Prejudice hinders progression for Travellers [Independent.ie]
- Published: 23 June 2010
In 2009, An Bord Snip Nua recommended the phasing out of the 33 Traveller Training Centres nationally.
Apart from the cost-cutting issues, the rationale given for this decision was the low rate of 'progression' from the Centres to the workforce and mainstream further education.
The object of the TEACH Report (Traveller Education and Adults: Crisis, Challenge and Change published today) is to investigate why progession rates for Travellers are so low.
We found from the perspective of Travellers interviewed, the main obstacle to progression was prejudice within the settled community. Fear of losing welfare payments, particularly medical cards, was also a constraint on their willingness to take up full-time work.
However, we also found a number of cultural elements were clashing directly with the settled model of progression. These factors included nomadism, Traveller gender roles and extended family obligations.
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