C.E.A.R.T. Wicklow

Wicklow Traveller's Group

Contact Details

Wicklow Travellers Group LTD
CEART (Centre of Education and Resoursing Travellers)
Crinion Park, Wicklow Town, Co. Wicklow
Telephone: 0404 - 61878
Fax: 0404 - 62599
Email: wtg@eircom.net

Mission Statement

Wicklow Travellers' Group is an organisation of Travellers and settled people working together to create a society in which all are different, equal, confident and valued.

Background

Wicklow Travellers' Group was founded in 1992 to respond to the accommodation needs of Travellers on the roadside in Co. Wicklow. The group's core activities related to supporting a group of 17 Traveller families in securing accommodation through the courts.

Parallel with this work, a group of Traveller women began to meet regularly in Wicklow town. This group identified the need for training and development opportunities for Traveller women in the area. A part-time training programme was organised. This was further developed into a full-time two-year training programme under the EU Employment Integra Programme. Following the success of this programme, it was mainstreamed by Co. Wicklow VEC. As part of this arrangement, crèche facilities are provided for the programme participants.

The success of the Integra programme also led to the development of a stand-alone enterprise, Shuttle-Knit, involving Travellers and settled people as partners. (Visit the Shuttle-Knit website at homepage.eircom.net/~shuttle). The enterprise consists of two divisions, a knitwear department and a weave department. Wicklow Traveller Group received some funding from Department of Social Community and Family Affairs to engage in Community Development Work. In 2001, core funding from the Department was secured to identify and promote community development responses. Click here to read more about Wicklow Travellers' Group.

Aims of Wicklow Travellers Group

The following are the aims of Wicklow Traveller Group;
The provision of culturally sensitive first and second chance education for Travellers;
Researching, documenting and exploring issues related to the social, recreational, economic, educational, legislative and living circumstances of Travellers in the county Wicklow area;
Developing a research and heritage centre that values and celebrates Traveller culture;
Acting as an educational resource for both Traveller and settled groups in the Wicklow area that are committed to examining social justice issues affecting the population of Wicklow.

Activities of Wicklow Traveller Group

Skuttle-Knit is a knit and weave enterprise funded by FAS under the Social Economy Programme. Shuttle Knit produces and markets a line of woven accessories including rugs, throws, scarves and tablemats in the weaving department and cardigan and jumpers for women and jumpers for men in the knitwear section.

Community Development activities include;

1. Work with Travellers in the area of accommodation, health, education.
2. Provides information and support on Traveller issues for statutory and voluntary workers in Wicklow;
3. Partnership with the East Coast Area Health Board to implement the Traveller Health strategy in Wicklow;
4. Advocacy and lobbying for Traveller rights
5. Youth work activities with Traveller youth in the Wicklow area.

Senior Traveller Training Centre

• Adult Education and Training for Travellers in partnership with County Wicklow VEC;
• Crèche and pre-school facilities for children of women attending the centre

Presentation Day 23-10-03

Click here to read about the 2003 FETAC awards presentation day which took place on the 23rd of October.

Educational trip to Paris

The teachers at CEART took 13 of their women students to Paris. They left on the 7th of June and spent three nights in Paris. Click here to read more.

President Mary McAleese's Visit to C.E.A.R.T.

On Friday, the 1st of October, 2004 the Centre for Education and Resourcing Travellers (CEART) in Wicklow were honoured with a visit from the President of Ireland, Mrs Mary McAleese. Click here to read about the visit and view photos taken on the day.

[St. Catherine's Carlow] [St. Joseph's Ennis] [St. Finbarr's Blackpool] [St. Fiachra's Letterkenny] [St. Joseph's Finglas] [Cara Park Coolock] [St. Oliver's Clondalkin] [St. Basil's Tallaght]
[Sandy Road Galway] [Madonna House Ballinasloe] [Ballygar Galway] [St. Brendan's Loughrea] [St. Benin's Tuam] [St Anne's Killarney] [St. Canice's Portlaoise] [St. Joseph's Carrick-on-Shannon] [Fealeside Abbeyfeale] [Riverside Rathkeale] [St. Mel's Longford] [Tara Dundalk]
[St. Catherine's Ballina] [Navan] [Birr] [St. Colmcille's Tullamore] [Roscommon]
[Youth Dev Proj Thurles] [Shannon Bank Athlone] [Mullingar] [Ross Youth New Ross]
[St. Kieran's Bray] [Centre of Education Wicklow]
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