Learning and digital inclusion: the ELAMP project

The Electronic Learning and Mobility Project (ELAMP) was a nationally funded project by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which ran from 2004 to 2010. The main aim of ELAMP was to improve the education of Traveller children, particularly highly mobile learners. ELAMP focussed upon the use of mobile technology and distance learning to support, enhance and extend young Travellers’ educational and vocational opportunities. This article will reflect upon the learning and technological experiences and opportunities that the ELAMP project provided for Traveller children, young people and their families. In doing so it will critically consider the value of information technology in working with Traveller communities and advancing their educational opportunities. Reviewing ELAMP work will also demonstrate how the use of mobile technology can improve educational outcomes and Traveller families’ digital inclusion. Now that the project has ended, this article will question why we are not using what we learnt from ELAMP to move forward

Hyperfast Interstellar Travel in General Relativity

The problem is discussed of whether a traveller can reach a remote object and return back sooner than a photon would when taken into account that the traveller can partly control the geometry of his world. It is argued that under some reasonable assumptions in globally hyperbolic spacetimes the traveller cannot hasten reaching the destination. Nevertheless, it is perhaps possible for him to make an arbitrarily long round-trip within an arbitrarily short (from the point of view of a terrestrial observer) time.Comment: The final version, close to (but better than) what will be published in Phys. Rev. D. The explanatory part is made more detaile

Understanding the older traveller: stop, look and listen!

Getting around would be difficult without roads, rail and pedestrian walkways. Despite what we take for granted, the older traveller is often left feeling frustrated by the current transport infrastructure. Based on their research, Dr Greg Marsden et al explore in this article why this is the case, they look at the barriers that prevent older people getting out and about and the considerations when planning transport for the older traveller

The potential for a negotiated stopping approach in London

Travelling is a significant part of Gypsies and Travellers’ culture and way of life and many families continue to travel in and around London following in the footsteps of past generations. Being able to stop in safe and secure conditions and having access to basic facilities such as sanitation and waste disposal are essential to travelling. Negotiated stopping is a balanced and humane approach to managing roadside camps, based on a mutual agreement between the local authority and Gypsy and Traveller families on matters such as correct waste disposal and basic temporary facilities, sometimes directing Gypsy and Traveller communities away from contentious public spaces to more appropriate council land. This approach is proven to achieve significant savings in public spending and decreased social costs for Gypsy and Traveller communities. However, across London the preferred approach for most local authorities is rapid eviction of roadside families which has significant negative impacts

How can integrated working be improved to aid secondary transfer rates for Traveller children? (Sharing our experience, Practitioner-led research 2008-2009; PLR0809/023)

This research question arose though the lead practitioner’s professional practice, which is focused upon the transfer and retention of Traveller children from primary to secondary school. The research project involved two contrasting areas of Cambridgeshire; rural south Cambridgeshire and urban Cambridge City. These areas have the lowest numbers of Traveller children transferring and staying on at secondary school in the county. The aim of this research project was to explore how integrated working could improve secondary transition rates for Traveller children in two specific areas of Cambridgeshire. The project invited a variety of professionals who were involved in transition work in Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire to become involved in the project. Three of these professionals were then engaged to carry out the research and came together only at group meetings. The professionals worked separately on their own chosen research areas for their contribution to the research. There were 12 professionals and 36 children and young people involved in the research; these included four teaching assistants one transition co-ordinator two teachers four transition social workers one transition worker 36 pupils. A literature review was completed, which along with data from the first interviews, provided the thematic analysis and contextualization of themes. The research also used ethnographic case studies to observe the characteristics, developments and findings of the different groups involved. Data was initially analysed per professional, and then compared for overall similarities and recommendations. There were then final interviews with professionals. Findings include: • Work with Traveller parents was paramount to changing the current trend of low transition and retention. • Work needs to pay particular attention to the transition of female Traveller students and the retention of male Traveller students. • Home–school relationships and community cohesion strategies need to be strengthened and secondary schools need to adopt a proactive approach towards this. • A professionally integrated, co-ordinated approach that recognizes the need for extra input for Travellers’ transition and retention is essential. The research project therefore enabled a more informed approach to professionals’ transition work. They had a clearer understanding of the issues involved and ideas about how these might be tackled. Integrated working was found to be very informative and supportive in this process and further meetings have been planned

Endangered species

An article detailing the history of our Morris Minor Traveller ex police panda car

A qualitative study of the health experience of gypsy travellers in the UK with a focus on terminal illness

Aim To understand the experience of terminal care and health care access for Gypsy Travellers, to inform palliative and primary care service provision. Background Little contemporary research of UK English Romany Gypsy Travellers is available. This ethnic group is often overlooked in ethnic minority health research. Methods Access to Gypsy Traveller communities was through non-health care channels and required the development of trust through repeated contact over time. English Romany Gypsy Travellers at two Traveller sites participated in face-to-face contacts. Data collection was through field observation and seven semistructured interviews with Gypsy Traveller women who had experience of caring for relatives who were dying. In addition, data were collected over two years through discussion in a members-only Gypsy and Traveller interest e-mail forum. Findings The culture of Gypsy Travellers is distinct but diverse. Hygiene is important as is discretion and sensitivity to the information requirements of the patient and family. Gypsy Travellers are aware that their mobility (voluntary or enforced) can negatively impact on health care. Home care for the terminally ill is often preferred to hospital care often due to poor understanding of their cultural and personal needs by health care professionals and due to an aversion to ‘bricks and mortar’. Care may be provided by the extended family. Palliative care provision should consider the needs of Gypsy Travellers including respect for their culture and support for caring at home

Between acceptance and dislike: the intricacy of cross-cultural contacts while travelling

Today travelling is a global phenomenon. Many journeys involve cross-cultural contacts, often between cultures which are very remote from each other. Some questions arise: does the contemporary traveller expect cross-cultural contacts and how does he/she imagine such interactions? These seemingly simple questions enable us to reflect on the intentionality and complexity of cross-cultural interactions, the main issue discussed in the article. The author draws the reader's attention to the social roles assumed by the modern traveller, as well as the theoretical scenarios of cross-cultural contact, analyzing its symmetric and asymmetric forms

Asymptotic of geometrical navigation on a random set of points of the plane

A navigation on a set of points $S$ is a rule for choosing which point to move to from the present point in order to progress toward a specified target. We study some navigations in the plane where $S$ is a non uniform Poisson point process (in a finite domain) with intensity going to $+\infty$. We show the convergence of the traveller path lengths, the number of stages done, and the geometry of the traveller trajectories, uniformly for all starting points and targets, for several navigations of geometric nature. Other costs are also considered. This leads to asymptotic results on the stretch factors of random Yao-graphs and random $\theta$-graphs

Moving forward together: Raising Gypsy, Roma and Traveller achievement (Booklet 1: Introduction)

"This guidance aims to support schools and settings in promoting the progress and achievement of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller pupils and gives essential background information for those involved in the teaching of these pupils... The guidance materials aim to support schools to raise standards, narrow achievement gaps and accelerate progress through: an exploration of learning and teaching approaches that will maximise the achievement of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children and young people; providing conditions for learning that value diversity and build and promote self-confidence; challenging racism and promoting racial equality throughout the school; and, developing effective partnerships with parents, carers, families and communities." - prefac