RoFaL Roma Families Learning Project County Clare VEC Clare Adult Basic Education Service is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund as part of the National Development Plan

Irish Education System 1 year free pre-school provision at 3 to 4 years Primary school from 4 years to 12/13 years – 8 classes Secondary school from 12/13 years to 17/18 years 5 years with an option in some schools for an extra transition year after Junior Certificate State exam after 3 years - Junior Certificate State exam after next 2 or 3 years - Leaving Certificate Further education or third level options

Mary Flanagan Co-ordinator Clare Sheahan Resource Worker The County Clare VEC Clare Adult Basic Education Service is funded by the Department of Education and Science with assistance from the European Social Fund as part of the National Development Plan

Our work involves…..supporting parents to help their children learn …parents are the first and most natural teachers of their children..parents seeing the home as a very valuable learning place..building social networks for parents..engaging parents in learning, encouraging parents to become lifelong learners The influence of parental involvement on a childs learning is eight times more important than any other factor (1999) (Feinstein and Symons 1999:51)

Work done to date: 11 meetings with group Organised visit to Turkey Funded translator to meet with Roma families Supported Czech/Slovac evening in school Developed questionnaire (translated into Czech) Collated information, identified needs of parents Set up classes for Roma parents and helped set up Mother and Toddler group Purchased exhibition displays, laptop and camera Parent booklet printed in English/Czech English/Slovak Administration, accounts, reports

Ennis Educate Together National School " The ethos of our school is multi- denominational and in this atmosphere the moral, intellectual, social and physical growth of our pupils is nurtured." Principal - Seán OConfhaola Home School Community Liaison Teacher - Orla Kelly Funded by Department of Education and Skills

Ethnicity in Ennis Educate Together National School 30 Slovak Roma Children 35 Czech Roma Children 15 Moroccan Children 25 Irish Traveller Children 60 Children from Ireland and from the rest of Europe

Comenius Project work Three groups we are working with: Emergent Readers 4 to 7 years old Boys age 10 to 13 Girls age 12 to 13

Emergent Readers Parents helping their child in the classroom Children aged 4 to 7 Service to be delivered by Home School Liaison Teacher 40 minutes a week for ten weeks

New Web Site New web site for Roma families in Co. Clare 11 to 13 year old girls and their mothers Transition year students from Ennis Community School and First year Roma girls. Site to be in Czech, Slovak, English and Roma

Dads and Lads Working with 11 to 13 year old boys Using their dads as a resource Helping in Transition to second level school

Ennis Educate Together School Work done to date: Visited Roma Families with translator Run coffee mornings for Roma parents Developed a Roma parent and toddler group Developed a website for Roma children Made contact with Acarlar school in Turkey Developed content for parent brochure Class work with three groups?

Ennis Schools Completion Programme Áine Meehan – Coordinator Working for 10 years in Ennis in five schools Primary and Post Primary Retain students in school In school, after school, out of school, holiday time. As part of the work of the Department of Education and Skills, Social Inclusion Unit our work is supervised by an interagency steering committee. Now part of the work of the National EducationWelfare Board

Our work with Roma Community Ennis Community College Extra resource classes Attendance monitoring Reduced curriculum to encourage attendance Parental links through home visits and school meetings. Support with uniforms, books. Ennis Educate Together Attendance monitoring Home visits Home work support Behaviour support Communication – letters translated Activities after school

Home School Community Liaison Teacher – Patricia Murray, Nicola Moroney Home School Community Liaison teacher for Ennis Community College is provided because of levels of need in the school ( HSCL not in every school) Her role includes home visits to Roma parents Home visits can be for a variety of purposes

Our work in RoFaL involves: Retain Roma students in school by Linking primary and secondary students through website.... Extra resource classes to engage students Developing our response to students with special needs in the Roma Community Supporting school staff learning through growing our understanding of the Roma community and building links with local university Working to create better home school links through parents evening and parents newsletter Interagency response to the needs of Roma students

Organised Czech Slovak parents evening 3 rd March Visited Roma families of children in school Students wrote letters to children in Acarlar school

Clare Immigrant Support Centre The Clare Immigrant Support Centre (CISC) works with immigrants in County Clare to ensure all immigrants have access to appropriate state services and that the rights and entitlements of all immigrants are upheld. CISC is a nongovernmental organisation with charitable status. It is governed by a voluntary Board of Management, some of whom are directors. Órla Ní Éilí, Karyn ODonovan

Our work involves… Drop-in Service Casework English Language Programmes Liaison/Advocacy/Community Development/Outreach work

Our work with Roma Community Roma community avail of Drop In service –issues include no social welfare payments, no jobs Welcome Pack in Czech distributed to community English language class for adults Provide language support to teenage participants on Clare Youth Service Programmes Supporting schools with events that Roma community attend

Our plan through RoFaL Link Roma parents to the Project Support translation of information booklet into relevant languages Support the interpreter working with families in focus groups Support parents to access the 16 hour programme Contribute material to common exhibition Share best practice through the project website and project meetings

Clare Immigrant Support Centre The Clare Immigrant Support Centre (CISC) works with immigrants in County Clare to ensure all immigrants have access to appropriate state services and that the rights and entitlements of all immigrants are upheld. CISC is a nongovernmental organisation with charitable status. It is governed by a voluntary Board of Management, some of whom are directors. Órla Ní Éilí, Karyn ODonovan

Work done: Attended 11 meetings of RoFaL in Ennis Participated in Turkish visit to Ireland Developed brochure content Support Roma people who need advice, help and language classes Linked Roma parents to RoFaL project work CISC, ESCP, Home School Liaison and Educate Together applied for and received funding to run a new pilot Roma Community Link Project, whereby a Slovak translator and a Czech translator are available to attend at meetings in formal and informal settings with members of Roma community. Disseminated information on RoFaL Project in numerous settings with agencies and organisations

H.S.E Health Service Executive Sinead Collopy Community Development Worker

Our plan through RoFaL Consultation with the Roma community around health needs Better informed Health Service staff around issues effecting the Roma community Inclusion of information on local health services in any publications targeting the Roma community Inclusion of health inputs in parenting programmes targeting the Roma community

Health Service Executive Community Development Worked on designing parent questionnaire Organised University of Limerick visit

RoFaL Project launch Ennis, Ireland October 2010

Added Value Czech Slovak evening in Ennis Community College Application for community translators in Co. Clare Promotion of work at UL conference 28/29 th April CFLP took on Roma work experience student for 7 days from Ennis Community College Facebook page for RoFaL set up by Principal in EENS Links made with Health Service Executive has facilitated contact with University of Limerick Links for visit to Clare Childcare Committee from Acalar Primary School staff

Parent response to questionnaire

Round table discussions

Ennis Educate Together School

Clare Immigrant Support Centre, visit and discussion

Clare Youth Centre visit Roma students

Ennis Educate Together School Class visit

Ennis Educate Together School Roma pupils presentation

Ennis Community College Turkish, Czech, Slovak, Irish students

Outside Adult Education Centre, Ennis

University of Limerick

With the Mayor of Ennis

RoFaL Project Cake!

Visit to Cliffs of Moher

School childrens art work for booklet

English/Czech English/Slovak

RoFaL local meeting in Ennis