Goals: To encourage children aged five to 11 to engage positively with education and, in the long run, improve attendance and achievement in mainstream schools
Funding: 24,952 from the Children's Fund
Contact: Liz Law, project manager, liz@lawtc.freeserve. co.uk
Homework is a chore for most young people but Traveller children in Cumbria cannot wait to jump on the bus that takes them to their after-school club.
"We are oversubscribed," says Liz Law, the project manager. "We can only take 10 children on board but there are 37 at one site." The club was set up after parents at two Traveller sites in Cumbria said they wanted educational support for their children. Help with homework and the provision of constructive activities out of school hours were identified as key needs.
One eight-year-old boy started attending the club in October 2003. His attention span, self-esteem and listening skills were poor and he was unable to link sounds to letters. He was uncomfortable reading and writing in the company of his peers at first. Encouraged by project workers, he now takes paper home and has started to write short stories that he shares with people on the bus and is much more confident.
The project is a partnership between Sure Start and the Pre-school Learning Alliance. Consultation with families revealed there was a need to extend provision for children who are too old for Sure Start services. The bus is rented from the Sure Start project and the workers have links with the local authority, health visitors, East Cumbria Family Support Association, Connexions and local schools.
Law has also extended the services available by encouraging other mobile providers on to the Travellers' sites. These include the library bus and the Carlise City Council youth outreach and play bus.
What's next? Law would like closer liaison with local schools but admits that partnership working takes time and there are not enough hours in the day. She is also planning a healthy eating project.
