The first step in developing the education project was to work with the community to identify their learning needs. Funding from the National Year of Reading enabled us to carry out baseline research, which we did in the form of a survey.
Right from the start the education team wanted to encourage community participation and ownership of the project. Four traveller researchers were recruited, none of whom had research skills or experience and who had their own literacy needs. Concerns were aired over using inexperienced researchers -the big issue being the time and resources required to train and support the workers. It would have been easier to employ "settled experts"; however, we strongly believed that the benefits of training traveller researchers outweighed the costs.

We were proved right immediately. Following training sessions, the researchers compiled and piloted a questionnaire that included a reading assessment. They achieved an 85 per cent response rate. In December 1999, there were 144 adult travellers living in west Belfast; the researchers completed 122 questionnaires. The results showed that 69 per cent of travellers are at basic skills level one, compared with 24 per cent of the population.

As a result of the research the community education team has expanded to six workers, including a full time basic skills tutor. Three members of the team are members of the traveller community. We are currently developing five education projects, including a community-based basic skills project. This September we will be 'buying in' our own basic skills course (9281) specifically for travellers, thereby creating a pool of traveller literacy tutors to work with their own community. Our vision and aim for the future is to open a traveller community education drop-in centre, which will provide person-centred, needs-based learning opportunities.

 

To find out more about the project contact BTEDG on 028 9020 3337.

 

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