Film Project – Hackney Boys
Film Project – Hackney Boys
Trampoline - Hackney Girls
Silk Screen – Haringey Girls
Photography Project ‘My world’ – Bow Group
We currently run 5 weekly membership groups for young Travellers aged 11 – 15 years. We run a girl’s night and boy’s night in Hackney and Haringey and in Tower Hamlets (our newest group) a mixed group. We provide a planned programme of activities and projects that will widen their horizons and encourage access to activities which they would not otherwise access.
Our work is about young Travellers having the opportunity of meeting with their friends and family in comfortable surroundings while having fun.
Our youth workers are there to listen, talk, support, offer information and guidance plus access to other services. Our youth work programme is about providing opportunities for young people to take part in a wide variety of enjoyable, stimulating and challenging experiences in the form of sports and outdoor education, creative arts, citizenship and environmental issues, etc.
The work we do is a good way for the young people to develop new skills, and importantly have a chance to speak out about things that affect their lives. We encourage the young people to become involved in local youth parliament and participation plays an active role in the decision making processes.
The young people elect group representative who represent the views of the group and participate in the planning and evaluation of projects and activities.
Our experience of delivering a thriving and innovative youth work programme to 11-15 year olds has shown that, despite being resource heavy, delivery of one to one support, small group work, outreach with families and weekly group work is crucial to the successful delivery of our service. This enables us to be flexible, negotiate and sustain clear behaviour boundaries, resolve conflict, and gives us an understanding of how the young people’s aspirations can bring them into conflict with traditional expectations, and their parents.
Feedback indicates that there has been a discernable shift in the attitude of many Travellers towards going to school and college, and there now seems to be an acceptance of the benefits this can bring to individuals and the community. However, they tend to find formal learning situations very difficult and are not attracted by the carrot of certification.