Welcome to the October edition of Spotlight

Welcome to the October edition of 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, Linkedin, Instagram and TikTok

In the Spotlight

Traveller Movement Policy & Campaigning

Other Policy Work

This month the policy team have been busy attending knowledge sharing and learning events with a broad spectrum of organisations all focused on advancing the causes we care so deeply about here at the Traveller Movement. The Traveller Movement is hopeful that this New Dawn in the policy landscape will bring about meaningful coalition building.

To kick of the month the policy team attended the UK Democracy Fund Learning event which was hosted by the Joseph Roundtree Reform Trust (JRRT). This followed JRRTs support of Operation Traveller Vote. This proved to be an invaluable learning event where organisations across the spectrum came together to share insights and strategies for enhancing democratic participation.

We also attended the Better Justice Sector Workshop, this workshop was organised by the Better Justice Partnership and aimed to bring together organisations working on criminal justice reform to campaign for early intervention and diversion. It was a great opportunity to work with organisations across the criminal justice sector to think together about the policy calls we want to highlight especially those which are most pertinent to tackle the disproportionate experiences of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities.

The whole Traveller Movement team participated in Wear Red Day to honour the 10-year anniversary and to show solidarity with our valued partners at Show Racism the Red Card. Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) is the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity. We wore red on 18th October to show our commitment to anti-racism here at the Traveller Movement.

Equality and Social Justice Unit (ESJU)

This month has been as busy as ever within the Equality & Social Justice Unit. The phones have been busy with community members needing our support on education issues in particular. From discrimination at every level in schools, to looking for information about elective home education, we can work through your issues/queries with you. We get contacted every single day by brilliant parents who truly value and care about their children’s education, and are committed to overcoming the barriers that are often in their way. It is truly inspiring, and we want to hear from more of you.

Contact our Community Advocacy Caseworker, Liv, on 07908433413 for a chat.

Education Policy

As a part of our efforts to address the disproportionate exclusion rate/coercive exclusions of Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Traveller young people in schools, we have been conducting extensive research to identify the key areas that need attention. This will allow us to pinpoint exactly where the disconnect lies. To ensure a diverse range of perspectives we have conducted interviews and surveys with various stakeholders including teachers, decision-makers, Traveller organizations and young people themselves.

If you have an interest in this issue and would like to contribute to our research, we would love to hear from you. Please contact our Education Policy Officer, Shaun at education@travellermovement.org.uk.

Recently, our policy team attended the quarterly meeting with Mission 44, which provided valuable opportunities to network with other organizations under the Preventing Exclusions Fund. At the meeting, policy recommendations were discussed, and we participated in a collective brainstorming session which focused on future improvements.

Later in the day, we met with integratED partners at the Centre for Social Justice in Westminster. Although they work in a slightly different capacity, their work is still based on the same topic and discussions proved highly insightful. Our policy team then engaged in a series of themed sessions centered on data and research, school-based policy development and developing strategic and impactful policies.

Keep an eye out for our upcoming report on coercive exclusions, which will be released soon.

Women's Work

As part of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, we are sharing weekly spotlights across social media – follow us to learn more about our domestic abuse helpline, specialist training and targeted resources! Alongside this, the Senior Women’s Coordinator and Women’s Equality Intern attended the Kaleidoscopic UK conference on domestic abuse to highlight the barriers to accessing domestic abuse support services. With the third session of our specialist IDVA pilot programme and another Women’s Empowerment Network event taking place next week, we will be kept busy here at Traveller Movement!

London Partnerships

There are still spaces on our driving theory programme for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller young people aged 16-25. Spaces are filling up so be sure to contact Shane on

07842 311 701

ASAP and he will assign you a tutor to best fits your needs.

Open Doors Education and Training

ODET is currently still taking referrals for those who are between 15 –25 years of age, not in education or employment & training for our online remote learning Functional Skills Level 2 education and mentoring programme for Math’s & English.

Please call Shane – 07842 311 701 or email- education@odet.org.uk to refer or for more information. You can also download our referrals application form at our website – www.odet.org.uk

We are also delivering online Drivers Theory sessions for those who are GRT and 16 - 25 years old - looking to apply and sit the Theory test in order to achieving a driver’s licence later down the road. Contact Shane for further information on delivery and for those who wish to sign up. 07842311701.

Operations

Recipe book sales hit an all-time high over the last couple of months, with over 200 sales in one week alone. The book itself was born out of the Traveller and Gypsy recipes and tips Facebook group which was originally set up by two former staff members of the Traveller Movement in 2018.

Although it started small, the Facebook group grew tremendously over the pandemic during lockdown and has now grown to over 200,000 members.

Often remarked as the ‘nicest group on Facebook’, this group has created a platform for Travellers, Gypsies and people of all backgrounds, to celebrate traditional and modern recipes!

BLOG

As part of Domestic Abuse Awareness month this October, we have asked Mary McDonagh – a survivor of domestic abuse – to share her lived experience and tell services what she believes needs to change for other Irish Traveller survivors to get the appropriate support they need.

Read the full blog here

Job opportunities

Advisory board ongoing recruitment – find out more here

TM are also recruiting 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.

GATE Herts are advertising for 3 posts at the moment. They include Service and Project Co-ordinator, Social Justice Worker and Health Improvement Worker. You can find out more about these jobs and how to apply here.

Kushti Bok are advertising for a part time Manager-Co-ordinator. If you would like to find out more about this post, please email; Chair.kushtibok@gmail.com

Upcoming Events

TM Annual Conference 2024 An Era of Change will be taking place on Thursday 21st November at Lambeth Town Hall. ‘An Era of Change’ will celebrate the beginning of a new chapter and will explore innovative policies that can bring about substantial improvements in the lives of these communities.

While the challenges we face loom ever large now is the moment to chart a new path and call upon decision makers to break down barriers for Romani (Gypsy), Roma and Irish Traveller communities to bring about a new dawn.

You can find out more about the conference including the speakers and the workshops here; An Era of Change Conference Brochure (travellermovement.org.uk)

When the workshops have reached full capacity, bookings will close for these. Don’t miss out on your preference, they are filling up fast!

Tickets for the conference can be purchased here