| | | | | | | | Welcome to the April edition of Spotlight: Partnerships and Advocacy Bulletin | | | | Welcome to our April Spotlight! Read on to find out about our work over the last month and remember to follow us on social media for regular updates. X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok
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April has been a month of both reflection and renewed momentum for The Traveller Movement.
Following a short closure over the Easter period, our team returned re-energised as we step into the beginning of summer and the start of a new financial year. This is a key moment for us not only to reflect on the progress we’ve made alongside our communities, but to assess our impact, strengthen our approach, and set clear priorities for the year ahead.
Over the past month, we have continued to drive forward work that ensures Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller voices are not only heard, but are shaping policy and practice. From influencing national education conversations to contributing to local health needs assessments, our approach combines frontline insight with strategic advocacy to deliver tangible change. This includes improving school inclusivity, strengthening access to services, and building a stronger evidence base to influence decision-makers.
At the same time, our work remains firmly rooted in community. The relationships we build, the trust we hold, and the lived experience we centre are what make this work meaningful and effective.
Looking ahead, we are entering an important and exciting period. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month provides a vital platform to celebrate heritage, identity and belonging, while also challenging inequality and raising awareness at a national level. Alongside this, we are in the final stages of organising our Youth Mini Conference in London a piece of work shaped directly by young people themselves. Their leadership is helping to define the issues that matter most to the next generation and ensuring they are active participants in shaping solutions.
As we move into the new financial year, our focus is on deepening impact, expanding partnerships, and continuing to build sustainable, community-led change. We are grateful to our funders, partners and community members whose ongoing support makes this work possible and who share our commitment to equity, inclusion and justice.
Yvonne Mac Namara
Chief Executive Officer
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Advancing Inclusive Education: National Engagement and Community Leadership | |
Last month saw a strong and coordinated focus on education inclusion and community leadership, with members of our team actively engaging in, organising, and contributing to a range of high-profile national events across the country. This work continues to position The Traveller Movement as a key voice in shaping education policy and practice for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities.
In particular, Olivia (Liv) Hammond, our Caseworker, and Pauline Melvin-Anderson OBE, our Chair, played a leading role in advancing this agenda through strategic national engagement, cross-sector partnership building, and lived experience advocacy. Their contributions were instrumental in ensuring that the voices, experiences, and priorities of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities were meaningfully represented within key education and policy spaces.
A significant highlight was the high-profile conference organised by Pauline in partnership with the Department for Education and Leeds City Council: the Department for Education RISE Regional Conference – Improving Education Outcomes for Romani (Gypsy), Irish Traveller and Roma Children.
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The event was exceptionally well attended and brought together a wide range of education stakeholders, including policymakers, practitioners, school leaders, and community organisations. It provided a critical platform for shared learning, dialogue, and solution-focused discussion on the systemic barriers impacting educational outcomes for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller pupils.
The conference enabled stakeholders to exchange evidence, reflect on practice, and explore practical approaches to improving inclusion and attainment. Contributions included speakers and representatives from Richard O’Neill, Leeds Gypsy & Traveller Exchange, The Traveller Movement, York Travellers Trust, and Pride of Romany CIC
This event represented a strong example of lived experience leadership embedded within national policy discourse, demonstrating the value of ensuring that affected communities are not only consulted but actively involved in shaping education responses. The high level of engagement and positive feedback reflected a growing recognition within the sector of the need for more sustained, culturally informed, and evidence-led approaches to inclusion.
We were also proud to see Pauline representing The Traveller Movement at events in Bradford and Yorkshire, linked to the launch of our co-produced report Excluded: Misrecognition, control and the Roma experience in Bradford schools developed in partnership with the Runnymede Trust and Connecting Roma. These engagements provided important opportunities to present emerging evidence, strengthen strategic partnerships, and elevate the voices and lived experiences of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities at both local and national level.
Alongside this wider strategic advocacy and sector engagement, our education team has also continued to expand direct delivery work with schools and colleges across the country, translating policy engagement into practical, on-the-ground impact. This work directly supports and strengthens our Schools Inclusivity and Good Practice Programme, which focuses on improving diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism practice through our CPD-accredited training offer. The programme is designed to support schools and colleges to embed measurable standards around inclusion, attendance, cultural competency, and meaningful engagement with Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities.
February and March gave us the opportunity to successfully pilot the programme across schools and colleges in Barking, Bradford, and Lancaster & Morecambe, supporting education providers to develop deeper understanding of the lived experiences, barriers, and structural inequalities affecting Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller pupils and families.
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As demand for culturally informed inclusion training continues to grow across the education sector, we are keen to further scale and develop this programme. If your school, college, or educational setting would be interested in receiving training or learning more about our CPD-accredited offer, please contact Olivia Hammond at: education@travellermovement.org.uk
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Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller Youth Conference: Co-Produced Leadership and Future Pathways | |
Our Partnerships Team is currently leading the development of a youth-led conference for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people, bringing together stakeholders from education, employment, training, and youth services to explore pathways, opportunities, and barriers affecting young people from our communities.
This initiative is explicitly grounded in lived experience leadership and youth participation, with a dedicated youth steering group at the centre of planning and decision-making. The steering group is responsible for shaping the agenda, identifying priority issues, and co-producing the content of the conference, ensuring it reflects the real experiences, aspirations, and structural barriers faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people.
From a strategic perspective, the conference is designed to contribute directly to improving youth engagement outcomes, particularly in relation to education progression, skills development, and pathways into employment. It will provide a structured space for dialogue between young people and decision-makers across education, training, and employment sectors, with a focus on identifying practical solutions to barriers that contribute to disengagement, exclusion, and increased risk of NEET status (Not in Education, Employment or Training) among young people from our communities.
The conference will take place as a half-day event in London in mid to late June, bringing together a range of stakeholders including education providers, employers, training organisations, and youth services. The aim is to strengthen understanding of systemic barriers and co-develop more inclusive and accessible progression routes.
This work also aligns with wider policy priorities around reducing inequality in education-to-employment transitions, increasing youth participation in decision-making, and strengthening early intervention approaches that improve long-term socio-economic outcomes. Importantly, this is not a consultation exercise, but a co-produced model of youth civic and economic participation, where young people are positioned as partners in shaping solutions, not just recipients of services. We warmly welcome interest from organisations who would like to engage with this work, contribute to the conference, or support youth participation and pathways development. If you would like to find out more, please contact Lourdes-Marie O’Brien at: wen@travellermovement.org.uk.
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Strengthening Community Health and Wellbeing | |
Our Partnerships Team is currently leading the development of a youth-led conference for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people, bringing together stakeholders from education, employment, training, and youth services to explore pathways, opportunities, and barriers affecting young people from our communities.
This initiative is explicitly grounded in lived experience leadership and youth participation, with a dedicated youth steering group at the centre of planning and decision-making. The steering group is responsible for shaping the agenda, identifying priority issues, and co-producing the content of the conference, ensuring it reflects the real experiences, aspirations, and structural barriers faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people.
From a strategic perspective, the conference is designed to contribute directly to improving youth engagement outcomes, particularly in relation to education progression, skills development, and pathways into employment. It will provide a structured space for dialogue between young people and decision-makers across education, training, and employment sectors, with a focus on identifying practical solutions to barriers that contribute to disengagement, exclusion, and increased risk of NEET status (Not in Education, Employment or Training) among young people from our communities.
The conference will take place as a half-day event in London in mid to late June, bringing together a range of stakeholders including education providers, employers, training organisations, and youth services. The aim is to strengthen understanding of systemic barriers and co-develop more inclusive and accessible progression routes.
This work also aligns with wider policy priorities around reducing inequality in education-to-employment transitions, increasing youth participation in decision-making, and strengthening early intervention approaches that improve long-term socio-economic outcomes. Importantly, this is not a consultation exercise, but a co-produced model of youth civic and economic participation, where young people are positioned as partners in shaping solutions, not just recipients of services. We warmly welcome interest from organisations who would like to engage with this work, contribute to the conference, or support youth participation and pathways development. If you would like to find out more, please contact Lourdes-Marie O’Brien at: wen@travellermovement.org.uk.
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Harmful Practices IDVA Training | |
Over the past few months, members of our Partnerships team have been undertaking the Harmful Practice Independent Domestic Violence Advocate Programme through AWRC. The Programme is a pioneering initiative developed by AWRC to equip practitioners with specialised knowledge and skills, essential for navigating challenges associated with harmful practices. This training programme is rooted in a Black Feminist perspective and an intersectional approach and will support our Partnerships team to be better able to address harmful practices reported by survivors within the Romani (Gypsy) and Irish Traveller communities and to continue building on the findings of our Breaking the Silence report.
We will be officially launching the report on 2nd June in Westminster. This will be an invitation-only event, with attendance carefully managed to ensure the safety, privacy, and wellbeing of contributors, including those who have shared sensitive lived experiences.
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Celebrating Romani (Gypsy) Women | |
Last month, some of our team , attended Pride of Romany CIC’s All our Sisters – Empowerment Day. This was a professional and community-focused event celebrating the leadership, achievements and contributions of Romani (Gypsy) women as well as the organisations and individuals supporting the community.
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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month | |
Next month is Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. We will be out and about delivering training, school assemblies and much more. We will also be delivering a social media campaign titled, Belonging and Belongings. We will be asking community members to share photos of family heirlooms and collections, in celebration of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller heritage. This could include a Crown Derby collection, jewellery or any other object(s). If you’d like to be part of this campaign, make sure to send in your photos to Olivia Hammond at esju@travellermovement.org.uk by Wednesday 27th May.
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We are always open to strategic collaboration, commissioning opportunities, and funding partnerships that advance equity for Romani Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller communities.
We also offer a range of CPD-accredited training programmes, alongside bespoke and tailored packages designed to meet the specific needs of organisations, institutions, and sectors. All of our training and programmes can be adapted to context, ensuring relevance, impact, and practical application. To find out more about our training packaged, please visit our trainings page.
Crucially, all of our work is grounded in lived experience leadership and co-production, with programmes designed and delivered by people from Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities. This ensures authenticity, trust, and meaningful engagement, as well as direct relevance to the communities we serve.
If you are interested in collaborating, commissioning our expertise, or supporting our work financially, please contact: Olivia Morrision, Head of Advocacy & Partnerships, business@travellermovement.org.uk | | Opportunities to get involved in our work | | Advisory board ongoing recruitment – find out more here.
TM are also recruiting for a new Intern for the Partnerships team. Find out more here. This is an ideal opportunity for anyone with an interest in film making, social media and/or digital design. For enquiries on this, please email our Head of Partnerships Oliva on business@travellermovement.org.uk | | | | | | - 29th May 2026 – NGTBY online training – Book here
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25th June 2026 – City Hall GRTHM Event – please visit Cityhall page or further information - June 2026 – TM Youth Conference – link coming shortly
26th June 2026 – NGTBY online training – Book here 23rd July 2026 – TM Summer BBQ – Book here 28th August 2026 – NGTBY online training – Book here 25th September 2026 – NGTBY online training – Book here
| | | | | | Contact TM's Community Advocacy Caseworker on 07908433413
| | Contacts TM's Domestic Abuse Helpline on 07541637795
| | | | Follow our EventBrite page to keep up to date on what Events we are holding | | Visit our Women's microsite for information and support for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller Women
| | Visit our Education microsite support Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Travellers in the UK to navigate Education
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