C.E.A.R.T.
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.
Wicklow Travellers' Group was founded in 1992 to respond to the accommodation needs of Travellers on the roadside in County Wicklow. The group's core activities relate 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 V.E.C. 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. The enterprise consists of two divisions, a knitwear department and a weave department.
Wicklow Traveller Group received some funding from the 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.
Funded
By The Irish Government Under The National