TCD Hosts Travelling Community as part of Trinity Access Programmes

Posted on: 03 April 2009

The University Access for Travellers Programme, a collaborative venture between the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) and the UCD New Era Access Programme, held a day of workshops and motivational talks in Trinity Collegeon March 27th last.  A number of parents and second level students from the Travelling community took part in the initiative which seeks to highlight the existing alternative entry routes into higher education which travellers can avail of.

Events on the day included interactive workshops in the Science Gallery and a talk from a current TAP student who described the educational experience she gained from enrolling on the TAP Foundation Course for Young Adults and the importance and value of further education.  The overall aim of the programme is to foster positive relationships between TCD and the Traveller community and seeks to encourage awareness of the opportunities created by higher education. 

The University Access for Travellers Programme received financial support from the Gisele Schmidt Traveller Education Fund.  The fund has allowed the Trinity Access Programmes to strengthen their engagement with the Traveller Community and the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers in order to heighten awareness of the existing educational provisions and to enable Travellers to appreciate the unique long term gains which participation in higher education can yield.

For further information on this programme and on other initiatives organised by the Trinity Access Programmes please contact Grace Edge (grace.edge@tcd.ie).