Travellers’ School Charity Newsletter Spring 2005

TSC out and about - training news. TSC attended a Broadband Sattellite Internet Access demonstration day at South Dartmoor Community College on Feb 14th. The purpose of the visit was to identify the components and costs of setting up a Sattellite for the Computer Classroom and to see whether running the equipment on Renewable Energy was a viable option. Much to our surprise we found that the existing renewables on board could easily cope with the extra power requirements during the summer, and only in non-windy winter days would there be a potential power shortage. The installation of a UPS(uninterrupted power supply) would potentially safeguard the problem of having low batteries and needing to put down the dish(3 x 12volt motors). Interestingly enough, and of course at an extra charge the Sattellite Robotic Platform manufacturers did say that they could design a system to run entirely from 12 volts. However at an approximate cost of £10,000 all in, it would seem a while until this will become a reality, and more likely that unless sponsorship is found, the most economical way of providing mobile internet access would be to use Data cards like the ELAMP project run by NATT(National Association of Teachers of Travellers).   The ELAMP project is about distance learning for young Travellers and has been running now since 2003. Funding came from the Nuffield Foundation for Phase 1 and the Chair of the project is Marion Rowlands of the Avon Consortium Traveller Education Service. Other funding was given by the Dept for Education and Skills, The Showmans Guild of Great Britain, NASUWT and O2. The project is aimed at those young people who have high mobility and miss a substantial amount of schooling as a result of their lifestyle. Some fairground children miss for example over a hundred days of school per year or go to 20-30 different schools in the academic year, so the ELAMP Project was designed to bridge this gap - providing e-learning opportunities for pupils with a base school. The project offered guidance, training and support to the families and enough budget to provide the student with a lap-top + data card, 50mgbs per month of data, printer, scanner, £250 of software and teacher support for 9 months. The project was delivered by the base school and included a contingency fund for repairs and a spare computer. As a result of this project many new similar set ups are emerging- Essex, Thames Valley and Derby. The DfES has agreed to extend the work to cover the following regions- Bolton, Cambridge, South Gloucestershire, Surrey, Devon, Derby, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland and Leicestershire. The majority of uptake for this initiative has so far been Showman children at Key Stage 2&3. Anyone interested in this project who is in the areas listed should contact their Traveller Education Service for more information. Unless the family have high mobility and their children are registered at a base school it is unlikely that they will meet the criteria although it is best to register interest in the event that these initiatives become more widely available, without the demand the evidence of need is not there and fundraising is much more difficult unless a clear need can be shown. In point of this fact and with this example so vividly appreciated by the students participating, it seems an appropriate time to congratulate Marion Rowlands and the Avon Consortium Traveller Education Service on their efforts to show and explore new Technology and devise ways in which it can benefit young people whose lives are highly mobile. see the NATT website for more details of the ELAMP project; www.natt.org.uk
Funding Traveller's Aid Trust Grants THE VIOLET CLEGG FUND Small Grants for Gypsies and Travellers to Overcome Hardship or Benefit Communities This scheme, previously run under the name of the Small Grants Programme for Travellers, has recently been revised and new criteria have been introduced. Please be sure to read through all the information given below to ensure that you are eligible to apply for a grant. Awards The Violet Clegg Fund awards grants of up to £250 for applications that fall within two main categories. Grants can either be for a specific purpose/item or meeting the overall costs of such a purpose or item. Category 1 grants are those that are of benefit to Gypsies and Travellers who are experiencing exceptional hardship. By exceptional hardship we mean situations that go beyond the general hardships experienced by the Gypsy and Traveller community on a day to day basis. Examples of this might be such things as repair costs for damage or loss caused by fire, relief for individuals suffering from severe ill health or disability, children with special needs, or families experiencing domestic violence. Category 2 grants are those that are of benefit to a community. Examples of this might be exchange trips between residents on different sites, improving or providing safe play areas or equipment or other activities that are of general benefit to members of a community. Please remember that the examples given above are simply an indication of what the Trust might fund and do not represent any restrictions on what the Trust will consider. Criteria for Applicants: This grant programme is specifically aimed at members of the Gypsy and Traveller community in the UK, whether traditional or new, settled or living on the road. It is intended to benefit individual Travellers, but applications from small groups of Travellers will also be considered, especially when they are of benefit to a community. The Trustees will consider applications for a wide range of needs but will not normally support applications for things that can be funded elsewhere - for example, by statutory agencies or other charities. This includes things like Dyslexia, Disability or Sickness benefits, Community Care grants, etc…If you are applying for something that is funded elsewhere, or if you are already in receipt of state benefits that relate directly to your application, you will need to show the Trustees in detail why it is that they should fund you in this instance. This means letting the Trustees know what help you are already receiving and why it is not enough. This is a rolling grants programme so there is no deadline and applications can be sent in at any time. Please note that the Trustees meet every three months and applications will be dealt with as an agenda item at each meeting. This means that it should normally take no more than three months for a decision to be made. Successful applicants of the grants programme should wait one year before reapplying. If you need any help or would like to know more about the grants programme or the Trust, please contact: Susan Alexander Trust Administrator PO Box 16 Llangyndeyrn, Kidwelly SA17 5YT Tel/Fax: 01269 870 621 Email: info@travellersaidtrust.org Website: www.travellersaidtrust.org Special Bursary Fund The objectives of the Special Bursary Fund are to: 1.) Increase and facilitate the participation of Travellers in the law reform process. 2.) Increase and facilitate the participation of Travellers in organizations and agencies representing or working with Travellers. 3.) Increase and facilitate access to training by Travellers in issues affecting law reform or other relevant issues that impact on the Traveller community. This will be achieved by subsidising travel costs and attendances fees to meetings, conferences, seminars and training days. The Special Bursary Fund is intended only for members of the Gypsy and Traveller community and can only be used for the purposes outlined above. However, agencies working with Gypsies and Travellers can make claims on behalf of their clients. There is no set limit on how much can be applied for nor how many times an individual or group can apply, but the Trustees may review this position in specific cases where there is extensive use of the fund by any one individual or group. Contact the Traveller's Aid Trust for help applying to the Special Bursaries Fund. Comic Relief Small Grants for Gypsy and Traveller Projects This programme provides grants of up to £3000 to small Gypsy and Traveller groups throughout the UK to help with setting them up and running them. Any work funded must be charitable. However, you do not have to be a registered charity, as long as the work you are planning to do has charitable aims and you have a constitution and a management committee. This programme is aimed at small groups, so your annual income should be less than £50,000 per year. If you do not have a constitution or an equal opportunities policy, please contact the Travellers Aid Trust and we will send you model policies that you can use for your application. Comic Relief will give support to groups that are run by Gypsies and Travellers themselves as much as possible. Priority will be given to Traveller led projects, but they will consider other projects if they can show substantial involvement of and consultation with Gypsies and Travellers and that they are working towards the project becoming led by Travellers. You can apply for core running costs including office and administration expenses, such as telephone, rent, insurance and heat and light; stationery and printing; sessional worker and volunteer costs; travel costs; computer and equipment costs; consultancy costs; and other costs of running your project. You must contact Comic Relief directly for an application for on 020 7820 5555 or email them on travellersfund@comicrelief.org.uk TSC are committed to helping as many Travellers as possible to obtain funding which supports initiatives and educational opportunities within Traveller Communities. If we can be of help by giving references or clearing funds for you please contact us.
Cloud 10 This is a new project that we are fundraising for and so far we have raised £7,300. The project will be based in Wales and will encourage young people aged 14-19 to look after themselves, their health and reach their potential. We are applying to the European Social Risk Fund which is a fund aimed at improving the employment prospects of young people. We would like to hear from you if you live or work in Wales and would like to get involved in this project. If funding applications are successful, the project will go ahead in summer 2005.
What's your news?? Please send us any clippings about Travellers, news, stories, photos or pictures if you would like to see it in our newsletter. We would be really pleased to hear from you and put it into the next issue. Are there any events you have been to that you think people would enjoy? Do you have any favourite recipes? If we don't see you when we are out and about and you don't contact us we don't know what you think or want.
Have you heard of Connexions?
Connexions is for young people aged 13-19, living in England who need advice about getting what they want out of life. It brings together key youth support services and young people can expect to be appointed the services of a Connexions Personal Adviser to help them during their transition into adulthood. Advice, information and practical help with all sorts of things affecting school, college, work or personal and family help is offered and specialist support is available by referral if neccessary.
The Connexions Card is available free to all 16-19 year olds in England and allows you to collect reward points for learning, work-based training and voluntary activities. Points can be exchanged for discounted and free goods, on-the-spot discounts and special offers from outlets displaying the onnexions Card window sticker. Assistance is confidential and free 8am-2am, 7 days a week. All calls are free from a landline and an adviser will ring you back on your mobile. FREEPHONE 08080013219 www.connexions.gov.uk
Circus Parents Association The Circus Parents Association welcomes all parents and invites you to join them. They are especially keen to hear from small circus operations and individual performers to help reduce the isolation of families and support negotiations for resources and support.The chairwoman of the CPA can be contacted to receive copies of the RED BOOK - (Parent Held Educational Record) published by the DfES it aims to support the continuity of education as children travel and give teachers and parents a point of reference to ensure that gaps are noted and learning outcomes are not repeated unnecessarily. Lia Fossett - tel; 07793 133054 The TSC attended the Annual Meeting of the CPA and NATT having been invited by the National Educational Liaison officer of ACES(Amusement Catering and Equipment Society) - Helen Hatt Helen has her own farm in Wales and would like to put on some children's camps. Please register your interest now, places will be limited.....If any Traveller is having difficulty finding their Traveller Education Service or other Educational Contact, TSC now has the latest contacts list - phone for details- 01239 810759 it is also listed and updated regularly on the NATT website http://www.natt.org.uk
Website questionnaire Thanks to some core funding from Lloyd's TSB Foundation we have some funding to develop the website. Now is the time to tell us what you think of it and how you would like to see it changed, please do go online and fill in the feedback form so we can change it the way you want. Http://www.travellersschool.plus.com/feedback.html
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