GRT Advice Workers Forum
In partnership with our colleagues from The Traveller Movement and London Gypsies and Travellers, Irish in Britain launched a GRT Advice Workers Forum in April 2022.
A bit about our forum
The last two years have been a time of exceptional difficulty for us all and the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. This has compounded health and housing concerns and increased feelings of marginalisation and isolation. Services that support the community have worked tirelessly to combat this and acknowledge that much of their strength has been found in collaborative working and unity.
Recognising now, more so than ever, the value of peer support for frontline workers, Irish in Britain formed a steering group with GRT colleagues, to develop a safe and supportive space to facilitate this.
The forum aims to support members to:
access peer-support
share best practice
share advice tools including templates and learning materials, and case studies
discuss current issues facing the community - for example, legislation, news items, legal precedents etc
strengthen and encourage partnership and collaborative working
access a safe and confidential space to voice concerns and views
This will be a member-led space, and your experiences and voice will shape our forums going forward.
Who is our forum for?
Our forum warmly welcomes individuals providing support or advice to the GRT community to join us. Our invitation extends to representatives of GRT organisations, or workers from non-specialist organisations that include a project/worker that serves the community.
"We hope this forum can begin to answer the question: who supports the support workers?"
-1649328631.jpg)
Aoife Delaney, Women’s Development and Advocacy Support Officer, The Traveller Movement
‘An opportunity/platform for advice workers to share caseloads and good practice approaches.”
Geraldine Lindsay, Skills Development Co-ordinator, London Gypsies & Travellers
"A great way to network share experiences and empower each other."
Maureen Pearman, Casework and Development Officer, The Traveller Movement
When and where
This will be an online forum using the Zoom platform and will be held bi-monthly. The forum will be a meeting lasting an hour, with 15 minutes free time on the end of this, for anyone wishing to stay on.
Forums will be chaired by Irish in Britain.
To express an interest in attending or for any questions or feedback please email Aisling McDowell: communitydevelopment@irishinbritain.org