Young Gypsy/Travellers as Human Rights Defenders
New project for 2024/25: We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded funding to deliver a UK wide project which will equip young Gypsy/Travellers with the skills and knowledge necessary to have their voice heard and given due weight and attention in decision making processes that impact their daily lives. The project starts in May. Keep an eye out for further announcements.
Deekin to Jan
Our programme Deekin to Jan provides a tailor-made learning experience which works to re-engage young Gypsy/Travellers with learning and overcome the attainment gap which contributes to poverty and racism-based trauma in their community.
The programme provides outdoor, experiential learning activities to create re-engagement in school-age education and transform the life chances of young Gypsy/Travellers aged 11-16 years in the Falkirk and Ayrshire areas. Deekin to Jan, which was named by young Gypsy/Travellers and means ‘Looking to Learn,’ is designed to meet their own learning styles through non-formal education 3 days per week. This is an approach that is, as far as we are aware, novel in the UK for re-engaging young Gypsy/Travellers with education through a hands-on approach that specifically suits Gypsy/Traveller culture and addresses the insufficient approach of formal schooling.
In 2024 we completed a successful pilot for Deekin to Jan with a small cohort in Falkirk. The evidence from this pilot is that this is a novel approach to supporting young Gypsy/Travellers that positively impacts the young people. At the end of the year-long pilot, 2 young people graduated out of the programme to successful employment and the younger attendees continue to engage with increased learning and improved confidence. We have a growing number of families eager to enrol once we establish our next stage of funding.
Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month recognises the history and celebrates the cultures, traditions and contributions of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK. Rich in music, storytelling and crafts they have long been integral to both rural and urban economies and to cultural life.
Started in the London Borough of Brent in June 2001, the concept was established in Scotland in 2016 via an awareness raising event in Aberdeen City. 2017 saw the concept grow to awareness raising and celebratory events in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month is now a national event and has endorsement from the Scottish Government.
The 2020, 2021 and a part of 2022 and 2023’s offering was online. Our 2024 offering had a focus on young people from the community and was again hybrid.
As people began to return to face-to-face meetings and events we took the decision to covert the website to a ‘living’ archive – meaning we will still upload new resources from time to time and a programme of events for each coming year but we will not have the amount of content we were able to offer during the pandemic and the years immediately following it. This work will be complete by Spring 2026.
This resource is designed to enable practitioners to raise awareness and understanding of the history, culture and traditions of the Scottish Gypsy/Traveller community and work with young people to identify and seek solutions to the key ‘flashpoints’ [or conflicts] that often occur between Gypsy/Travellers and the ‘settled’ community. The resource is primarily developed for secondary school CfE level third and fourth – Social Studies, Health and Wellbeing and Literacy and English; however, it can be easily adapted for use within other levels, subjects and themes. It may also be useful to Community Learning and Development practitioners or others who provide support to young Gypsy/Travellers.
Article 12 in Scotland’s alternative report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Young Gypsy/Travellers’ voices on the state of their rights across the UK – includes the voices of young Gypsy/Travellers from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scottish Parliament Equalities and Human Rights Committee
European Roma Rights Centre
European Commission: The EU and Roma
Travellers’ Times
For further information, contact: [email protected]
