clondalkin Travellers Development Group.

- Project Workers in Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project include three Traveller Assistants employed in the Project and Club 2000 includes two Traveller parents, who have all engaged in training and personal development in areas including literacy, First Aid, Child Protection and Youth Development. There is also a qualified Primary School Teacher employed in Clondalkin and a qualified post-primary teacher employed in Club 2000. A Youth Worker (supplied by Tallaght Youth Service) also works in Club 2000. Both Projects share a project co-ordinator and all staff work in consultation with each other to support the participants educational development and attainment.

- Parental involvement is a key aspect of the After-School Project. This includes outreach and consultation with parents concerning their children’s education and parental involvement in the development of the Project.

Key Outcomes:

  • Parental participation and involvement in their children’s education;
  • Young Travellers enhanced participation and attainment within primary and supported to progress to post-primary through Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project. Young Travellers enhanced development and attainment within post-primary education and supported to Junior Certificate Level, through Club 2000;
  • Traveller parents training and development to manage and deliver After School Projects and appear as role models for young Travellers within education;
  • Fully inclusive approach towards working to achieve equality of outcomes for Travellers within education supported by schools, teachers, parents and Traveller specific Community Development Projects;
  • Intercultural approach to working with young Travellers that is not otherwise recognised within the formal education structures.

(Please note that both Projects were forced to close in late 2002 after three years in operation, due to lack of funding)

4.2.6 ‘éist’ Project, Pavee Point

Context

The “ ‘éist’ - Respecting diversity in early childhood care, education and training” report aims to highlight the need for research, development and action in diversity education in the early years and primary sector, as well as stimulate debate regarding diversity education and the anti-bias approach. The ‘éist’ project grew from this report. It is a three-year initiative and its aim is to develop an anti-bias approach for inclusion in mainstream early years training and practice, which will be appropriate to the Irish context. Anti-bias is described as “An active/activist approach challenging prejudice, stereotyping, bias and the ‘isms’. It actively intervenes, to challenge and counter the personal and institutional behaviours that perpetuate oppression” (‘éist’ – Respecting diversity in early childhood care, education and training, Pavee Point, p. 39).

Key elements of “ ‘éist’ – Respecting diversity in early childhood care, education and training”, The strategies to frame the change necessary to tackle racism, discrimination and prejudice during early years focus on four key areas:

  • The development of an anti-bias approach relevant to the Irish context. This includes raising awareness of the importance and necessity for an anti-bias approach within early years settings and analysing present legislation, conventions and policy regarding anti-racist practice, children and human rights in Ireland and the international context;
  • The incorporation of anti-bias training in pre and in service training. This includes offering broad guidelines for the implementation of the anti-bias approach in early years training institutions and settings, including recommendations for Government, for Training, Accreditation and Certification bodies and Early Years Providers and Voluntary Childcare Organisations;
  • The Implementation of an anti-bias approach within early years services. This includes highlighting and making recommendations for the development of policy guidelines for all early years settings, including frameworks for management and staff, children and parents;
  • The development of racial equality policies in early years structures and provision, through offering guidelines for their implementation.

Key objectives

  • Raising awareness about the concepts of diversity and equality in early childhood;
  • Consultation with the early years sector to develop and pilot the anti-bias approach;
  • Liase and assist in the adaptation of existing early years training courses to incorporate the anti-bias approach.

Key areas of delivery

  • Working in partnership with colleges and training organisations to mainstream the anti-bias approach into pre-service and in-service early years courses;
  • Working with minority groups to inform them of the development of the project, as well as encouraging the participation of members of minority groups as role models in early years services;
  • Raising awareness at policy level, initiating policy development and engaging in advocacy work;
  • Sourcing and developing materials to support the training approach and for use in early years services using appropriate and relevant language and images of diversity for the Irish context, as well as disseminating information for practitioners and trainers.

Key outcomes

  • Promotion of equality of access, participation and outcomes for all children attending early years services;
  • Addresses racism and discrimination at individual and institutional level;
  • Development of an adaptable framework that can be integrated into other early educational approaches;
  • Actively addresses personal attitudes and values and encourages the development of a reflective and empathic understanding of diversity.

Section Five: Guidelines for Educational Equality for Travellers

Introduction

While there are many factors that contribute to the success of the education initiatives described above two key points are worth noting, they are, support for building of partnership approaches and empowering Travellers to participate, these are emerging as essential factors for achieving equality in education for Travellers. Both are required within the context of the development of a broader framework for equality for Travellers that has to be implemented through the application of rights based approaches.

Developing and maintaining partnerships between parents and schools is clearly achievable. Approaches such as supporting parental access to a project directly linked to the formal education system, and supporting parental inputs to consultations regarding their children’s educational needs are effective. Also, the strategy of developing and maintaining links with formal providers can be achieved; as is the case with agreements with Local Traveller Training Centres where young Travellers have to be out of school for longer than six months before their name be added to the centre’s entrance list.

The development of the capacity of parents to engage with the formal school system is important as is the capacity and management skills of Travellers to develop and run education initiatives. Further action, such as the development of relationships with key agencies to ensure effective targeting of participants is also proving effective.

Empowering Travellers to become positive role models for the community through the attainment of educational qualifications is an essential element of any strategy to achieve equality for the Traveller Community. Actions such as employing Traveller Assistants in projects, providing training and personal development in areas including literacy, First Aid, Child Protection and Youth Development are proving effective. Using a team approach such as that demonstrated in the project which employs a qualified Primary School Teacher and Traveller Assistants working in consultation with each other, also achieves results.

Promoting an inter-cultural educational approach that validates the experiences of all the children in the classroom, including the Traveller child, is a key issue in relation to Travellers and education. There is a dearth of equality policies and action plans within the education system. Developing effective equality and anti-racist policies requires skilled personnel, time, commitment to consultation and a sharing of decision-making power. The development of such policies would be a clear political signal of support for the Traveller community.

Guidelines for achieving equality

Actions:

  1. The Traveller Education Strategy is implemented and a clear evaluation and monitoring process developed. As a result resources are re-targeted for effective outcomes.
  1. Undertake further research in relation to (a) attainment (b) participation and (c) tracking of Traveller children in school.
  1. Develop and ensure Traveller parental involvement in all aspects of education.
  1. The development of linkages, establishment of partnerships and the sharing of decision-making power in education at a local and national level.
  1. Ensure that equality, inter-culturalism and respect for diversity are the cornerstones in developing policies and actions in education provision for Travellers.
  1. Provide resources for Traveller organisations to continue work with Travellers in encouraging participation and attainment in education.

THAT THE TRAVELLER EDUCATION STRATEGY IS IMPLEMENTED AND A CLEAR EVALUATION AND MONITORING PROCESS DEVELOPED. AS A RESULT RESOURCES ARE RETARGETED FOR EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES.

Recommendations for Department of Education & Science

  • As part of the Traveller Education Strategy, carry out a review of present allocation of resources to Travellers as part of the Traveller Education Strategy;
  • Ensure National Traveller organisations work with the review group as lead partners in the process;
  • Ensure that Travellers and Traveller organisations are consulted with in the development of the Strategy;
  • In relation to educational outcomes and attainment for Travellers, develop guidelines on best practice principles and a programme to support their implementation.

Recommendations for schools/colleges/centres/bodies

  • Support the Traveller Education Strategy

Recommendations for Traveller organisations

  • Ensure national organisations are represented and resources provided so they may participate as lead partners in the Traveller Education Strategy;
  • Ensure that Traveller organisations are supported by the Department of Education & Science in ensuring consultation with Travellers.

UNDERTAKE FURTHER RESEARCH IN RELATION TO (A) ATTAINMENT AND OUTCOMES (B) PARTICIPATION IN THIRD LEVEL EDUCATION AND (C) TRACKING OF TRAVELLER CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

Recommendations for Department of Education & Science

  • Support and provide resources for research into access to third level education;
  • In relation to tracking, develop a strategy that is culturally sensitive and aware of Traveller culture;
  • Ensure attainment is prioritised as an integral component in the Traveller Education Strategy.

Recommendations for schools/colleges/centres/bodies

  • Access Programmes in third level institutions should work in Traveller organisations to conduct research into access issues and supports at third level;
  • Schools should pilot initiatives with Department of Education and Science and local Traveller organisations to develop tracking systems that are culturally appropriate and sensitive.

Recommendations for Traveller organisations

  • Conduct research into third level access in association with third level access programmes;
  • Work with the Department of Education and Science to ensure a sensitive tracking system is developed and put in place and that outcomes are monitored on a regular basis.

DEVELOP AND ENSURE TRAVELLER INVOLVEMENT IN ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION

Recommendations for Department of Education and Science

  • Provide resources on a 5 year basis for Traveller pre-school and after-school programmes in recognition of their success and commitment to Traveller participation in education;
  • Ensure Board of Management of schools implement parent association guidelines and involve Traveller parents in associations and in boards of management;
  • Resource training programmes that target Travellers to train as pre-school, after-school and adult educators.

Recommendations for schools/colleges/centres/bodies

  • Ensure Traveller parents are involved in parent associations and boards of management;
  • Support Traveller organisations in their campaigns/funding applications for resources for pre-school and after-school programmes;
  • Work in partnership with Traveller organisations in developing curriculum and supports for pre-school and after-school programmes. Support Traveller organisations (where appropriate) in the release of teachers who are volunteers in such programmes where necessary;
  • Ensure Travellers are targeted by adult literacy programmes to train as adult educators;
  • Ensure adult education providers train in Traveller culture and awareness programmes to support their development of culturally appropriate material.

Recommendations for Traveller organisations

  • Develop links between Traveller parents and schools;
  • Lobby for resources for pre-school and after-school initiatives;
  • Deliver and evaluate inter-cultural training programmes for adult education providers.

ENSURE THAT EQUALITY, INTERCULTURALISM AND RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY ARE THE KEY CORNERSTONES, IN DEVELOPING POLICIES AND ACTIONS IN EDUCATION PROVISION FOR TRAVELLERS.

Recommendations for Department of Education and Science

  • As part of the Traveller Education Strategy, develop a national equality strategy in education provision for Travellers in partnership with other key players including the Department of Education & Science, NCCRI, Teachers Union and other educators;
  • Ensure Traveller culture and interculturalism training becomes part of teacher training at third level, and during in-service training. Resource national Traveller organisations to deliver such training;
  • Ensure that programmes in Youth-reach Centres are reviewed and evaluated to ensure culturally appropriate programmes.

Recommendations for schools, colleges, centres, bodies

  • Equality policies and action plans need to be developed in full consultation with Travellers and other ethnic groups at local and national level;
  • In partnership with Traveller organisations, run teacher training and awareness events in relation to Traveller culture and interculturalism in schools;
  • Implement and review anti-racist policies in schools with local Traveller groups and other intercultural groups;
  • Ensure that staff are trained to respond in a culturally appropriate fashion, in relation to the implementation of anti-bullying policies;
  • Youth-reach centres need to assess their provision and consult Traveller organisations to develop culturally appropriate programmes.

Recommendations for Traveller organisations:

  • Develop intercultural training processes for teacher training and design, deliver and evaluate programmes in partnership with other Traveller organisation;
  • Ensure that anti-bullying policies in schools are culturally appropriate and that teachers are trained to implement such policies;
  • As part of the Traveller Education Strategy, develop a national equality strategy in education provision for Travellers in partnership with other key players including the Department of Education & Science, NCCRI, Teacher Unions and other educators such as Educate Together Ltd.

PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR TRAVELLER ORGANISATIONS TO CONTINUE WORK WITH TRAVELLERS IN ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION AND ATTAINMENT IN EDUCATION

Recommendations for Department of Education & Science

  • Resource training programmes that target and support Travellers to train as pre-school and after-school workers;
  • Resource adult literacy training programmes to target and train Travellers as adult educators;
  • Resource Traveller organisations on a five year basis to develop, deliver and evaluate pre-school and after-school initiatives;
  • Resource National Traveller organisations in their education work;
  • Support Travellers to train as Primary and Post-Primary teachers.

Recommendations for Schools/Colleges/Centres/Bodies

  • Support Traveller organisations in accessing funding for pre-school and after-school initiatives;
  • Engage in local partnership work models to support the work of Travellers organisations in education;
  • Specifically target Travellers to be trained as adult literacy and adult educators on local training programmes.

Recommendations for Traveller organisations

  • Lobby for the immediate resourcing of Education Workers and resources to support the work of National Traveller organisations in education;
  • Support local Traveller organisations and initiatives in education;
  • Where appropriate, record and document the work and success of Traveller organisations’ work in education.

Footnotes

1. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. April 2002. ‘Second Report by Ireland 1999 - Submission by the Irish Traveller Movement’. Dublin: Irish Traveller Movement.

2. Combat Poverty Agency ‘Poverty Today’ June/July 2002 No 55,

3. Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. 2000. ‘First Progress Report of the Committee to Monitor and Co-ordinate the Implementation of the Task Force on the Travelling Community’. Dublin: Government Publications Office

4. Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. 2000. ‘First Progress Report of the Committee to Monitor and Co-ordinate the Implementation of the Task Force on the Travelling Community’. Dublin: Government Publications Office

5. Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. 2002. ‘Building an Inclusive Society-Review of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness’. Dublin: Government Publications Office

6. Weafer, John. 2001. ‘The Education and Accommodation Needs of Travellers in the Archdiocese of Dublin. Dublin: Crosscare

7. North Cork Traveller Group and Le Chéile Family Resource Centre. 2001. ‘A New Tomorrow – A Study of Education, Accommodation and Health Issues in North Cork’.

8. McCarthy, D and Patricia McCarthy for Travellers Interest Group Southside Partnership. ‘Moving On-Traveller Participation in Post-Primary Education and Training’. Dublin: Southside Partnership

9. Higher Education Equality Unit.1999. “Doing it Differently! Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Higher Education in Ireland”. Cork: Cork University

10. Archer, Peter. 2001. ‘Public Spending on Education, Inequality and Poverty’ in ‘Rich and Poor-Perspectives on Tackling Inequality in Ireland’. Dublin: Combat Poverty Agency

11. Pavee Point Publications. 1998. ‘Bridges to the Future - A Report on Future Roles for Senior Traveller Training Centres’. Dublin: Pavee Point Publications

12. Department of Education and Science. 2001. ‘A Consultative Report Designed to Contribute to the Future Development of Senior Traveller Training Centres. Dublin: Government Publications Office

13. Department of Education and Science. 2001. ‘A Consultative Report Designed to Contribute to the Future Development of Senior Traveller Training Centres. Dublin: Government Publications Office

14. Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. 2000. ‘First Progress Report of the Committee to Monitor and Co-ordinate the Implementation of the Task Force on the Travelling Community’. Dublin: Government Publications Office

15. Clondalkin Travellers After-School Project and Club 2000 After-School Initiatives for Travellers in Post-Primary Education in Tallaght have been closed due to lack of funding


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