horses

Our achievements

Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service

A Summary of What We've Done

We have established a well respected service, which has national recognition for quality service delivery, innovation and excellent relationships with the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

As a Service we have established strong relationships with the Gypsy Roma Traveller communities, who live on official sites, private sites, the roadside and in housing across the city.

We work with these communities to help raise their aspirations and we have just run a very successful parental self-development course ‘STEPS’ and also an innovative pilot for the Department for Children, Schools and families, the 16-19 ‘Futures’ programme.

We have developed successful inter-agency partnerships, which have helped extend the range of services available to these communities.

We are working with other departments across the Council to plan further accommodation for those families, who are still in need of decent accommodation, in line with new housing regulations.

Summary of Achievements

  • An established Service that works within the Social Inclusion Service and is a point of reference for information and expertise.
  • An excellent relationship with the Traveller communities in Leeds that has been developed through close and supportive work over many years.
  • A dramatic increase in the number of Traveller children accessing Nursery, Primary and High school.
  • Inter agency work that has developed the Traveller Health Partnership which has produced the excellent Report ‘Making a Difference’ which has led to many initiatives for the Traveller communities in Leeds namely:
    • Travellers own groups: GATE (Gypsy and Travellers Exchange), Justice for Travellers and Travellers Action Group
    • GP time on Cottingley Site weekly on the Mobile Health Bus
    • The Park Lane College Travellers Further Education Project
    • A visit to Ireland to learn from excellent models of practice
    • Holiday playschemes and play opportunities for Travellers’ children.
  • Outreach work with our Mobile Nursery for an early introduction to pre-school education and first contact with parents and young children.
  • Outreach work with the Roadside Mobile for distance learning / first contact on Circus/Fairground/roadside Traveller camps.
  • A Traveller employed by TES who is an excellent role model and an inspiration to us all.
  • Resources developed by the TES which have given expression to Travellers rich cultural history:
    • The book ‘Gypsies and Travellers in their own words’
    • The magazine ‘Traveller Post’.
  • A Library/Resource Centre which collects all educational resources which is open to all and we actively promote helping schools purchase their own materials by producing a Resource Ordering booklet and visiting schools with these resources.
  • INSET for schools/services/other agencies.
  • Leeds Traveller Family Learning Group developed in partnership between the TES and Park Lane College which won a national award from the National Organisation for Adult learning in 2001.
  • Recognition from the recent OfSTED Inspection of Education Leeds that the Traveller Education Service is a strength in the company.
  • Renames itself "Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service in Leeds.

 

School resource

Open Roads Open Minds

Storytelling Resource

A DVD, Wall Poster, Storyteller & Artist Portraits all wrapped in an attractive package.

Storytelling Resource

This Learning Resource can be used effectively across the Curriculum – Literacy, Drama, Art, Music, History, PSHE and Citizenship and across all Key Stages 1 – 4 and for In Service Training (INSET).

More

Also read about

Roma/ Gypsies

The Roma originally came from the Indian subcontinent, which they left about a thousand years ago. They entered Europe in the 13th Century. When they arrived in Europe they were thought to be from Egypt and were called Egyptians, which is where the word "Gypsy" comes from.

Read more

 

Top of page    Mail page    Print page