Romani Roots
But patrina kater ruhkendar, avendar kater kodo vesh te le purden hi po o kodo baval!
Romani Roots supports the "WHEELS" project
We at Romani Roots are proud to support the "WHEELS" project and the contribution it is making to the youth of Worcestershire. We will endeavour to offer a cultural and adivisory contribution to this project where ever and when ever we are able.
We consider this project to be invaluable to the young people who it is designed for - particularly the youth of the our communities. As more and more we travel in modern vehicles the practical mechanical skills offered can only be an asset to the Romani and other travelling communities.
It will assist our young people to maintain the travelling life and gain employment in the communities they live in or travel through. Thereby perpetuating the Romani race and other travelling communities and their nomadic way of life.
We wish them well in this endeavour and hope it is extended to other towns within Worcestershire area soon.
Romani Roots understands that many of the older generation may have reservations when it comes to dealing with Barnardo's. It is all to well documented that various govermental policies in 20th Century led to the removal and adoption of many children within the Romani and travelling communities. The relevant govermental departments used organisational facilities, such as Barnardo's orphanages, to instigate those policies. This led to the understandable mistrust and alienation engendered towards various organisations which has perpetuated down the generations.
Barnardo's fully appreciate these reservations and have placed a statement at the foot of this page. This is in order to alleviate any concerns and to reassure ALL within the travelling communities that those policies are no longer instigated.
The Barnardo's "WHEELS" Project
The Redditch Wheels project based at Arrow Road North, Lakeside offer secondary school pupils the chance to gain recognised qualifications but also receive more personalised advice and support with interview preparation, life skills such as cooking and budgeting and difficulties they may be experiencing at home or in their life generally.
After performing a plaque unveiling inside the project, Ms Smith responded to speeches from Deputy Mayor of Redditch, Jack Fields and Barnardo’s staff. She said: “I would like to thank Barnardo’s for showing faith and developing a scheme in Redditch to help make a difference to local young people. I visited earlier this year and it’s a pleasure to come back and see it all finished. When I visited before, you could feel the enthusiasm of the staff and young people. It’s good to see young people gain confidence already and skills. It’s a fantastic opportunity for young people in Redditch.”
Redditch Wheels has been operating temporarily from a mobile unit providing eight placements since starting up in January this year and the opening of the newly refurbished fully equipped building at Lakeside will see it expand to provide 20 placements a day over the coming months.
The £190,000 project has been funded by Barnardo’s children’s charity but there are plans to introduce a payment system for placements from other agencies.
Barnardo’s have been running a similar project at Stourbridge for 10 years. Speaking at the opening event, Barnardo’s Midlands Regional Director, Sam Monaghan, said: "This project will equip young people with skills for life. Ninety three per cent of young people who attend our Wheels project at Stourbridge have gone on to further education, training or work. That’s a phenomenal success rate when you consider that they are young people who often didn’t have a positive time at school. Barnardo’s are pleased to have a footprint here in Redditch and look forward to making a difference in young people’s lives.”
©2008 BARNARDO'S
To the Gyspy and Traveller Communites :
Barnardo’s no longer run orphanages. As providing homes for children became a statutory requirement of the state, Barnardo’s began to invest their expertise and voluntary funding into areas of child support work in local communities.
Today Barnardo’s run 380 projects in the UK and 50 in the Midlands alone, supporting 115,000 children, young people and families every year.. Work takes place at home, local community venues and in schools. Trained staff support children, young people and families tackle a variety of difficulties including poverty, abuse, sexual exploitation, disability, substance misuse, homelessness and life limiting illness.
We believe in the potential in every child and young person, no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through. We will support them, stand up for them and bring out the best in each and every child.
©2008 BARNARDO'S
