Traveller Pride Week Funding - APPLY NOW!
The Traveller Pride Week Steering Committee announced a funding call for Traveller and Roma Pride Week from July 18th-22nd 2022.
Funding of up to €2,000 is available to community-based groups and organisations operating at regional and local level in order to host events.
For more information and an application form check out the following link
https://www.travellersvoice.ie/funding-traveller-pride.../
The deadline for applications is fast approaching and groups are urged to get their applications in early if possible. Deadline 10th June 2022
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The theme for Traveller Pride Week is:
Embracing a modern Traveller culture, with creativity in our roots
This theme was chosen from a number of ideas sent in by the community, the chosen theme was submitted by Traveller artist Francesca Hutchinson.
We look forward to the Traveller Pride Awards, taking place on 12th July in Dublin.
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ITM AGM and Conference - 13th October
The ITM AGM and Conference will take place in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel in Athlone on Thursday 13th October - SAVE THE DATE!
ITM Strategic Plan
We are continuing to make progress with our Strategic Plan, and it is moving towards completion. A full draft is now under review by the Central Group (Board of Directors) and we have circulated this draft to ITM members for observations.
National Mental Health Protest
We were proud to come together with so many of our members, allies, and the Traveller Mental Health Network in a protest outside the Dáil on Tuesday 31st May, calling for accountability and action to address the mental health crisis that is devastating our community. It was a very powerful event, which received a great deal of media attention and attendance by political representatives. We are hopeful that meaningful action will follow.
Media coverage of the protest on Morning Ireland, RTE, Independent.ie, Newstalk, Irish Times
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ITM recently presented at the Housing Commission's Conference on the Referendum on the Right to Housing in the Constitution, highlighting the need for cultural adequacy to be considered in the conversation.
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Thank you to the young people who took part in the recent consultation with the Department of Housing for the new National Youth Homeless Strategy! We will keep you updated on the strategy as it progresses.
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ITM attended and supported the relaunch of the Raise the Roof housing campaign on May 31st. The campaign focuses on key solutions for addressing the housing crisis and aims to create momentum and energy among different groups and individuals through a series of regional meetings. Read more HERE
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Programme Board
The Programme Board's work is to oversee the implementation of all of the recommendations of the expert review on Traveller accommodation. Overall, there have been 5 recommendations fully delivered since the Programme Board was established.
The national Traveller organisations continue to raise the importance of timelines for the completion of all recommendations. The update of design and maintenance guidelines of Traveller accommodation and eviction procedures are some of the recommendations being progressed at present. The most recent progress report is available HERE
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Peer-led Education Workers needed
Galway Traveller Movement are looking for two people from the Traveller Community to support the implementation of the GTM education project ‘Educate to Empower’ to achieve Equality Outcomes for members of the Traveller community in education. The role is located in Galway city, on a part-time basis, 19 hours per week.
Click here for more information or email Annemariestokes@gtmtrav.ie
Closing Date for Applications: 3rd June
The next Education Working Group meeting is at 11am on Tuesday 21st June. All members are welcome. Email eve@tmtrav.ie
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Travellers in EUROPE
ITM participated in the Council Of Europe 13th Dialogue on Wednesday May 11th and presented at the session on “Defending the rights of Roma and Traveller children". Many thanks to our members for their contribution to our preparatory consultation.
The conclusions and recommendations will be presented at the 6th meeting of the Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI-ROM) in September 2022 for follow-up and the 14th meeting of the Council of Europe Dialogue with Roma and Traveller civil society, is also scheduled to take place then and will focus on the Mid-Term Review of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan for Roma and Traveller Inclusion (2020-2025).
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Sport Ireland - Diversity and Inclusion
ITM were delighted to attend Sport Ireland's Diversity and Inclusion Policy launch at the Sport Ireland National Campus. Our Youth Development Worker, Karen Power spoke about her own experience as a young Traveller participating in sport and the importance of visibility, role models, and a safe and inclusive space for young people to be able to enjoy the befits of sport, especially given the mental and physical health benefits of sport.
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Political Advocacy and Policy
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ICCPR submission
The Irish Traveller Movement has made a submission to the UN Committee on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in relation to the fifth periodic report on Ireland. Ireland is 1 of 8 countries being reviewed by the Human Rights Committee at the 135th session (27 June to 29 July 2022) in Geneva. Exact date of our examination is unknown as yet. Read our submission HERE
IPRT Research
ITM notes and welcomes the launch of a research report independently commissioned by the Irish Penal Reform Trust, SOMETIMES I’M MISSING THE WORDS, a study on the rights and experiences of foreign national and minority ethnic groups in the Irish penal system. Read the report in full HERE
Travellers' Access to Justice
ITM welcomed the secondment in late 2021 of a solicitor within the Legal Aid Board (LAB) service to initiate training for solicitors in the service and to examine how to make the service more accessible to Travellers. Two formal meetings have taken place with senior leads at the LAB. ITM, the National Traveller Women's Forum and Pavee Point have called for a formal Traveller advisory committee, now accepted, to inform the work of the LAB.
ITM also welcomes the appointment of Bernard Joyce Director, on behalf of our national membership of local Traveller organisations to the Civil Legal Aid Review Group established by Minister Helen McEntee, tasked with conducting a full review of the Civil Legal Aid Scheme. The Review Group will be chaired by retired Chief Justice Mr Frank Clarke and its purpose is to conduct a full review the Civil Legal Aid Scheme. It includes representation from legal practitioner bodies, civil society, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Legal Aid Board, FLAC as well as a number of independent experts. Read our full statement HERE
Social Inclusion Forum 2022
The Social Inclusion Forum (SIF) is one of the structures that supports the development and implementation of policy to address poverty and social exclusion as outlined in the current strategy, Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025. The theme of SIF 2022 is Maintaining Momentum: Implementing the Roadmap for Social Inclusion. SIF 2022 will be held on June 22nd in the Bracken Court Hotel, Balbriggan and provides an important opportunity to engage with the midterm review of the Roadmap, as well as engaging with a number of the issues relevant to those experiencing poverty and their representative organisations.
Community Work Ireland and the European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland will hold a series of preparatory workshops that will provide an overview of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion and the workshop themes, and provide the opportunity for civil society, communities and stakeholders to discuss the issues. Feedback from the workshops will be presented to the opening Plenary of SIF 2022.
- Tuesday May 31st 11am-1pm - Online - Core Essentials & Social Inclusion and Children - REGISTER HERE
- Thursday June 2nd 2pm-4pm - Galway City Partnership, 3 The Plaza, Headford Road, Galway - All themes - REGISTER HERE
- Wednesday June 8th 10.30am-1pm - F2 Centre, Rialto, Dublin - All themes REGISTER HERE
- Friday June 10th 11am-1pm - Online - Supporting Communities & Social Inclusion and People with Disabilities - REGISTER HERE
EAPN Ireland and the CWI would like to encourage the participation of people with direct experience of issues that emerge from the regional workshops at the Social Inclusion Forum in Dublin. A small budget is available to support the participation costs (travel and childcare) of a number of people from the preparatory workshops from unfunded or under-funded groups and unwaged individuals to attend the SIF.
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New Entrant Schools
13 schools (5 primary and 8 post primary) have been selected to join the Yellow Flag Programme in September 2022! It was a very competitive process - we received 45 strong applications, but due to limited resources, we had to select schools where the need was highest. There is a great geographical spread across 8 counties this year, including several counties where there has been no (or few) yellow flags to date, such as Meath, Limerick, Longford, and Monaghan.
Action Plan on Bullying
The Yellow Flag Programme was invited in April to present to the Steering Committee that was tasked by the Department of Education to review the Action Plan on Bullying. We gave an overview of identity-based bullying and racism faced by Travellers and other ethnic minority students in school, and outlined the need to prioritise racism as a key focus in the new Action Plan.
Intercultural Awareness Workshop
Yellow Flag was invited to deliver an intercultural awareness workshop to the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), the agency funded by the Department of Education with responsibility for teacher training. The workshop went well, and we look forward to more collaboration in the future.
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School Reviews
The evaluation process has been overhauled, to focus less on an assessment of the school, and more on an exploration of their journey, the work done, and the impact that Yellow Flag has had. 6 schools will be reviewed this year, and these pictures give a taste of the wonderful work we're seeing.
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Note the artwork by Leanna McDonagh, who spoke to this particular school community and inspired a young Traveller student to work on her art portfolio next year after she sits the Leaving Certificate!
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Staffing Update
At the end of May, Sian Abraham Long will leave the Yellow Flag Team, after a brilliant nine months originally covering Jenny's maternity, and developing classroom resources after that. Sian has brought a huge amount to the Yellow Flag Team, and she has worked so hard to help the programme grow. We wish her the very best with her next step!
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ITM welcomed two new staff members in recent weeks. Zoe O'Reilly is our new Office Manager, and Keith Maughan joins the team as our new part-time National Accommodation Policy Officer. We're delighted to have Keith and Zoe on board!
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Traveller Employment Programme
Business in the Community Ireland have launched a Traveller Employment Programme. This is a new initiative which supports Travellers to gain and sustain meaningful work over the long term. It offers a flexible and supportive approach, shaped by the goals and circumstances of individual participants. A tailor-made programme can help participants identify their career plans and achieve their employment goals and it does this through one-on-one coaching sessions and group workshops. The programme is funded by the Community Foundation for Ireland
Find out more information about the programme including eligibility and how to get involved, click here
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Webinar: In from the Margins
Independent Living Movement Ireland and Community Work Ireland are hosting a joint webinar “In from the Margins” which will take place on Wednesday 29th June from 11am to 1pm via Zoom. Please see details below, including the registration link and a poster attached. Please feel free to circulate among your own membership lists.
More information and registration for the webinar HERE
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Supporting Traveller Families’ Mental Health online event
The Cork/ Kerry Traveller Youth Mental Health working group invite you to their Supporting Traveller Families’ Mental Health online event on Tuesday 21st June from 11:30am to 1pm.
The purpose of this event is to support and inform Traveller families' mental health by promoting intervention at earlier stages, to facilitate recovery and help break the cycle of poor mental health.
Speakers at the event include: Minister for Older People and Mental Health, Mary Butler TD; Senator Eileen Flynn; Mags Casey (Co-Ordinator of National Traveller Mental Health Network and Tipperary Rural Traveller Project), Brigid Quilligan (Co-Ordinator of Kerry Travellers Health and Development Project), and Dr Michelle Mulcahy (Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, HSE Mental Health Services, Cork/ Kerry).
Register for this event through Eventbrite HERE
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Traveller Mental Health protest coverage on Morning Ireland, RTE, Independent.ie, Newstalk, Irish Times
Concerns about suicide rates among Travellers due to self-harm presentations at A&E - Irish Examiner READ ARTICLE
'We are losing our soul': Travellers call for urgent action amid mental health crisis- Breakingnews.ie READ ARTICLE
'This course will change lives' - Group of Traveller women graduate from UCC - Irish Examiner READ ARTICLE
'How can we prove it?': Travellers highlight barriers to justice after incidents of discrimination - journal.ie READ ARTICLE
Pontins under investigation over treatment of Travellers - The Guardian UK READ ARTICLE
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Peer-led Education Workers (Part-time, 19 hours per week)
Galway Traveller Movement
GTM are looking for two people from the Traveller Community to support the implementation of the GTM education project ‘Educate to Empower’ to achieve Equality Outcomes for members of the Traveller community in education. The role is located in Galway city, on a part-time basis, 19 hours per week.
More information HERE
Closing Date: 3rd June
Community Employment Scheme Supervisor
Clondalkin Traveller Training Enterprise and Employment
More information HERE
Closing date: 12 noon Thursday 23rd June
Men's Development Worker (Part-Time)
Sligo Traveller Support Group
More information HERE
Closing date: 5pm, 10th June
National Development Worker (Part-Time)
Minceir Whiden
More information HERE
Closing date: 5pm, 10th June
Nua Healthcare Services - Recruiting nationwide
Full time and part time vacancies available across the country in Nua Healthcare centres. They are looking to reach out to the Traveller community to inform them of these vacancies and have teamed up with Pavee Point. For more information contact info@paveepoint or recruitment@nuahealthcare.ie
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