Building our Future and Surviving the Future - Tipperary Rural Travellers Project
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Tipperary Rural Travellers Project
Building our Future and
Surviving the Future
TRTP STRATEGIC PLAN: 2014 -2019
TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
CONTENTS
TRTP Strategic Plan: 2014 -2019 .........................................................................................................1
1 Background to TRTP and the Plan ....................................................................................................3
2 The Current Operational and Policy Environment .............................................................................4
2.1 A Changing Landscape .................................................................................................................. 4
2.2 Building on our Strengths and Maintaining Strong Principles ...................................................... 5
3 TRTP Strategic Aim and Objectives 2014-2019 ..................................................................................7
4 TRTP Programmes and Actions 2014-2019 .......................................................................................9
4.1 Programme One Actions ............................................................................................................... 9
4.2 Programme Two Actions ............................................................................................................. 15
5 Organisational Development and Review ...................................................................................... 18
5.1 Monitoring and Evaluation System ............................................................................................. 18
2
TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
1 BACKGROUND TO TRTP AND THE PLAN
To Tipperary Rural Travellers Project (TRTP) was set up to:
• Promote self-determination, self- esteem and leadership amongst the Traveller community
• Ensure equal access to quality services, facilities and progression opportunities for members
of the Traveller community through advocating with and behalf of Travellers, promoting
equality and human rights
• Positively promote and protect Traveller culture through building capacity in the Traveller
community and awareness in the settled community
The project is currently engaged, on an ongoing basis, in:
1. Supporting development work with Traveller men, women and young people
2. Running a Primary Healthcare Programme to improve Traveller health and wellbeing
3. Addressing issues of substance and alcohol abuse within the community
4. Networking, alliance building and policy work with mainstream service providers
5. Developing and delivering community leadership training
The organisation has a professional staff of nine, as well as a number of volunteers, and is managed by a
voluntary Board of Management. Staff, Board members and volunteers have been involved in a joint
planning process which began in January 2103. The aims of the process were to:
• Review current challenges and opportunities for the organisation, taking into account
changes in the environment in which we operate.
• Establish key aims and objectives that can guide our work over the coming five-year period.
• Agree on the specific actions, structures and procedures that will define the work of the
TRTP from 2014 to 2019.
The overall aim and vision of TRTP over the coming years is about working towards a situation where:
“Travellers are more competent, informed, confident and proud in expressing their own distinct identity,
lifestyle needs and culture. This will contribute to stronger and more effective partnerships with
mainstream services, enhanced community understanding, the promotion of equality, active civic
engagement, improved living conditions, a more healthy Traveller community and enhanced progression
opportunities for Travellers”
3
TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
2 THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL AND POLICY ENVIRONMENT
Design of the plan has been informed by a review of the current challenges facing Travellers in Tipperary,
and of the level and nature of responses to these challenges in terms of programmes, services and
policies.
2.1 A CHANGING LANDSCAPE
The strategic plan has been drawn up during a period of rapidly deteriorating economic and social
circumstances nationally; as well as fundamental changes in the way in which community development
and social inclusion initiatives are being planned and managed. With unprecedented budgetary
reductions cutbacks in publicly-funded development programmes, the period of time covered by the
strategic plan will inevitably see increased competition for scarcer resources; and this will have direct
implications for community-based responses to social exclusion in general; as well as for TRTP planning
in particular.
These changes are especially relevant for the Traveller community, given:
• Increasing pressures and challenges for Traveller families, especially those more vulnerable
and excluded families. Recent research undertaken by TRTP Community Health Workers has
highlighted high levels of disadvantage amongst the community generally, reaching crisis levels
for a number of families. Consistent with findings in the All Ireland Traveller Health Study,
strong causal links are established between living conditions, social status, discrimination,
physical and mental health1. Poverty levels remain exceptionally high in the community, with
an unemployment rate of over 96%.
• Increasing constraints at the statutory level (and for the local authority in particular) in terms
of the capacity to respond to needs – especially accommodation needs where the absence of
resources seriously limits options.
Parallel to ongoing cutbacks and reductions in funding for services and development programmes,
important administrative and organizational changes are also being proposed or implemented. The most
important of these, in terms of our own strategic planning process, are:
• Changes at the level of local government: notably in the relationship between local and
community development through the ‘alignment’ process; and the amalgamation of local
authorities (in our case the coming together of North Tipperary and South Tipperary County
Councils.
• Developments in public policy that will have a direct impact upon how services are delivered.
These developments, first initiated in the Task Force Report on the Public Service (2008) are
1
The All-Ireland Traveller Health Study found that Traveller men on average die 15 years younger than settled men. This is the
same as the average life expectancy of people in the 1940s. Traveller women die on average 11 years younger than settled
women. This is the same as the average life expectancy of people in the 1960s. Suicide rates among Traveller men are seven
times higher than in the settled community.
4
TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
towards enhanced service integration, greater levels of Civic Engagement and enhanced
capacity to demonstrate outcomes. Commitments in this direction are contained in the
Department of Public Expenditure and Local Government Reform Plan, 2011.
The design of objectives, actions and programmes in this plan has therefore been informed by an
acknowledgement of the reality that:
• Travellers face increasing disadvantage in social, economic and health terms; discrimination
and racism on a daily basis; significant barriers in accessing effective services; and low levels of
capacity in terms of self-organisation and leadership.
• Mainstream efforts up to now to address serious inequalities have, for the most part, failed
and there is an urgent need for targeted and appropriate approaches to ensure against even
further marginalisation and crisis within the community.
• Purposeful involvement and inclusion of members of the Traveller community will come about
only through sustained efforts ‘on the ground’, delivered as a result of effective partnerships
being sustained with mainstream service providers and policy makers.
We have also taken into account relevant aspects of government policy, ensuring that our programmes
are integrated, based on strong principles of civic engagement, and subject to robust evidence-based
review.
2.2 BUILDING ON OUR STRENGTHS AND MAINTAINING STRONG PRINCIPLES
While the challenges are significant, and needs within the community likely to grow, we are also very
much aware of the strong platform we have already built to carry through with this plan. It is seen as
being particularly important that TRTP has:
• A well-established capacity amongst Travellers themselves to direct and lead programmes and
actions. TRTP Board of Management is made up mostly of Travellers, the project is Co-
ordinated by a member of the Traveller community, and a range of TRTP-initiated programmes
have Travellers at the centre in terms of planning and delivery (including the Primary
Healthcare programme, Youth Development projects, Men’s leadership initiative and
community-based responses to substance misuse). This capacity for central involvement and
full participation is seen as being an essential contributor to TRTP success to date, and will
continue to underpin programmes into the future.
• Long-established roots and solid working connections with the entire Traveller community in
South Tipperary. The project has, over the years, built up a strong awareness of challenges and
changing needs of Travellers and Traveller families. Working relationships are based on mutual
trust and respect, especially important in engagement with more excluded or vulnerable
sections of the community.
• Effective and proven working relationships with local mainstream services and programmes
TRTP has engaged in effective partnership arrangements with all main service providers
including HSE, local authority, VEC, local schools, County Childcare Committee, Department of
Social Protection, Local Development Company, Gardai and Prison Services.
5
TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
• Strong national allies and ties with Traveller and other supportive organisations.
We are also aware of the importance of principles underpinning our approach to the work. These are
the core values informing our work. They have contributed to effective outcomes for TRTP actions up to
now, and will continue to inform the work during the next planning period. They can be summarised as
follows:
1. While TRTP frequently works with individuals on a one-to-one basis, the effectiveness and
success in individual terms is possible only because we have also built up strong
relationships with families and with wider communities. These links are critical in ensuring
high success rates in efforts to support people towards achieving independence and self-
determination. But they also mean that the organisation has important positive impacts on
community, service delivery and policy at a wider level.
2. Secondly, positive results of all efforts are dependent upon a core set of values and guiding
principles being brought to it in a consistent and continuous way. Central to these is the
necessity of creating and building ‘community’: where the emphasis is on creating a secure
and accessible communal space where people can freely communicate, engage and avail of
peer support on an ongoing basis. It is also essential that the organisation and its range of
activities offer both a sense of continuity to members of the Traveller community we work
with. The need to ensure the capacity for flexibility, and the ability to respond to critical
individual needs as they arise, is key to this.
3. Thirdly, the organisation has built up solid working relationships and alliances with
mainstream service providers and programme sponsors: within the immediate area, but also
regionally and nationally. This has evolved and developed mainly through the sponsorship of
particular local development programmes; but is also apparent through the willingness of
services to collaborate with TRTP in developing and implementing innovative or pilot
programmes. The spread of activity, and scope of our development model, has meant that
these working alliances are not confined to services providers and programmes working
directly with Travellers. Critically, they are now well-established within the education and
training field (notably with the VEC and local schools); within the justice field (notably with
the Prison, Probation and Welfare Services); and within the realm of physical and mental
health services.
4. Finally, all our work has incorporated elements of leadership-building, participation and peer
support at its core. We know that the most successful outcomes to interventions come
about where they are based on real consultation about needs; where the space is created
for people to learn from each other; where positive identity in terms of Traveller culture is
promoted and shared; and where members of the community can take on leadership roles
to ensure real and sustainable change in the longer term.
An important first step for us in framing this plan, therefore, has been about clarifying our model of
work and core values associated with it: to ensure that efforts into the future are building upon existing
strengths.
6TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
3 TRTP STRATEGIC AIM AND OBJECTIVES 2014-2019
The overall strategic aim and long term outcome of TRTP efforts is:
“To ensure that Travellers in Tipperary have equal access to opportunities and services, and have a
recognised voice and a positive influence on social and economic life”.
We have established a set of interim objectives directly linked to the spheres of influence covered by the
project’s work that should be pursued if the long-term outcome is to be achieved. These objectives
relate to our core day-to-day work and may be seen as preconditions to making progress on the overall
strategic aim:
Objective 1: To increase wellbeing, opportunities and choices for members of the Traveller community
Objective 2: To enhance community and project capacity and skills
Objective 3: To improve locally delivered services
Objective 4: To create strong and effective leadership by members of the Traveller community
Objective 5: To contribute to building an effective national- level response.
Some detail is given on plan objectives below, together with indicators associated with each.
Objective Project Approach Outcome Indicators
• To increase Work to achieve this objective • Increased confidence in accessing employment and other
wellbeing, will be carried out across a opportunities
opportunities range of programmes and • Development of the Traveller economy
and choices activity lines: all of which are • Improved health through more effective interaction with
for members linked to each other. The hospitals, doctors and other health care providers
of the project will work to define • Increased awareness about mental health: the causes and
Traveller impact of suicide, conflict, drugs and stress
individual needs, providing
community • Better living conditions and increased security of home tenure
information and advice to
identify and access • Demonstrable improvements in physical and mental health
opportunities and relevant • Heightened awareness about of how the system works and
how services are delivered
services.
• More positive and confident expression of Traveller identity
and culture
• Increased capacity to understand and challenge discrimination
• To enhance The project will work with • Increased employment access and social participation
community individuals and families to • Increased numbers of Travellers in key positions: working
and project increase personal and work- within project and in the community
capacity and related skills. Supports will be • Role models will be created and recognised
skills provided on the basis of • Children will progress in education, through educational
individual needs defined and in supports, after-school and pre-school interventions
partnership with relevant • Increased parental capacity through heightened awareness,
mainstream service providers skills and family supports
• Increased recognition of skills: with value placed on informal/
non-formal skill
7TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
• Travellers will be more confident and informed
• TRTP will be sustainable into the future as a community-led
project
• To improve Through close co-operation • More effective, and long-term, working relationships and
locally and maintaining effective arrangements will be made between community-
delivered partnerships, TRTP will work based/voluntary organisations and mainstream service
services towards the enhancement of providers: based on a mutual recognition of strengths and
mainstream service delivery. weaknesses
We aim to contribute to a • There will be an improved level of co-operation and
higher level of knowledge, integration of services in efforts to work with Traveller
awareness and service families
responsiveness to needs and • Increased access to appropriate services for those who need
challenges for the Traveller them most (especially in the areas of accommodation, mental
community. This will be based health, addiction and domestic abuse)
on a heightened awareness of • Services become committed to the Identification of better
Traveller culture, especially for outcomes for Traveller families
font-line service providers • Services become aware of the benefits and cost-effectiveness
of providing a community-based approach, and engage in
more positive outreach as a result
• Clear protocols and shared principles will be developed and
agreed, leading to more effective communication and co-
operation between services, authorities and TRTP
• To create TRTP is committed to working • Travellers will develop their own organizational structures
strong and with members of the Traveller with regard to issues that most impact upon them (including
effective community to strengthen men, women and young Travellers
leadership by leadership and active • The voice of Travellers will be effectively heard on local
members of citizenship. We are convinced development forums (including the Traveller Interagency
the Traveller that benefits from all other Committee and the Local Development Programme. This voice
community actions can become will be informed and representative.
sustainable only if Travellers • Travellers will be recognized and accepted as Irish Travellers
can develop the capacity for and as Irish citizens
self-representation, ongoing • TRTP will increase its autonomy and sustainability into the
communication of needs, and future as a Traveller-led project
leadership.
• To contribute TRTP has built up strong • Strong and competent leadership of the Traveller community
to building an linkages with other is built up nationally
effective organisations, programmes • Travellers will represent a strong and informed voice on the
national- level and projects at regional, national political agenda
response. national and international • The benefits of positive intervention using a community-based
level. We will continue to build approach are demonstrated and acknowledged
on and expand these linkages - • The work of, and approach used by, the TRTP is more widely
with the aim of bringing understood and accredited.
Traveller-specific needs and • TRTP increases its linkages with partners and programmes
challenges to the policy internationally
agenda; and of promoting
equality, social inclusion,
human rights and active
citizenship
Our strategic objectives and planned interventions are based on the conviction that:
Equal rights and full participation by Travellers will come about where members of the Traveller
community are able to express their own needs and interests through strong organisation and
8TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
2014
leadership; where mainstream services and society generally recognise the need to embrace difference;
and where human rights are recognised and enforced.
4 TRTP PROGRAMMES AND ACTIONS 2014-2019
Actions over the coming five years will be carried out under two parallel programmes:
• PROGRAMME 1:: Addressing Traveller Needs Locally
• PROGRAMME 2:: Influencing Mainstream Services and Promoting Civic Engagement
As indicated below,
low, Programme 1 is made of seven inter
inter-connected actions.
4.1 PROGRAMME ONE ACTIONS
Working
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
TRTP will support • Ongoing needs • DSP • Increased access
Travellers, on an ongoing assessment, • County to services and
basis, in tacking barriers to information and Council opportunities for
service access and civic support in • VEC Travellers most in
engagement. This will addressing • CIS need of them
informed by the expressed accommodation • Increased
Support and needs of individuals and needs confidence for
Advocacy families and will • Support in those accessing
continuously seek to enable accessing social services and
Travellers to access their welfare opportunities
9TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
rights and entitlements entitlements, • Enhanced capacity
while at the same time educational and of services to
positively express their employment respond
culture and identity. opportunities effectively
Programme One Actions – Continued
Working
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
Accommodation needs • Ongoing • Local • A greater
for Travellers have accommodation Authority awareness and
reached crisis point. needs • ITM heightened sense
TRTP research has assessment • DSP of urgency
highlighted the strong • Support and • Inter- amongst
links between poor advocacy with agency mainstream
accommodation and individual Committee services to
physical and mental Travellers and • LTACC address Traveller
health. Lack of families • Private accommodation
resources means that • Promoting Landlords crisis
statutory capacity to integrated • More realistic
directly respond to family support integrated plans
needs is severely for the most to address
limited, and access to vulnerable accommodation
suitable private rented families needs: based on
options is hampered by • Establishing targeting scarce
widespread effective resources to
Accommodation discrimination. TRTP is effective those in greatest
Planning committed to working working need
with Travellers and with arrangements • Visible and
the relevant authorities and demonstrable
to ensure that communications improvements in
resocurces and efforts with local living conditions
are directed to authority for Travellers
addressing the most through a • Decrease in levels
critical needs in an formally-agreed of discrimination
appropriate manner. charter experienced by
We are also committed • Engaging in Travellers seeking
to continue efforts to innovative accommodation
highlight needs, nationally-led • New
promote the need for pilot Traveller accommodation
an adequate response accommodation initiatives are
to Traveller-specific projects piloted in
accommodation, and Tipperary
working nationally to
develop new initiatives
10TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
Programme One Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
TRTP has built up a • Development of • HSE • Marked
strong level of men’s leadership • THU improvements in
involvement and group, ensuring • VEC physical and mental
engagement with involvement of • Tipperary health of Traveller
Traveller men over the Traveller men County men
past decade. Ongoing from all parts of Council • Traveller men having
activities include the County. • Local media a stronger voice to
programmes to • Support for the • Other communicate
increase health Tipperary Traveller relevant issues and
awareness and access Travellers Horse Men’s their own identity
to physical and mental Owners projects • More positive
Men’s health services; Association nationally acknowledgement
Development development of (TTHOA) • Solas/FAS and acceptance of
personal and work- • Traveller men • Probation and Traveller culture
related skills; building health Welfare (especially the
of leadership and civic programmes services importance of
engagement capacities; • Development of • Prison animals in the life of
and the promotion of initiatives to authorities Traveller men)
Traveller culture. promote and • Traveller men
The plan will continue support the enabled to establish
to build on this work, involvement of their own initiatives
with the central aim of men in Traveller around issues that
increasing autonomy, economy projects affect them most
awareness and self- • Supporting • Traveller men build,
representation Traveller men in develop and use
amongst men. prison their own spaces for
• Men’s sheds ongoing actvitiy
Long-term • Targeted • LCDP • Opportunities for
unemployment levels investigation of • Local development of
remain extremely high opportunities to businesses specific sectoral
for Travellers, with develop and build and development of the
opportunities for long-term and employers Traveller economy
mainstream sustainable • DSP are identified and
Traveller progression becoming Traveller economy • Traveller exploited.
Economy even more limited. projects Inter- • A strong advisory
Development Added to educational • Building local agency and support
disadvantage and expertise and Committee structure is created
worsening economic support from the • FAS/Solas around economic
circumstances are the settled community • Other development
barriers faced by to develop successful • Travellers are
Travellers in terms of business and social Traveller employed in
11TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
discrimination. TRTP is economy economy sustainable
taking a long-term opportunities projects initiatives
approach to tackling
these issues
Programme One Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
The serious health • Targeted training • HSE • Increased official
challenges faced by and learning sessions • THU understanding and
Travellers are well- re specific health- • Mental Health acceptance of wide
documented nationally. related challenges in Services range of social
TRTP’s own research the community • Traveller issues affecting
has clearly • Liaison with Interagency Traveller health
demonstrated strong mainstream health Committee • Travellers are more
links between living service providers to • GPs confident and
conditions, increase awareness • County informed in
discrimination, mental and work jointly Childcare accessing the
and physical health for towards enhanced Committee supports they need
Travellers in South service provision • Improved levels of
Tipperary. The project’s • Positive engagement physical health
involvement in the with programmes • Improved levels of
Primary Healthcare and structures to mental health and
Programme to date has promote an decrease in suicide
contributed to the enhanced rates
Health and existence of a strong understanding about • Mainstream service
Well-being Community Healthcare the social providers become
team, made up of determinants of more aware and
members of the health (especially the better equipped to
Traveller community. importance of living deliver health
The team will work conditions and services effectively
towards overall horses) to Travellers
improvement in • Targeted support for • Better outcomes for
physical and mental individuals and Traveller children
health of Travellers families to facilitate through integrated
through increasing access to health and co-ordinated
understanding about services where supports
the causes of poor needed • Evidence produced
health, tackling • Promotion of, and of positive
barriers to service involvement in, outcomes in
access, and supporting integrated family Traveller health
Travellers to increase support approaches where social and
awareness and for the most cultural
confidence in seeking vulnerable families determinants of
better health outcomes • Building up Primary health are taken
Healthcare Workers into account
as community
leaders
• Collection of
12TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
evidence to
demonstrate
successful health
outcomes
Programme One Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
Education is at the • Continued • Teachers • More positive
centre of all activities development and and engagement by
and programmes extension of the school young Travellers
initiated by TRTP. The Family Learning managers in school
project will work to Programme. • VEC • Increased
establish education and • After-schools tutors understanding
learning opportunities support • Regional and end to
for all sections of the programmes for Youth discrimination in
Traveller community, young Travellers Services schools
with a particular focus • Ongoing • Progression for
on young Travellers. We engagement with young Travellers
have already developed teachers in to further
particular courses and primary and education and
approaches to learning secondary schools employment
that are appropriate to • Training opportunities
Traveller identity and programmes in •
culture. We will establishment of
continue to develop and youth support
deliver these groups and clubs
programmes with the in the community
Education and aim of developing social (for boys and girls)
Participation awareness in the • Targeted literacy
broader sense; programmes (built
increasing the capacity around
of Traveller children and development
their parents to engage issues of relevance
positively with the to participants and
formal school system; based on peer-
assisting schools and learning
education providers to principles)
develop greater • Support for those
understanding of seeking access to
Traveller identity and adult learning
Traveller educational opportunities
needs; and enabling • Evaluation of
Travellers to form their learning initiatives
own learning and to demonstrate
development long-term
organisations outcomes and
return on
investment
13TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
Programme One Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
Disadvantages faced by
minority ethnic groups,
and especially those
that make them more
susceptible to problems
of substance misuse, • Development of
have been well competences in the
documented. Research Traveller community
undertaken by TRTP to help understand
showed that knowledge substance abuse and • Decrease in drug
about the availability addiction. and alcohol
and possible effects of dependency
different kinds of drugs • Building partnerships • Addiction amongst Traveller
amongst the Traveller with statutory Services community
community in South service providers to • Drugs Task • Associated
Tipperary was very low. develop a more Forces improvements re
Awareness about the targeted and • AA decrease in risk of
kinds of services that appropriate response • GROW suicide, other
exist in relation to to the needs of • Traveller mental health
substance misuse is also Travellers affected by Counselling challenges and
Substance very low. Access to substance misuse Services family break-up
Misuse these services by • Prison • Demonstrated
Support Travellers who need Services evidence that a
them is hampered by a • Creating self-help • Welfare peer-support model,
number of factors; potential and Services associated with
including lack of community-based appropriate service-
information, inability to peer support access approaches,
understand information mechanisms re has social benefits
that is provided, low substance misuse as well as being cost
levels of trust, effective
expectation that they • Providing targeted
will be treated supports (including
differently, and fear of counselling services)
confidentiality not being to those most at risk
respected. TRTP will (including prisoners
continue to work to and ex-offenders)
build capacity within
the Traveller
community to
understand issues of
dependency, to assist
each other and to
14TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
access services needed.
4.2 PROGRAMME TWO ACTIONS
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Working Outcomes
Partners
Local TRTP has, over the • Working closely with • Local • Improved
Networking and years, built up partners in the THU Development communications
Partnership effective working and RTHN to develop Company and enhanced
relationships with a and implement an • Local Traveller working
wide range of inclusive primary Interagency arrangements
projects, organisations healthcare model, Committee between Traveller
and mainstream acknowledging the • Local Traveller community and
service providers. The importance of social Accommodation mainstream service
project will continue determinants in Consultative providers
to build on these Traveller health Committee • Increase in number
relationships over the • Development of • Tipperary of jointly delivered
coming years, with the jointly agreed County Council programmes and
intention of protocols to build and • HSE services that take
developing joint strengthen • Traveller Health into account
initiatives. The focus partnerships Unit Traveller culture,
will be on developing involving TRTP and • Regional lifestyle and
innovative and the main service Traveller Health ongoing challenges
inclusive approaches providers locally. A Network • Joint approaches to
to meeting the particular focus will • Education and Traveller
development needs of on the development Training Board development
Travellers. We will of a jointly agreed • Solas recognize and build
concentrate on charter to govern upon respective
• DSP
piloting new ways of relationships with the • Local schools strengths of
working, newly established Traveller
• Family Resource
demonstrating Tipperary County organisations and
Centres
outcomes and Council mainstream
• Residents
mainstreaming of • Bringing lessons from statutory
Associations
effective joint ongoing work with organisations
approaches. In the Travelling
developing strong community to the
partnerships The process of policy
project will continue development locally
to build on its key and regionally: with a
strength as an particular focus on
organization rooted in positively influencing
the Traveller development plans
community
15TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
Programme Two Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
Building leadership • Building up project • VEC • Increased numbers
and capacity within management • Regional of Travellers (men
the community to capacity Youth Services and women) actively
accurately reflect • Men’s leadership • Traveller Inter- involved in
needs and conditions programme agency management of TRTP
for Travellers is at the • Women’s groups Committee • Increased numbers
heart of all TRTP • Visits to and learning • LTACC of Travellers involved
activities. The from other Traveller • Education and as voluntary youth
promotion of active projects Training Board workers in the
citizenship and • Youth leadership • Local and community
effective civic programme and national media • A strong,
engagement forms an establishment of • Other representative and
integral element in all Traveller Youth Clubs Traveller effective Traveller
TRTP programmes and • Media training and projects Horse Owners
actions. Long term media productions • Local Association
benefits for the • Submissions by Development • A stronger and more
community and Travellers to Company informed voice for
sustainability of mainstream service • National Travellers
Leadership and progress made will developments, Traveller • Increased inclusion
Self- depend ultimately reviews and plans Partnership of Traveller
Representation upon the extent to • Support for Travellers community and
• National
which Travellers can participating as Traveller needs in
Traveller
become leaders in partners in local development
Movement
their own community. committees and joint and service
• Pavee Point
Our leadership initiatives development plans
• National
programme is geared • Video and other • A more positive and
Traveller
towards equipping media productions by accurate reflection of
Women’s
Traveller men, Travellers Traveller needs and
Forum
Traveller women and Traveller culture on
• Development of TRTP • Locally-based
young Travellers with mainstream media
web-site to reflect community
the knowledge and (especially local
strong Traveller development
skills needed to newspapers and local
leadership projects and
actively and positively radio)
resource
represent their own • Increased confidence
centres
community. within the Travleller
It is also of vital • Children’s
Services community in their
importance that own leadership
members of the Committee
• Local political structures
Traveller community • More effective
are supported and representative
s Traveller
enabled to continue to involvement in local
take a leadership role
16TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
in TRTP project committees and
management and initiatives
ongoing review
Programme Two Actions – Continued
Action Rationale, Approach Specific Elements Partners Outcomes
TRTP has been, and • Developing and • National • Tipperary becomes
will continue to be, sharing models of Traveller the site for pilot
actively involved in good practice in Partnership initiatives that can
developing and relation to planning • Irish Traveller identify and test
supporting and review of local Movement good practice to
organizational and community • Irish Traveller inform regional and
developments that development Women’s national policy
seek to strengthen Traveller-based Forum (especially in the
Traveller identity and initiatives • CENA areas of Traveller
the Traveller voice. • Contribution to • EU-supported accommodation and
The project will national programmes, Traveller health)
continue to work with accommodation including • TRTP, in partnership
national Traveller policy and strategy Horizon, with mainstream
organizations, and • Contribution to Lifelong service providers,
with organized national education Learning and develops and
Developing and Traveller projects in policy and strategy anti-poverty demonstrates a
Supporting other areas, with this • Contribution to programmes successful model of
National objective in mind. national health policy • Tipperary alignment between
Alliances The focus will be on and strategy County local and community
sharing good practice, • Contribution to Council development
and on making use of national justice policy • National • Greater unity and
national Traveller and strategy Traveller sense of purpose
structures to positively • Contribution to EU Health amongst all projects
influence mainstream strategy and policy Advisory and organisations
policy and practice. • Ongoing active Forum representing
We also aim to make involvement in Travellers
positive contributions national • The voice of Irish
to policy and service organisations (ITM, Travellers is
development at Pavee Point, NTP, strengthened in the
national and European NTWF) European context
level, especially in the
fields of education,
enterprise,
accommodation and
health. This will be
based on our strength
as a project rooted
within the Traveller
community, our
intimate knowledge
about needs, and our
commitment to
17TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
evidence-based
approaches.
5 ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REVIEW
The plan will be delivered and review via the following mechanisms and procedures:
1. TRTP Board of management, with overall responsibility for planning, reporting and accounting
for all actions and programmes. The project will continue to develop board capacities and its
representative base to ensure this is undertaken to the highest professional standards. The
focus will be on ensuring the continuation of TRTP as a Traveller-led project with the capacity to
establish and maintain effective working partnerships with mainstream service providers.
2. TRTP staff, including Project Co-ordinator, Primary Healthcare Team, Men’s Development
Worker and project Administrator. The efforts will be supplemented by the involvement of
competent and committed people through employment and student placement mechanisms.
We will also invite the involvement of expert advice where relevant and appropriate. The
project is committed to sponsoring a Community Employment Programme that will facilitate the
active involvement of Travellers across the whole range of TRTP activities and promote
individual progression
3. TRTP volunteers, including those involved in the Horse Owners Association, Traveller Youth
Clubs, the Family Learning Programme and health-linked actions.
An essential factor determining overall success of the Strategic Plan is the project’s commitment to
structured and rigorous monitoring and evaluation. The system we have developed in this respect is
described below.
5.1 MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM
TRTP is committed to evaluation as an integral part of our development activities throughout the
strategic planning period because we recognise the importance of:
1. The ever increasing need to demonstrate results in relation to resources invested. We are
committed to demonstrating that the project, not only succeeds in achieving the objectives and
targets we have set ourselves, but that it also makes economic sense in terms of outcomes. This
is especially important in the work we undertake in relation to heath, education,
accommodation and youth development. We are convinced that TRTP outcomes for individual
Travellers and their families represents an infinitely superior alternative to crisis-based
interventions. We will adopt an evidence-based approach to showing value for money in this
respect.
2. Secondly, we are aware that impacts of the project go beyond the benefits to individuals
participating in our programmes. There are also clear benefits for their partners, their children,
and members of their community. Funding providers do not always request information or
evidence in relation to these wider benefits (funding of educational courses, for example, often
confine their requirements to numbers receiving qualifications; or measurement of success in
training can be restricted to numbers accessing employment etc.). While these are important
18TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
indicators in their own right, we are also committed to demonstrating related outcomes for
participants in the longer term; as well as for their families and communities. We are also
committed to using evidence to demonstrate the benefits of a more inclusive approach for
mainstream service-providers and Irish society generally.
3. Thirdly, we are also strongly aware that successful outcomes are very much dependent upon the
approach taken by TRTP project workers and volunteers. Our evaluation efforts will not only
show what we have achieved; we will also focus on how these achievements have come about.
We are committed to ongoing critical reflection on what works well and what may not –
informed at all stages by participant and service-user feedback. As a result we will be able to
demonstrate (and share) the TRTP ‘model’, and how particular approaches and interventions
can contribute to particular results.
4. Finally, we see lessons and insights emerging from the work as being of significant importance in
shaping effective mainstream responses to social exclusion, education, heath and other key
challenges faced by the Traveller community. Our evaluation and review process provides a
mechanism through which these lessons are captured, and then shared with our working
partners within mainstream service provision and policy development.
We have designed a version of the SPEAK planning and evaluation system to allow us to collect and
make use of information collected in all these dimensions.
The evaluation process will allow for the participation of staff, board members, volunteers and
programme participants. An annual cycle will result in the production of a yearly report: summarising
progress towards achievement of strategic objectives and highlighting issues for future planning. The
evaluation system will also be used to assist staff with preparation of monthly progress reports to co-
ordinator and Board. The basic elements of the model are presented below.
19TRTP Strategic Plan 2014-2019
2014
The model is based on the ‘Theory of Change’ approach: with an emphasis on understanding changing
and evolving circumstances; setting clear aims, and increasing the organisation’s capacity to link and
understand inputs and outputsts on an ongoing basis
basis.
Internal evaluation and outcome-data
data collection will be built into all programmes and actions. Weekly
staff and volunteer meetings will facilitate ongoing monitoring and re re-focusing
focusing of efforts where required.
The overall plan will also be externally evaluated to demonstrate outcomes, impacts and lessons for the
future.
20You can also read
