School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children - Report on the implementation of measures envisaged in the Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers of Education meeting with the Council, 22nd May 1989 (89/C 153/02)
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Brussels, 22. 10. 1996 COM(96) 495 final School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children Report on the implementation of measures envisaged in the Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers of Education meeting with the Council, 22nd May 1989 (89/C 153/02) (presented by the Commission) Table of Contents Introduction Report objectives Report layout Developing Community action Genesis of a Resolution Context The foundations of Community action The Community's lines of action The logic behind the proposals Working axes Implementation in the Member Spates Data collection National situations Reception structures Teaching methods and teaching materials Teacher recruitment and training Information and research Consultation, coordination, participation Other actions Outcomes and directions of work Implementation at Community level Organising exchanges of views and experience Meetings, seminars, colloquia Promoting exchange of experiences and pedagogical materials. Developing innovative projects A set of pilot projects The Working Groups A "think tank" Materials for school use A European Collection Information and documentation A newsletter Publications A database 3 4 5 6 9 15 16 20 21 26 31 36 38 41 43 44 51 53 54 56 57 58 59 61 61 62 Monitoring, coordination, evaluation, dissemination The Ad Hoc Group The Gypsy Research Centre Other institutions in partnership Within the Commission Other international institutions Analysis and proposals An assessment A strategy Prospects Appendix 1 Study published by the Commission Appendix 2 "Orientation Document for Reflection and for Action'' Appendix 3 The national reports 63 64 65 66 73 78 79 89 90 91 Introduction Report objectives This report is one of the measures envisaged in the Resolution adopted in May 1989 by the Ministers of Education of the twelve Member States of the European Community, in relation to school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Its primary objective is to outline the various stages of the implementation of this Resolution a few years after its adoption. This report is thus an exercise in stocktaking, with the following objectives: • to present an overview of the situation within the Union regarding the implementation of the May 1989 Resolution, both at the level of the individual Member States and at Community level; • to undertake a dynamic inventory and evaluation of what has been accomplished, in order to examine experience and consolidate the knowledge arising therefrom: • to examine the development of a Community dividend through exchanges of experience and information between the various partners involved in education-related questions in the different Member States: • to examine the synergies brought about by the coordination of activities developed in relation to school provision, by their coordination with other Community actions, and by their articulation with the activities of other international institutions. Clearly, however, this document must be more than a stocktaking of achievements to date. It is also a look forward : its outlines, analyses and evaluations must culminate in working guidelines and proposals. This report also aims to fulfil a demand for information. It must not be purely administrational in character, but enable all concerned parties to increase then- understanding of the overall situation and how it is developing. Its dissemination should stimulate reflection, action and cooperation in clearly identified fields. It must also have a political impact. This is essential in the present period, marked both by an aggravation of the situation of Gypsy communities in a Europe undergoing profound transformation, and in a European Union currently setting out its own structures, including in its programmes of an educational nature. In this context the new working guidelines of international institutions, especially those of the institutions of the European Union, must devote ongoing attention to the Gypsy communities, taking them into account in a sustained manner, if their being yet again the "great forgotten" of historv save in the negative treatment of which they are victims, is to be avoided. Report layout These complementary objectives determine the layout of this report. It is conceived as a working document going beyond shon-term, one-off applicability, enabling the reader to : • access the history and foundations of actions undertaken in the field of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, laid out in a few succinct paragraphs: • form a holistic picture of working guidelines and axes; • do a quick stocktaking of actions to date; • see proposals for future actions in black and white. This report is thus conceived as a whole, taking account of the overall context in which the Resolution came into being, and the overall context in which its implementation is taking place. But it is also part of a broader whole : as such it does not repeat, but rather complements, existing documents drawn up at the initiative of the European Commission, to which it will be referring, and links in with the other components of an increasingly rich documentary base enabling all concerned, from those formulating policy to those determining it. and indeed all who are partners in the context of education, to form a clear understanding of what has been achieved and-what is being planned. The layout is intended to make this a sort of "ongoing report', a reference base which can easily be updated Its presentation as a series of adaptable modules thus makes possible updating and progress assessment on an ongoing basis. It should enable the Commission to continuously appraise actions undertaken in order to situate them in the broader framework of general education policy especially from an intercuitural perspective and in accordance with the programmes planned within the European Union to "develop a global, structural approach", as the Resolution of 22 May 1989 itself emphasises. It must also enable the Commission to respond to questions put forward by the Education Committee, the European Parliament and other institutions, and indeed by any citizen in search of information. This document, simultaneously a look back and a look forward, is laid out as follows : • pan one is a reminder of activities carried out over the past few years, including the necessity for and the foundations of Community action; the full text of the Resolution of the Council and the Ministers of 22 May 1989 is carried as an appendix, for reference; • pan two outlines the working axes arising from research, reflection, consultation etc. These are broad, permanent thematic guidelines under which precise actions have, little by little, been developed: • pan three, based on the répons drawn up by the individual Member States, describes actions implemented in response to the Resolution at State level; • part four describes projects developed at Community level for all Member States; inter-action synergy is analysed in a few paragraphs, as is the interlinking of activities being carried out b,y various international institutions: • part five carries an analysis and proposals. Developing Community action Genesis of a Resolution 01. Following the resolution of the European Parliament dated 16 March 1984, on education for children whose parents have no fixed abode (OJ 104/144, 16. 4. 1984), and the resolution of the European Parliament of 24 May 1984, on the situation of Gypsies in the Community (OJ 172/153, 2. 7. 1984), the Commission assigned the task of undertaking a study on the state of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children to the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descanes, Paris. This study took place from late 1984 to late 1985. 02. The Gypsy Research Centre set up a coordinated network of experts throughout the participating States, to carry out the study, in the wake of which a monograph on the subject was compiled for every Member State. These were complemented by a specially commissioned text on Gypsy in-family education and the discrepancies between it and the practices and assumptions of the school. The conclusions and proposals carried in the resulting repon were the product of deep and wide-ranging reflection by all involved in the partnership. The investigation made possible a synthesis of the commissioned monographs (themselves already syntheses), consultation, particularly with Gypsy and Traveller families and organisations, and an analysis of hundreds of documents and projects. 03. The synthesis report. School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, was published at the end of 1986 by the Commission as pan of its ''Documents*' series (Office for Official Publications of the European Communities), in English. French. German, Italian and Spanish. There are currently plans to republish it in easily accessible book form, as the text remains a valuable reference document. 04. A meeting bringing together Gypsy representatives and representatives of the Ministries of Education, was held in July 1987, with a view to formulating precise recommendations for the Member States and Community institutions on the basis of the final repon, as well as laying out guidelines for an education policy respectful of Gypsy and Traveller communities' culture and lifestyle. Following this meeting, a provisional Orientation Document was submitted to Gypsy representatives and Ministerial representatives, whose reflections and suggestions were collected and incorporated prior to its being issued in its definitive form. The document (V/500/88) was conceived as a springboard for consultation and discussion. It was widely publicised in newspapers and journals in many States and issued as a booklet by numerous documentary services and associations, with Ministerial suppon ensuring its publication and distribution. 05. In January 1988, the study was extended, under the coordinating auspices of the Gypsy Research Centre, to cover new Member States Spain and Portugal. A number of monographs ensued : 7 for Spain, subsequently written up as a single synthesis, and 2 for Portugal. 06. In June 1988 (under the German presidency) and again in September 1988 (under the Greek presidency), the Education Committee undenook an in- depth and sympathetic examination of the Community's Gypsy dossier This examination was pursued on numerous occasions throughout the first half of 1989 (under the Spanish presidency), culminating, on 22 May 1989, in the adoption by the Council and the Ministers of Education of the Resolution on school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children (see appendix for full text). Context 07. 08. Study and reflection entailed broad movement : documents and reports, meetings for exchanging ideas and experience, discussion. The partners involved (administrations, teachers and teachers' organisations, Gypsies and Travellers and their organisations, etc. ) all showed a lively interest in this question and reached agreement both in identifying priorities and defining objectives. It became clear that over 700,000 child citizens of the Community were getting little or no schooling, and that action to rectify the situation was urgently required. Study, discussion, and evidence from a variety of sources ail demonstrate that the situation of Gypsy communities is generally bad and, in relation to schooling in particular, quite alarming. For centuries, policies pursued with regard to Gypsies and Travellers have been policies of negating their culture and even their very existence as individuals and/or as a distinct group: these have taken a range of forms (from exclusion to assimilation) and entailed dreadful conditions. The situation, in the wake of centuries of such practices, is very grave. All Gypsy communities are deeply affected by difficult living conditions. Throughout the whole of Europe, rejection in a variety of forms remains the dominant characteristic in relations between Gypsies and their immediate environment : accommodation difficulties, health hazards, evictions, denial of access to public places. Tension can rapidly escalate into open conflict, particularly during periods of economic difficulty and widespread unemployment; for Gypsies, the upshot is harsh treatment in a climate of perpetual insecurity. Any analysis of school-related issues thus simultaneously an analysis of overall policy, and the introduction of interculturai pedagogy will occur downstream of the development of general policy characterised by interculturalism. is 09. In such a context, and given the fact that the school as an institution is often pan of an environment perceived by Gypsies as aggressive, it may be experienced as yet another imposition, and one whose quality leaves much to be desired. Parents may feel that the school's proposed "moulding" of their children may de-form, that is, culturally estrange, them. This analysis is well-founded, in the sense that until recently scholastic practice was indissociable from the negative tendencies outlined above; indeed, it was merely their scholastic manifestation. Parental resistance and the persistence of these communities are a sign of the strength of Gypsy culture and of parents' capacity to educate their children over the generations. In consequence, we must not take the effects of the overall situation (disinterest, absenteeism, outright refusal. ) as the causes of scholastic failure. As long as relations between Gypsy and Traveller communities and surrounding society remain conflictual, parents', and children's, relations with the school will remain largely determined by the negative profile of these broader relations. 10. We have thus identified a very strong primary link between the general situation, and that penaining in the schools. Its effects are to be found in statistical form in the documents cited above, and in the Resolution itself : in the Member States of the European Community in the late 1980's. only 30-40% of Gypsy and Traveller children attended school with a degree of regularity; over half received no schooling at all; a very small percentage got as far as, or entered into, secondary level; scholastic achievement, particularly as regards the attainment of functional literacy, has not been in keeping with the amount of time spent in school. These figures concern over 700,000 children, and this number is growing rapidly ; half of the members of Gypsy and Traveller communities are under 16 years of age. Attention must also be drawn to the increasing number of Gypsy families originating in Central and Eastern Europe which, in some States, are swelling the ranks of families established for generations within the Community. 11. Study and reflection indicate the existence of a secondary link, just as strong as the first, between the general situation and that penaining in the schools. Gypsies' and Travellers' age-old adaptability is currently being tried to the limits, and established strategies for actively adapting to their environment are becoming inadequate. In consequence, their difficulties in surviving as a cultural minority group are on the rise. In the world today the least activity, particularly of an economic nature, demands a minimum grasp of reading, writing, and arithmetic. Illiteracy no longer provides protection from the aggression of other cultures as channelled through the school and what is taught there, but becomes a serious handicap in an environment in which the written word is an omnipresent, unavoidable reality. Lack of schooling is a serious handicap for economic reasons, but equally serious for social and psychological reasons as well ; for example, dependence on the social services, a situation which is incompatible with the Gypsy's legitimate pride in handling his own. and his children's, affairs. For Gypsies and Travellers, schooling is synonymous with autonomy, and providing them with it will ensure significant savings for the public purse : the cost of adapted school provision is far less than the expense of providing social assistance which Gypsies and Travellers by and large reject, 12. In other words, the future of Gypsy and Traveller communities depends to a large degree on the schooling available to their children. Active adaptation to the environment, in social as well as economic terms, today requires a grasp of certain basic elements which enable one to analyse and comprehend a changing reality. On the cultural plane these same elements can serve as tools for those wishing to preserve, affirm and develop their own unique identity. Parents are aware of all this, and are increasingly willing to send their children to school. Here we find another crucial secondary link between the general situation and the schools : the transformation of living conditions and of conditions dictating the exercise of economic activities in contemporary society entails a necessity for basic schooling, and with it parental desire to ensure that their children receive it. At present, in a number of cases, there is a widening rift between Gypsy and Traveller children and those of sunounding society, and many already bad situations will deteriorate rapidly and dramatically with the concomitant risk of cenain forms of marginality and/or delinquency. 13. The analyses carried out nonetheless emphasise that it is possible 10 envisage a more positive future : • measures associated with interculturai education open the way to new practices validating the different cultures present in the classroom, taking each child's own capabilities and experiences as their staning-point Such measures make it possible to adapt the school to Gypsy and Traveller children; • every State has attempted, through diverse experiments and/or programmes, to respond to Gypsy parents' wishes regarding school provision for their children. Some aspects of these effons have been successful, others less so. It is imponant to identify, analyse, and publicise those approaches which have demonstrated their value, to support innovative projects and to suggest new ones. The broad evaluation made possible by the study clearly demonstrates that the recommended global, structural approach (through cooperation, coordination, and information) has a significant impact on overcoming the major obstacles blocking Gypsy and Traveller children's access to school. 14. In many ways Gypsies and Travellers demonstrate better adaptation to present changes, and to future ones, than other sections of the population : their economic flexibility, geographic mobility, and in-family education, their communal lifestyle linking the individual into a network of reciprocal security and giving him a solid identity. Their society is young, with as many children as adults. Bit by bit families are taking on more books, and schooling is on the rise. The children will read - and then they will write, enriching European culture with their contributions. These children must have the opponunity to get into school, to stay in school, and to be personally and culturally respected while there. 15. There are possibilities for positive action. The various documents cited above analyse both concrete achievements and agreed guidelines. After six centuries in Western Europe, the Gypsies are still waiting for a coherent, concened, respectful policy concerning them to be drawn up and applied. Scholastic policy is part of the package, and must indeed be a driving force. The means by which this may be achieved are both simple and inexpensive, as demonstrated in the analyses outlined in the quoted documents. The foundations of Community action 16. The fact that Gypsies and Travellers are present in all of the Member States, and hold a range of different nationalities (including nationalities from outside the European Union and the European Economic Area), reinforces the role to be played by Community institutions in their regard. It thus falls to these institutions, in collaboration with the Member States, to play an active role in the field of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children - to encourage innovative initiatives, - to put forward and support positive, well-adapted measures, - to ensure the coordination and interlinkage of actions undertaken, - to ensure that the lessons to be learnt from experience are widely publicised, - to encourage the interchange of experience. 17. The number of Gypsies and Travellers in the European Union can be estimated as follows: State minimum maximum Belgium Denmark France Germany Greece Ireland Italy Luxembourg Netherlands Portugal Spain United Kingdom 10,000 1,500 280,000 110,000 160,000 22,000 90,000 100 35,000 40,000 650,000 90,000 15,000 2,000 340,000 130,000 200,000 28,000 110,000 150 40,000 50,000 800,000 120,000 European Union 1500,000 to 1800,000 18. More broadly speaking, the following estimates can be put forward for Europe as a whole: State minimum maximum Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Belarus Croatia N Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark 90,000 20,000 10,000 40,000 700,000 10,000 30,000 500 250,000 1,500 100,000 25,000 15,000 50,000 800,000 15,000 40,000 1,000 300,000 2,000 Estonia Finland France FYROM Germany Greece Hungary Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Moldavia Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia Serbia-Montenegro Slovak Republic Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom 1,000 7,000 280,000 220,000 110,000 160,000 550,000 22,000 90,000 2,000 3,000 100 20,000 35,000 500 40,000 40,000 1 800,000 220,000 400,000 480,000 8,000 650,000 15,000 30,000 300,000 50,000 90,000 1,500 9,000 340,000 260,000 130,000 200,000 600,000 28,000 110,000 3,500 4,000 150 25,000 40,000 1,000 50,000 50,000 2 500,000 400,000 450,000 520,000 10,000 800,000 20,000 35,000 500,000 60,000 120,000 Europe (approx. ) 7 000,000 to 8 500,000 19. Gypsies' and Travellers' characteristics make them a Community population par excellence : • the Community language with the widest geographical distribution - present in every State of the Union - is Romani, a Gypsy language; • nomads cross and re-cross the frontiers of Community States in the exercise of their trades and for social reasons, and will do so more freely in future; in consequence pedagogical follow-up and distance learning are as necessary at Community level as they are within each individual State; • the ongoing and foreseeable influx of Gypsy families originating in Central and Eastern Europe. Since the language and culture of these new arrivals are identical with those of a significant number of families long-established in Community territory, work undertaken for the latter has the double advantage of direct usefulness in welcoming, and developing school provision for, immigrant children whatever the host State, and of applicability (for example with regard to teaching materials) to Gypsy communities resident in Central and Eastern States and to the education authorities there, through the exchange programmes currently being developed", • Gypsy social organisation is largely transnational. This means that a given family's or group's structure and ties cover a number of States, with important 10 practical consequences for school provision : for example, teaching materials developed and produced in one country may prove useful in many others besides. To put it another way, coordinating work within the Community is not only a pedagogical necessity, but much more economical. 20. In the wake of the study undertaken, the contacts established, the consultations realised et al, it is clearly apparent that Community-wide coordination, encouragement and mediation at the initiative of Community institutions can and must be put into practice, and that this can be achieved at a cost insignificant in comparison to the positive effects to which it would give rise. Pooling, comparing and confronting experiments and their results through a network of cooperation is a necessary response, and one well suited to the problems involved. One-off ventures, disassociated from collective discussion and structured projects, can at best - regardless of the time, money, and human resources invested in them - result in limited success; they are, first and foremost, a costly duplication of previous experiments, and in many cases a repetition of proven mistakes and failures. Coordination, synthesis and evaluation, as well as the information and training which may arise from these, enable Community action to achieve results far surpassing the simple sum of its parts, that is, the individual actions coordinated and evaluated. Apart from the fact that these actions may serve as a driving force in mobilising others, the pooled, complementary nature of the effort reinforces its effectiveness. In these conditions a State which might think twice about undertaking the task of researching and producing teaching materials on its own, is far happier to do so as its contribution to a joint effort. The task of the European Union, through the Commission, is to provide the essential keystone binding these individual elements into a solid edifice. 21. The Union's contribution is in no way intended to replace existing programmes relating to school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, but rather, through measures encouraging coordination, synthesis, evaluation, information and training, to render them complementary, better suited to the task in hand, and more efficient Community input can stimulate national initiatives, help in the inception and setting up of new approaches to school-related questions, encourage the most promising innovations and, by facilitating all involved to associate within a structured whole, help avoid the dissipation of resources of every description on one-off projects. 22. A number of programmes developed by the Commission over a period of many years are directiy relevant to school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, and in particular with regard to : • combating illiteracy and scholastic failure (no other population shows figures approaching those of the Gypsy and Traveller communities); • equal educational opportunity for girls and boys, and the reduction of disparities (Gypsy children have the right to attend the schools of the European Union); • education and training, particularly for migrant workers and their families (here emphasising once again the role of Community institutions in this context). We can also affirm that, while Gypsy and Traveller children will benefit from interculturalism in education, they may also serve as an embodiment of the 1 1 interculturai because of their unique characteristics : the strength of their culture, lived in full on a daily basis wherever they find themselves, their dispersion among the surrounding population, their presence in every State of the Union; • similar points may be raised regarding the introduction of new information technology (think, for example, of the relevance of distance learning to nomadic and/or highly dispersed populations); • teacher training (especially in-service training), which up to now has been particularly inadequate in this field; • information exchange, which was practically nonexistent prior to the adoption of the Resolution of 1989; • relations between representative organisations - teachers, teacher trainers, personnel involved in the administrative side of education, parents' associations. 23. The proposed measures (see next chapter) were articulated in the proposals of the Commission presented to the Council of Ministers of Education on 24 May 1988 in a Communication entitled "Education in the European Communitv ; Medium Term Perspectives; 1988-1992" (COM (88) 280 final). These included the reduction of disparities, taking cultural richness and the diversity of educational traditions into account, ensuring that actions remain coherent', encouraging initiative and innovation and providing support for education systems' capacity to engender and follow up on innovation in order to respond more effectively to economic and social changes as well as the needs of individuals, in-service teacher training and strengthening dialogue between education authorities. These measures also complement proposed actions aimed at assisting innovation and information transfer. In the social aspects of the Single Market, they complement measures of support aimed at the most vulnerable citizens, and those concerning the protection of minorities and the struggle against discrimination. rb1 24. Numerous texts and declarations (Directives. Resolutions. Conclusions. ) of the Council and of the Ministers of Education have, since the adoption of the 1989 Resolution, served as solid bases for Community action in the field of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, among them ; • the Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council, 9 February 1976 (OJ C 38, 19. 2. 1976, p. 1), comprising an Action Programme in the field of education; • the Council Directive of 25 July 1977, on school provision for the children of migrant workers (77/486/CEE); • the Conclusions of the Council and of the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council, 14 May 1987 (OJ C 211, 8. 8. 87, p. 5) on in-service training for teachers; • the Commission proposals presented to the Council of the Ministers of Education in the Communication of 24 May 1988 (COM (88) 280 final) on "Education in the European Community : Medium Term Perspectives : 1988- 1992" (mentioned above); • the Conclusions of the Councils on Education held on 6 October and 14 12 December 1989 emphasise young people s specific needs with regard to teaching materials, and request the Commission to develop proposals for action to adapt and strengthen existing programmes and to implement a set of specific measures; during the course of the Councils themselves, the accent was on Central and Eastern European education and training programmes analogous to programmes within the Community, and on local participation in these. The measures outlined in the Resolution on school provision for Gypsy children are of particular relevance to the very considerable Gypsy populations in these countries, often with relatives living the the Union and speaking the same language variants as are to be found here, and both sides have a great deal to learn from exchange of this kind. Eventually the Council and the Ministers of Education adopted a Resolution on combating scholastic failure, of direct relevance to Gypsies and Travellers. 25. It should also be pointed out that the European Parliament has shown itself sensitive to this question, and demonstrated sustained concern with improving the situation. Parliamentary deputies have been questioning the Commission and the Member States on various Gypsy- and Traveller-related issues for over a decade. Among the numerous Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament, the following are of particular relevance : • that of 11 February 1983 (OJ C 68, 14. 3. 83, p. 103) on measures favouring minority languages and cultures, in which it invites the Commission to pursue and intensify its efforts in this field, particularly with regard to setting up projects and pilot studies; • thatof 16 March 1984 (OJ C 104, 16. 4. 84. p. 144) on the education of children of parents of no fixed abode, in which it invites the Commission to cooperate with the Member States in developing, in collaboration with organisations representing the parents of these children, measures guaranteeing education adapted to their particular needs, regardless of which Community State they happen to be in; •thatof24May 1984(OJC 172,2. 7. 84p. 153) on the situation of Gypsies in the Community, through which the Parliament recommends that attitudes, particularly of the governments of the Member States, be coordinated, and charges the Commission with developing Community-funded programmes to improve Gypsies' overall situation without undermining their distinguishing values; • thatof 30 October 1987 (OJ C 318, 30. 11. 87) on the languages and cultures of regional and ethnic minorities in the European Community. 26. In the Resolution of 16 March 1984 on education for children whose parents have no fixed abode, the European Parliament ; "Urges the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States and in consultation with the organisations representing the parents of these children, to take steps to ensure that these children receive an appropriate education, regardless of the Community country they happen to be in, so that they may meet compulsory education requirements; Calls on the Committee to investigate ways of providing audio-visual education and of establishing a lending service for audio-visual teaching material linked to the cultural infrastructure of central towns; N Urges the Commission, through the Social Fund and other Community policies as 13 appropriate, to make resources available for the measures required, including pilot projects, to determine the most suitable multicultural and multilingual models for education and training. " A number of subsequent Parliamentary questions attest to the Parliament's sustained interest in this issue and in what should be done to implement the recommendations set forth in the synthesis report. School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children. The Parliament has followed the implementation of the Resolution of 22 May 1989 with close attention. By opening up (at the end of 1990, for the 1991 budget) a budgetary line earmarked for school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, the European Parliament once again demonstrated the importance it attaches to this question, and provided the Commission with the means of setting an action programme into morion. Mention must also be made of the Parliament's Declarations and Resolutions on fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as the "Joint Declaration" of the Parliament, the Council and the Commission, against racism and xenophobia (86/C 158/01). 27. The broader framework of the Resolutions and Recommendations of the Ministers meeting within the Council of Europe - especially those covering interculturai education and regional and minority cultures generally, but also Gypsies and nomads in particular - opens up similar perspectives while emphasising the necessity, and the urgency, of a coordinated approach. The European Union recognises collaboration with the Council of Europe, and the coordination of actions undertaken by both bodies as indispensable; indeed, this is stressed in § 2. 4. of the Resolution of 22nd May itself. 28. It is important to emphasise the fact that the measures introduced are complementary to existing options under other programmes ; they are not isolated, repetitive, or parallel to other actions. This has made it possible both to avoid the duplication associated with (often unsuitable) one-off projects, and to ensure that Gypsy and Traveller communities are not left out of projects on a grand scale. 29. Another advantage of a set of measures aimed at Gypsy and Traveller communities yet "transversal" in relation to other programmes, lies in the fact that this arrangement allows for precise evaluation and quick, efficient circulation of results. It also brings with it valuable lessons of a more general nature : school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children has a great deal to offer other fields, most particularly that of interculturai education but also, for example, distance learning, the production of adapted teaching materials, etc. 1 4 The Community's lines of action The logic behind the proposals 30. Following the adoption of the Resolution by the Ministers of Education, the Commission defined a set of working proposals. These interlinked proposals are geared towards the development of a coordinated and realistic programme of action. They are offered in the hope ; • of providing a response to the priorities expressed by the various partners, and to the pressing demand that at least a minimum of actions be got under way; • of optimising value for money spent; • of maximising "yield" in terms of rapid improvement of the overall situation; • of being of a clearly "Community" nature, in that they should bring significant spin-off benefits. These actions were formulated in such a way as to facilitate their being implemented progressively in accordance with the availability of finances and the time for essential consultation and cooperation with various partners. 31. It should also be pointed out that this work perspective is fully compatible with Commission policy, notably as expressed in its Guidelines for the Medium Term; 1989-1992 (Communication from the Commission to the Council, 18 May 1989). These guidelines aimed to : • facilitate the concentration of effort on the fundamental objectives of Community policy; • help avoid fragmentation of programmes and initiatives; • fit in with time limits; • guarantee an overview of Community activities; • facilitate ongoing evaluation and guidance for Community activities and their interaction with the national policies pursued by the individual Member States. Among the necessities emphasised in the same document, this perspective is particularlyNrelevant to the requirements of equality, especially as regards members of cultural minorities. 15 32. The same guidelines also insisted on the necessity of setting up transnational networks encouraging the establishment of contacts and cooperation. It was also pointed out that support should be forthcoming from the Structural Funds. 33. The strategy adopted for the implementation of the Resolution in accordance with the general and particular fundamentals oudined above, simultaneously followed three priority guidelines : • defining and organising a Community-wide network of actions undertaken in the field of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children; • cooperation with a light external structure envisualised in the Resolution for the purpose of establishing and subsequently sustaining the network, and to support the Commission in implementing the Resolution; • organising exchanges of views and experiences to encourage the development of information and publication. 34. The strategy thus conceived made it possible to : • begin to work immediately, and efficientiy; • take full account of the existing situation, and to bring Community aid and a Community dimension to it; • implement action in a progressive and flexible manner, respecting the priorities of the different partners involved; • graft local, regional, national and Community activities onto these priorities, and render these activities, initiatives and various sources of funding mutually compatible. Working axes Axis 1 - Organising exchanges of views and experiences 35. This axis responds to a number of needs ; • steering : by bringing together, at Community level, the various partners concerned, notably government representatives and Gypsy and Traveller representatives and experts, in order to develop the exchange of views on ongoing projects and to participate in formulating projects for the future; an opportunity for dialogue can thus be established, enabling the Commission and its partners to focus on those aspects of the work which have been granted priority status. • encounter : by Community-level meetings and exchange visits bringing together persons directly involved in school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children (for example teachers, young Gypsies working within the scholastic field, etc. ). 16 • coordination : organising thematic working groups to develop teaching materials and information generally (functions to be undertaken by a group of historians, a linguists, etc. ). As measures are implemented, complementary group of studies/research may prove necessary - for example investigating distance learning technologies to ascertain which are best suited to Traveller reality, developing a standard version of the Gypsy language and its variants. • teaching ; developing exchange programmes between schools throughout the Member States (a schools journal, for example, responding to children's interest in learning about the lives of Gypsy communities which may be geographically distant, yet often culturally and linguistically close. ) • complementarity : these measures support and validate certain important initiatives of high symbolic value. They may also provide short-term support for activities relevant to long-term action (organising competitions, exhibitions, colloquia, congresses. ) Axis 2 - Networking innovative projects 36. This entails networking a number of projects selected for their approach and complementarity. The concept of a network allows for coordination, exchanging experiences, the development of a body of knowledge on selected working themes, evaluation, and the publicising of lessons learned. Experimental projects must be planned with an eye to fullscale implementation in the field ; such testing is essential in order to assess their suitability, effectiveness, and results. The whole is thus characterised by a common theme of action research. Research activity must be intensified, coordinated, and systematised. Research makes it possible to suggest more appropriate approaches, particularly by evaluating activity past and present ; through examination and comparative evaluation of what has gone before, it becomes possible to avoid repeating mistakes. Research also entails looking ahead, thus clearing the way for innovation. Given certain conditions (preparation, coordination, consultation between those involved, a precise definition of objectives, serious evaluation) action research is undoubtedly an outstanding method of linking complementary approaches and individuals, theory and everyday practice, of avoiding the pitfalls both of abstract theorising and of empirical work unbacked by theoretical reflection. 37. Broadly speaking, then, this axis is concerned with : a - structures : positive discrimination may be required if certain communities, notably Gypsies and Travellers, are to enjoy equal opportunity and equal access to education services and cultural resources rather than the imposition of inappropriate formulas and practices. If progress is to be achieved in this field, consideration must be given to providing certain forms of support to schools, teachers, and children, and to enabling various structures to work together in a coordinated and complementary fashion. The Commission has a vital role to play here in launching, coordinating, and evaluating innovative approaches. b - distance learning : teachers familiar with Traveller pupils are the bedrock of this approach. It is particularly useful in providing the support and follow-up required OVN nomadic children, but equally indispensable in the case of teachers who deal with small numbers of Gypsy pupils from time to time, and very useful for sedentarised children dispersed among the surrounding population - a situation 17 to be found in every State of the Community and indeed in many States outside the Community. Study must be undertaken in collaboration with all concerned partners to examine what measures should be put in place to take the realities of nomadism into account and to recognise the legitimacy of parents' demand that their children receive schooling without families being split up or forced to abandon their lifestyle. Among the possibilities to be examined is televised teaching with the backup of a visiting teacher. This formula could benefit all Gypsy and Traveller children, regardless of national frontiers. It is probable that, in the near future, nomadism will no longer prove a disadvantage to proper schooling in favourable conditions ; in effect, new technologies will make "à la carte" schooling accessible to Gypsy children, who are likely to adapt quickly to this new opportunity. c - teaching methods and teaching materials : additional thought and effort should be put into programmes for classes with a permanent Gypsy/Traveller presence; this would also be greatly beneficial for teachers who deal with Gypsy pupils from time to time, by helping them to adapt their activities and provide a better welcome for these children. The practicalities of producing teaching materials grounded in the culture, history and current situation of Gypsy and Traveller communities, and developed in close cooperation with Gypsy/Traveller parents and organisations, must be looked into. d - complementary training for teachers, employing Gypsy/Traveller personnel : in-service training is, by its very nature - flexibility, adaptability, presentation in short sessions, the possibility of diverse modules - particularly suited to the demands made of it in the context of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Yet until recently it has been quite inadequate both in what it provided, and in teacher uptake. The employment of Gypsy/Traveller personnel is an important question. These can fulfil any number of roles ; as teachers, monitors, service personnel, teacher trainers. Detailed study must be made of employment opportunities and, in consultation with Gypsy/Traveller communities, efforts made to increase this employment where possible, first providing appropriate training. Axis 3 - Information and publication 38. Coordinated action relating to information has been undertaken • on the one hand, in the field of teaching materials suitable for classroom use, both for Gypsy and Traveller children and for other pupils, with the aim of promoting the mutual understanding which is at the heart of the interculturai approach; • and on the other hand, covering a broader range of information, connected with schooling but with wider applicability. Prejudice and stereotypes often find expression as rejection and outright conflict, and may lie at the root of inappropriate pedagogy. The teacher has a vital role to play in this regard ; he or she must be in a position to seek out, and to acquire, usable, relevant information. A newsletter addressing these needs on a European scale was thus required, 18 with demands to be met in just about every field ; putting forward ideas, publishing reference documents, descriptions and analysis of various actions, documentation and contact addresses, support in the form of background information, training and liaison for teachers and other directly involved personnel as well as for those less directly involved, and providing written material for local pedagogical documentation centres. It was also important to produce documents - be they proper books or light brochures - capable of serving as backup in the teaching process, or indeed with a wider remit - on literature, history, grammar etc. - as well as reports covering meetings and other activities. Axis 4 - implementing, coordinating, conducting, evaluating and publicising actions 39. Coordination, support, evaluation and follow-up are badly needed at all levels. This is as true at Community level as it is for the individual Member States : recommendations issuing from various reports and meetings insist that they be given priority status. The Resolution of the Council and of the Ministers is explicit on this point, envisualising an external structure to assist the Commission ; "The Commission will continuously document, promote, coordinate and assess all the measures at Community level with the assistance of an outside body if necessary" (point 2. 3. of the Resolution). It was essential that this structure be capable of acting as a turntable in setting up, in the medium term, a well- integrated, flexible Community-wide cooperative network. Its role was to provide solid backing for the Commission and other partners, handling preparation, activation, follow-up, coordination, and evaluation. 40. These, then, are the factors behind the genesis and adoption of the Resolution of 1989 and the development and direction of the Community's lines of action. We shall now turn to examining how the Resolution adopted by the Ministers has been implemented in the Member States and at Community level. 19 Implementation in the Member States Data collection 41. The content of this section on the implementation of the Resolution by the Member States is based on the reports submitted by their respective Ministries of Education. This synthesis report covers only those major points which emerge from a "transversal" reading of the documentation. 42. The interested reader is requested to consult the various national reports for additional detail on the overview and analyses presented by the individual States. These also include greater detail on actions, publications, historical background, statistical data, project descriptions et al. Moreover, the Member States have the opportunity to revise their répons prior to publication, so the published versions may differ in some details from the extracts included here, taken from their preliminary versions. 43. The Ministries were provided with a document outlining a format for their reflections, the objective of which was to define a common organisational framework for data submitted by the various States, in order to harmonise presentation and facilitate comparison. This outline was based on the points covered by the 1989 Resolution itself (as are the subheadings below). 44. This document also reiterated that the report on the implementation of measures foreseen in the Resolution of May 1989 was - as specified in point 2. 3. of the Resolution itself- intended as an evaluation, the findings of which should form a springboard for any necessary adjustments and provide guidelines for extending action. Each national report was therefore required to cover three areas : a - a detailed description of actions undertaken; b - an analysis of these, and an assessment of their results c - an overview of working guidelines and of short-, medium-, and long- term projects. The national reports were thus required to cover national, regional and local initiatives contributing to the implementation of the Resolution. 20 National situations 1 - 1 - brief history, geographic distribution, statistics 45. In the following paragraphs we have included only as much information and reflections from the national reports as suffice to indicate overall tendencies. Statistical information, where available, is included in the national reports, as are historical data and relevant legislation. This last is generally a complex issue and requires in-depth study at national and European level. Quotations are followed by the first letter(s) of the country from whose national report they are taken. Belgium, administratively divided by language, submitted two reports, in Dutch (Bd) and French (Bf) respectively. The rest are Denmark (Dk), France (F), Germany (D), Greece (G), Ireland (hi), Italy (I), Portugal (P), Spain (E), and the United Kingdom (UK). States are covered according to their alphabetical order in the original French. 46. No statistics are available for Germany. The report indicates that certain Gypsy organisations do not wish for statistics on ethnic status to be compiled, in view of the negative use which might be made of such information (as under the Nazi regime). The report indicates *hat Gypsy history is one of continuous oppression : from the 15th century in the case of the Sinti. and from the 19th in the case of the Rom, up to the present day, these communities have at best been tolerated, and often persecuted. In this context, the school has been employed as an instrument of oppression in the pursuit of forced adaptation; in this sense, mistrust of the institution has been passed from generation to generation and is very understandable. The Sinti and Roma population is estimated at approximately 110,000-120,000. 47. The majority of the national reports stress the significance of the persecution to which Gypsies and Travellers have been subject over the centuries, and of draconian assimilation policies. Given this context, it is understandable that the school, as the institution of an alien world, evokes "distress and suspicion" (Bd). "Over our 500 years of living alongside each other there has never been a policy of integrated coexistence until the last 15 years, and even so the prejudice and misunderstanding of centuries have left traces that continue to flare up under certain circumstances, a symptom of the disease of xenophobia which degrades the person infected with it" (E). 48. Many national reports mention the difficulty in obtaining statistics. "No census has ever been made of the Gypsy population of school age" (Bf). "Knowing the difficulties in giving reliable figures, it would be risky to estimate the size of the school-going Gypsy population"; in consequence the only figures given are for pupils involved in certain programmes (E). 49. There are no statistics available for Dutch-speaking Belgium either. Identification is therefore difficult. A significant number of house-dwelling Gypsies' and Travellers' identity is not known; their presence is discovered by accident. Gypsies are united more by their shared culture than by nationality or type of dwelling. There is no^ information concerning transient groups which may stay for a longer or shorter period. The overall number of Gypsies and Travellers in Belgium is of 21 the order of 10,000-15,000 persons (approximately 4,000 of them in Flanders, to which must be added the transient population, for example some 1,800 persons in the province of Limbourg between March and October 1991). 50. No statistics on ethnic/cultural identity are available for Spain. There are no official statistics for Greece, where an estimate carried out in 1984 put the Gypsy population there at somewhere between 120,000 and 150,000 persons. There are estimates, but no statistics, for Denmark : for example approximately 300 Gypsy children enrolled in the schools of the Helsingor district. 51. With regard to Travellers, the Irish report indicates that "they are clearly a distinct ethnic group". A census carried out in 1986 indicates that the TraveJer community comprises some 16,000 individuals, with the median age at about 18. A more recent survey (1993) puts the Traveller population at about 24-25,000. 52. Lack of data, the range of different situations, the fact that a good part of the Gypsy and Traveller population remains invisible - all of these factors make it difficult to establish how many are nomadic, and how many sedentary. Even in those States where sedentarism is strongest, there is a degree of migration from region to region, or within regions. 53. In the United Kingdom, in July 1993, the Ministry of the Environment (England and Wales) gave the number of Gypsy and Traveller caravans as 12,810; the Advisory Committee on Travellers gave the Northern Ireland figures as 239 families comprising 1,115 persons, and the Scottish Office counted 779 families with approximately 3. 000 persons. It is quite clear that these figures are merely indicative, and that few if any sedentary, house-dwelling Gypsies and Travellers are included. 54. There are some 90-100,000 Gypsies in Italy. The Traveller population of the Netherlands comprises some 35. 000 individuals, of whom approximately 5. 500 are children of compulsory school age. To these figures must be added some 3,000 Gypsies of Dutch nationality, of whom some 600 are children of compulsory school age. This latter group is currently showing the strongest growth rate. 55. The first few pages of this Community report gave an overview of the European Gypsy and Traveller population; as we see. figures given in the national reports and those from other sources are in broad agreement. Many répons also draw attention to recent immigration and demands for asylum ; French- and Dutch-speaking Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy. The figures submitted also confirm the youth of this population : over half are under 16 or 17. In Spain, for example, 70% are under 25, according to an estimate carried out in 1990. 1 - 2 - how many children in school, how many not attending, by age group; how the situation is developing 56. "Illiteracy is the normal situation among the Gypsies"; "virtually no pupil goes beyond primary level; persistent illiteracy is the result" (Bf). 22 In French-speaking Belgium a study covering 323 Gypsies and Travellers revealed that 4 out of 5 were illiterate; that 101 of the 112 children (or 90% of the youngsters) were behind the literacy attainment norms for their age group, and that 52 of them had no grasp whatever of reading and writing. "Functional illiteracy among Manouche Gypsy adults is 59%, and 97% for Rom Gypsies; 4. 2% of them received primary education. 58. 3% of the Traveller population are functionally illiterate" (Bd). A study covering 551 children of compulsory school age reveals that on average 70% of them attend school at least two days per week ; this breaks down as 19% of the Rom children, 81% of the Manouches, and 95% of the Travellers (Bd). 57. Certain reports, for example that from French-speaking Belgium, include an analysis of the conditions and reasons behind low school attendance and illiteracy; their observations should therefore be included here. Most reports note changes over the past decade - a rise in school attendance, greater motivation - but it is stressed that a quantitive (statistical) increase in schooling is by no means necessarily synonymous with qualitative improvement. Increased school attendance over the past ten years has mainly been in connection with primary level. For example, in Dutch-speaking Belgium school attendance is currently about 70% (with variations : for example 19% of Rom children attend on 40-100% of school days, while 80% of Traveller children attend on average over 4 days per week). 58. In Spain too attendance at primary level has increased, but Gypsy attendance at secondary remains low, especially for girls. The overall tendency is that the number of Gypsy pupils going on to the next class decreases dramatically from one level to the next. 59. The French report underlines that figures given in the Resolution adopted by the Ministers were quite valid at the time (1989) - for example the fact that 30-40% of • school-age children attended with a degree of regularity, and half got no schooling at all. It appears, however, that school attendance has increased over the past few years thanks to improved provision, especially the development of posts for support teachers who bring great flexibility to, and augment the scholastic work potential of, teaching at primary level. "Initiation classes" for recently-arrived children who cannot speak French also make gradual adaptation to the world of the school easier. Today's 12-16 year olds got litdeorno primary schooling, and very few of them attend secondary. There is nonetheless a growing demand for secondary education from Gypsy families and associations, although this level is still perceived as potentially threatening to fundamental family values. 60. The Danish report indicates that all Gypsy children are covered by the school system, and that they can be subdivided into three categories. Approximately a third follow the normal 9-year school curriculum, starting at seven years of age and culminating in a diploma or vocational training (technical or commercial), or going on to higher general secondary. Another third experience a degree of difficulty in relation to school, due for example to prolonged absences while visiting relatives back in the Balkans, and the fact that parents are reluctant to allow girls over a certain age to attend school. The final third experience more serious difficulties and are provided with extra support in specially-run classes, as well as help from social workers. 23 61. The Greek report indicates that no overall statistics on school attendance are available. Illiteracy among the Gypsy population at large can be estimated at 90%, and observation of a number of individuals gives an idea of the general picture. For example, among 1,067 persons over the age of 6,18. 2% had attended or were attending primary, 3 had completed primary, one had completed secondary, and 81. 6% were illiterate. School conditions are difficult, notably for the following reasons : - schools are situated far from where these families live, and parents wait until their children are older before sending them; but when they are older than the other children in their class, they feel "different", and refuse to attend; - teaching adapted to the child's needs requires that the teacher be free of prejudice; - the teaching programme must motivate pupils into wanting to follow it; - many other factors combine to make schooling difficult, notably administrational problems due to not being registered in the municipality, intermittent attendance, the age gap between Gypsy pupils and the average class age (there are pupils aged 12-16 in the first class of primary), communication difficulties between school and family, rejection, lack of teacher uaining, overcrowded classrooms, the fact that Greek is not these children's first language, etc. 62. The Irish report gives a detailed history of measures developed for Traveller children and youths from the 1960's to the present. 63. Italian statistics on school provision for Gypsy children are quite fragmentary (for example, for the whole of Sicily only a single school with 6 Gypsy pupils is mentioned in a recent statistical study). Tt should also be noted that, even when a given school or education authority does compile such statistics, children who are well integrated in the school system are not included. The Italian report nonetheless gives precise data - by class, frequency of attendance etc. - for those Gypsy children who have been covered by censuses. It appears that few go on to secondary : for example, one regional study showed 1,814 Gypsy children in primary schools, but only 193 in Scuole Medie Inferiori ("junior" school, the first few years of secondary). Moreover, children may be counted as "enrolled" despite virtual non-attendance ; 15% of them attend less than 10 days per year, and another 20% between 11-71 days. Many - 40% - are behind the norm for their age group. It is important to note that children who do attend for a number of years achieve increasingly positive results and satisfactory progress, making enormous effort to succeed despite the difficulties of every description they must contend with. The following national projection based on a study undertaken in 5 cities may serve as a reference base, indicating a total of 32,000 school-age Gypsy children of both Italian and foreign nationality distributed as follows : - of primary school age, enrolled in school 9,000 Italians 1. 500 foreigners - of primary school age, not enrolled in school 6,000 Italians 9,500 foreigners " - of secondary school age, enrolled in school 100 foreigners 400 Italians - of secondary school age, not enrolled in school 4. 600 Italians 9. 000 foreigners 24 64. School provision for Gypsy children in the Netherlands has mostiy been developed since the 1970's, and "integration" with mainstream provision is slowly taking place; schools built on halting sites are gradually being closed down. The KPC {Katholiek Pedagogisch Centrum - Catholic Pedagogical Centre) is currently running 26 projects. There are 2,781 Gypsy and Traveller children attending 645 primary schools, 1,073 in 380 junior secondary schools, and 304 at senior secondary level in 99 schools : a total of 4,158 pupils in 1,124 establishments. 65. 66. In Portugal, an estimated 5,000 Gypsy children are in school, less than 5% of them at secondary. In the United Kingdom, statistics for this report were collected from 92 LEA's (Local Educational Authorities) in England (of a total 109 in that country) and 5 in Wales, giving the number of Gypsy and Traveller children of school age at 19,644 for England and 757 for Wales. Their number in Northern Ireland is estimated at 700. The following picture of nomadism/sedentarism emerges from data provided by the LEAs ; - Nomadic, within the UK - Nomads travelling other States as well (Ireland. Germany, France. Belgium. USA, Australia) - Sedentary - Semi-nomadic England 29. 0% 6. 1% 28. 9% 36. 0% Wales. 32. 6% 3. 9% 34. 8% 28. 7% The United Kingdom report provides statistics both on children who are in school, and on those who are not. It appears that, on the whole, some 15% of children of primary school age and 47% of those of secondary age are not enrolled in school. As regards attendance, data on 951 pupils in a LEA with a Traveller Education Service give the following indications : No. of pupils 583 (61. 3%) 128 (13. 5%) 155 (16. 3%) 85 (8. 9%) Attendance 85 -100% 75 - 84% 50 - 74% under 50% 25 Reception structures 2 - 1 - support for schools 67. In Germany, ethnic and/or cultural identity are not taken into account in the planning of action, particularly in terms of support measures. These are based on pupils' particular situation (for example their being nomadic, or foreign) rather than on membership of any group designated in the Resolution. Mobility gives rise to certain difficulties in connection with schooling, notably frequent transfers from one school to another, having to cope with different approaches to teaching, discontinuity of courses, changing teachers. Varied solutions must therefore be adapted to meet very varied needs. In some German Lander support measures have been developed, particularly with regard to providing backup to help Gypsy children integrate into mainstream schooling, developing support programmes, and advice in planning and providing in-service teacher training. On some sites Gypsy children are, in cooperation with their parents, offered tuition by specially trained German teachers. 68. Yet sedentarism is no synonym for improved schooling. Rejection remains a significant factor : "a feeling of rejection is the most frequendy expressed of all the difficulties associated with the school system. This rejection takes a range of forms : being confined or isolated at the back of the class, being made fun of by teachers and other pupils, being made to perform thankless tasks such as sweeping the playground, gym, or classroom, or polishing windows, while the setded children learn to read and write" (Bf). 69. "In Dutch-speaking Belgium (Flanders and Brussels Region) up to the late 1980's, with the exception of a few long-established initiatives (usually isolated private projects with no support from the authorities), no specific, structured effort was put into supporting school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, or helping them to catch up in their learning" (Bd). Some private actions aimed at Travellers have been developed since the War. with Gypsies not targeted until recently. These have been local experiments outside the mainstream school system: for example introductory classes, tutoring. Not until the late 1980's did the first signs of encouragement from the authorities come into evidence, and the Resolution adopted by the Ministers of Education was implemented at around the same time. 70. Venues which can be adapted to a number of uses in the interests of improving the conditions under which children enter into the school are planned in more and more locations. The French report underlines the significant increase in "mobile school probes" (lorries or caravans) enabling the school to come to the children and their families. These are intended as a transitionary measure towards ordinary classes. 71. There is also an increase in the numbers of adaptation classes, or preparatory classes, or transitional classes, though in some cases (Bd) the opposite trend is in evidence, their pupils being dispersed among ordinary classes with additional support as required. 26 72. 73. In regions of Greece with a high Gypsy population, special classes with trained teachers have been developed, as has support teaching, particularly for nomadic children newly arrived in the school. In some States a flexible approach to school hours may be adopted, with complementary, more individual attention being given for example in language tuition. Overall, the school must accommodate all children, regardless of their lifestyle, and its specificities - nomadism, for example - must be taken into account in the school's approach to receiving them (I). 74. The general trend is towards diversified, flexible support measures, and no longer towards the development of parallel structures with their inherent risk of segregation. Increasingly, special classes are conceived as part-time transitory measures in complementarity with other classes. 75. Consideration must also be given to the overall support brought to the schools through the development of coordinating actions, the increased involvement of various partners such as Gypsy organisations, parents, the social services, etc. 76. Another change, in many States, is taking into consideration the fact that the language used in the school may be the pupil's second language. 77. When school policy can be developed at local level, as it is for example in Denmark, this brings in a degree of flexibility which may be of vital importance in adapting practice to accommodate Gypsy pupils. Also in Denmark, in view of the numbers of immigrant children (and this includes most Gypsies) in every school, a coefficient is used as a basis on which to calculate supplementary funding for extra teaching hours, making it possible to teach certain core subjects in a flexible manner, to develop extracurricular activities, and to provide pupils with more individual attention (tutoring). Moreover, immigrant community, whose status is identical to that of all other teachers, may devise and develop flexible, varied activities in accordance with their own personal skills. These take a range of forms : support teaching, in many schools: contact with pupils' families: acting as interpreters in certain circumstances, etc. A young Gypsy woman is employed in this capacity in the Helsingor area. teachers from the 78. In Ireland, a range of support provision has been created to improve the conditions of schooling for Traveller children : - a National Education Officer for Travellers ensures coordination at national level: - a Visiting Teacher Service operates in several areas, providing support teachers who cover a number of schools with Traveller pupils (there are currently 9 such teachers); - 53 preschools for Traveller children, funded in full by the Ministry of Education, currently catering for some 500 children: - special additional assistance teachers for Travellers operate in 161 primary schools, some of which are empowered to provide education to children up to the age of 15, that is, secondary level. Some 2,000 Traveller children are currendy attending such schools (obviously there are also Traveller children - approximately 600 of them - in a great number of other schools); - 4 special schools for Travellers catering for some 230 children up to the age of 15 ; approximately 100 Traveller children are enrolled in mainstream secondary schools; 27 79. 80. 81. 82. - 11 junior training centres currently catering for approximately 300 12-15 year olds; - 29 training centres accommodating some 650 pupils over the age of 15. Some 4,400 pupils are covered by this provision, which, given the statistics on the Traveller population of school age, leaves about 1,500 children out of the school system. In Italy, support actions have been developed at national, regional and local levels in the context of the implementation of the Resolution : supplementary funding made available to schools, teachers undertaking a mediating role between the school and the Gypsy community, developing support activities, supplying pupils with books, providing school transport, preventative health care measures. In the Netherlands, ordinary schools which regularly have Gypsy and Traveller pupils on the rolls are eligible for support measures, notably supplementary personnel, through the Ministry of Education. Teachers in schools with 4 or more Gypsy pupils of Dutch nationality can avail of supplementary training. Urban districts designated to receive Gypsies of foreign nationality also have special resources available to them, to facilitate the accommodation of these children. In Portugal 14 primary schools have received support in the form of documentation and extra teachers. Moreover. Gypsy children also benefit from a general scholastic support project for children of ethnic minorities. In the United Kingdom extra financial support is given to schools which incur additional expenditure through making additional provision to meet the particular educational needs of Traveller pupils. In 1993 these "Section 210 Grants" amounted to some £9. 7 million divided among 2. 074 primary and 680 secondary schools in England, and £100,000 between 51 primary and 12 secondary schools in Wales. To these figures must be added a further 174 schools - most of them special schools - in receipt of grant aiding and other assistance relating to preschool provision and adult education as well as additional funding from the European Community, certain foundations, and special support from the local authorities themselves. In Northern Ireland 25 primary and 10 secondary schools are in receipt of special support. Support mainly takes the form of support teachers attached to the school, special teaching materials, and audio-visual resources, but also includes mobile teachers, pedagogical counsellors, home/school liaison personnel, school transport, educational social work, etc. Schools in Scodand receive similar support. The national funding scheme - "Section 210 grants" - is essentially earmarked for Gypsy and Traveller pupils, and is currendy supplementing equivalent full-time employment, in England alone, of : - 180 school-based support teachers, - 210 peripatetic teachers, - 55 coordinating and advisory staff, - 40 education welfare officers. 95% of these posts are in relation to Gypsy and Traveller children. Similar arrangements exist in Wales, and there are also specific posts in Northern Ireland and in Scotland. The accent is on mobile ("peripatetic") teachers, since these 28 provide the most effective and flexible response to the widely varying needs of schools, pupils, and parents. Many of these teachers are not attached to any particular school, but rather based in a resource centre which may serve as a venue for documentation and training. 83. Additional special support, notably in the form of school meals, has been developed in some countries (Dk, E, UK. ). Subsidies are~also made available with regard to school supplies and school transport, in order to reduce the reasons for absenteeism. 2 - 2 - support for teachers, pupils, and parents 84. In Germany a parents' information programme has been developed to increase awareness of schools adapted to the children's arrival, the existence of teaching materials, and contact addresses. This information is presented in leaflets and newsletters distributed to parents through schools, administrative institutions, and various other involved bodies as well as the churches. Round table discussions are also organised by the schools and other associations, giving parents an opportunity to express their priorities and orientations. Parent counselling is extremely important, and particularly so in the case of Gypsy parents; in some German Lander this is done by teachers. 85. Significant change in teacher attitudes has been achieved over the past few years, although rejection is still present, and serious (cf. studies done in various States on teachers' attitudes and opinions towards Gypsy children). It is therefore necessary to strengthen information actions and maintain motivation among teachers. 86. A number of forms of support are currently being developed. For example, in Dutch-speaking Belgium, two full-time teachers instead of one. making possible an additional preparatory class facilitating integration into mainstream schooling and, by easing the demands made on ordinary classes, enabling these too to. provide improved support. 87. Actions aimed at increasing parental awareness and involvement are multiplying in every State. There is a significant gap between family/cultural values, and those of the school, exacerbated by the absence of a scholastic tradition among Gypsies and Travellers which in turn gives rise to low motivation and a lack of understanding between families and the schools. The school as an institution, and its individual teachers, must also increase their knowledge of the Gypsy communities, which up to now they have understood too little. Recognition of the importance of building bridges between school and family is leading to a rise in the number of mediators. 88. Support measures are sometimes part of an integrated approach. For example in Denmark, in the Helsing0r district, a working group bringing together all the administrational bodies concerned has been set up, with ample leeway to organise children's accommodation in the schools. For many years its priority work axes have remained as follows : - support for teachers : decreasing the number of hours worked; intense in-service training; designating individuals to take charge of coordinating people and activities, and ensuring administrational links; 29 - support for parents and pupils : motivating parents so that school attendance increases, by visiting families with the aid of an interpreter; inviting parents to informal get-togethers with a slide show explaining the school system, with commentary in Romani; providing a classroom interpreter for a period - this type of specialised, transitional class also making it possible to adapt provision to parents' pattern of travel to and from the Balkans; for children experiencing particular difficulty, working groups of not more than 5 and intensified links with their families by a specialised social educator, as well as providing contact with certain pupils from early morning : meeting them in their homes, helping them to prepare to go to school, then accompanying them to the school; other social educators, working more directly with the families than with the scnools, provide complementary support. In Greece the support essential to teachers and parents is stressed. At present there is a flagrant lack of informative, educational documentation which could help teachers to increase their knowledge and advance the pedagogical reflection required to improve the situation. Teachers must be trained to respect Gypsy values; they must also be selected in accordance with their aptitude for this kind of work, and motivated to do it. Moreover a general information drive must be undertaken to overcome prejudice and stereotyping among the population at large. Programme planning must take place in collaboration with Gypsies themselves, to ensure that their values, culture, language, and work patterns-are taken into account, and that they understand the importance of literacy. In Ireland, support for teachers goes from initial and in-service training to coordinated support at national level and the input provided by support teachers - all discussed in more detail under other headings. In addition, working guidelines have been defined through the drawing up of a Draft Curriculum for Traveller Children. Participation in EC interculturai education projects has also been an important factor in increasing awareness among Irish teachers. In addition to the teaching support already described, Traveller pupils also benefit from a comprehensive school transport system. Parents already benefit from the services of Visiting Teachers and national coordination: Home-School Liaison is due to be expanded to include the Traveller community. Extremely valuable parent support is also provided by the various Traveller organisations and other non governmental bodies. In Italy specialised bodies and associations have played an important role, and some in-service training has been developed. Some existing actions should be intensified : for example increased participation by institutions (national and local); increased coordination at provincial level with the aim of forging links between institutions and the Gypsy community, to develop actions aimed at lowering the drop-out rate and increasing participation at secondary level; developing cultural and social activities in conjunction with the various specialised associations. In the Netherlands 25 Ministry of Education projects have made possible the appointment of counsellors handling every aspect of teaching for Gypsy/Traveller children aged 4-18. A number of Gypsy and Traveller organisations are direcdy grant-aided by the State. In the United Kingdom the various forms of support described in the preceding section are provided by 78 LEAs covering some 16,325 pupils in 2,870 schools throughout England, and another 433 children in Wales. Pupils receive direct 30 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. support in the form of school transport, school meals, subsidies for the purchase of school uniforms, visits to sites by mobile libraries etc. Parent support is closely linked to that for pupils; information about how the schools work, home-school liaison, adult education programmes etc. are also available. Teaching methods and teaching materials 94. 95. 96. 3 - 1 - experiments with distance learning In France some Gypsy children's primary schooling is provided by the Toulouse branch of the Centre national d'enseignement à distance (CNED : National Centre for Distance Learning). This provides both standard tuition in conformity with the national curriculum, and introductory courses adapted to the child's own level. The Rouen branch of the CNED is working intensely, as part of an EC pdot project, on secondary provision for Gypsy children : making an inventory of needs, and of existing actions, developing teaching materials incorporating Gypsy history, language, and culture in order to put together courses suitable for individualised tuition, etc. In Italy distance learning is considered a particularly important working axis, work on which is only just beginning as part of an EC pilot project. This focuses on developing teaching modules accompanied by a parents' guide to assist adults in helping their children. In the United Kingdom 39 English LEAs and 2 in Wales have made distance learning materials available : learning packs, cassette materials for parents, video materials, postal lessons, workbooks. These materials are usually sent to the school where the child is registered, and used there, but there are also instances of direct contact between families and the Traveller Education Service. To date some 740 children have availed of these materials. 4 of these Education Authorities are participating in the EC project on distance learning. What is more, in England and Wales work on distance learning materials qualifies for Section 210 grant-aiding. 40 of the 41 LEAs which responded to the survey on distance learning indicated a willingness to pursue and intensify initiatives in this field, emphasising the quality of the materials, inter-authority cooperation, and catering for all levels from age 5 up to the completion of secondary. In Scotland teachers may give children teaching packs to bring with them on their travels. 3 - 2 - forms of educational follow-up 97. A system of "attached schools" as well as "support" or "antenna" schools operates in some German Lander. The school nearest the winter campsite is the "central" school of the "attachment" system, and bears responsibility for providing the pupil with educational follow-up. It houses the child's school record booklet, prepares - with the child and his parents - a study programme for the new season's travels, helps when learning difficulties arise and has access to various teaching aids. The class teacher has a particular role to play : he or she keeps in 31 98. 99. touch with pupils and parents during the travelling season, and also acts as the pedagogical counsellor. "Support schools" are particularly adapted for accommodation of Traveller children, and include these children in their support activities. "Attached" and "support" schools exchange information through a "school newspaper" carrying information for parents and teachers, and which also lists which books to use (available through the "attached" schools). In French-speaking Belgium, "the idea of a 'record card' (here called a 'travelling booklet' or 'accompanying notebook') which, in conjunction with a structure for liaison between teachers with nomadic pupils, would make effective educational follow-up possible, has reappeared". In France there have been experiments with record cards for educational follow-up in a number of regions: assessment tests are currendy in preparation, and should make it easier, particularly in the case of nomadic children, to ascertain the pupil's knowledge as soon as he or she arrives in a new school; one education authority area has introduced a bilingual school record card for non-francophone Gypsies. As structures at secondary level become more flexible to accommodate Gypsy pupils, support courses and small working groups with more individualised tuition, and thus closer follow-up, are also being provided. Workshops on video, theatre, photography, the plastic arts, drawing comics and cupentry are guaranteed success. A system of "priority education zones" operates in France, and through it Gypsy children, like other children in these zones, benefit from measures put in place by the various bodies cuncerned. In some places, voluntary associations also provide scholastic support (i. e. help with homework), as well as extramural educational activities. 100. In the U. K. , 36 English and 2 Welsh LEAs have developed educational follow-up in a variety of forms : collaboration with the Traveller Education Services: supplying teaching materials: a system of record transfer - nearly half of all LEAs are using the pupil record referencing card drawn up by the Department for Education; keeping in touch with families by telephone: schoolwork by correspondence. 6. 616 pupils in England benefit from this backup. 3 - 3 - measures to facilitate transition between schooling and continuing education/training 101. "Those rare youngsters who go into secondary school head straight for technical or vocational studies (for girls : domestic science, hairdressing, childcare,etc; for boys, metalwork, motor mechanics etc. )" (Bf). The demand is above all for practical training rather than academic studies (cf. Bd). 102. Vocational guidance counsellors develop regular contact with pupils over the years of primary, so as to keep them informed of the career opportunities that will be available to them when they finish school (Dk). 103. In Spain a pilot project in vocational training for young people past compulsory school age is currently under way, focussing on the graphic arts, the use of industrial sewing machines, mechanics, and construction. Subsequent evaluation of current practice will indicate how these should develop in future. 32 104. In France enterprise training courses are organised for secondary students, and voluntary associations - sometimes with the support of the National Ministry of Education or the European Commission - contribute to vocational training for young Gypsies in fields such as craftwork, the arts, and school provision (training mediators). The French report details further options in vocational training. 105. In Ireland the Centres mentioned above (11 Junior Training Centres catering for approximately 300 12-15 year olds, and 29 Training Centres with some 650 trainees aged 15+) are the core provision in this field. Theirs is a difficult but essential task, given the fact that Traveller children leave the school system towards the end of primary. In order to improve this state of affairs, a Working Group on Second-Level Education for Travellers was set up in 1991; it has produced a report which will help the Ministry formulate future policy in this field. 106. Transition and training are a recognised priority in Italy, but much remains to be done, particularly with regard to relaxing structures to enable Gypsy pupils to carry on in secondary until receiving a Certificate of Studies (useful in commerce and other professions) or gaining access to vocational training courses. 107. Gypsy and Traveller pupils in the Netherlands follow the normal, compulsory junior course of secondary level, but absenteeism is a significant problem. In consequence they are generally advised to follow a vocational training course at the same time: unfortunately, very few get jobs afterwards. 108. In the United Kingdom 24 LEAs in England and 2 in Wales have introduced measures to facilitate transition from school to vocational training for pupils aged 16+ : liaison with training centres, family counselling, remedial courses etc. Most of these LEAs hope to pursue and intensify this action for young people, and many others plan measures along these lines. In Northern Ireland 36 pupils are following in-depth training courses, and in Scotland there are possibilities both at school level and in connection with adult and community education programmes. 4 - consideration for the history, culture and language of Gypsies and Travellers 109. In Germany, in connection with developing the "support schools" mentioned above, teaching materials are increasingly planned with Gypsy children's experience in mind. 110. In Denmark books on Gypsy history, culture and language are bought and supplied to school libraries. There is a problem with regard to language, as no mother-tongue teachers have as yet been found. Otherwise mother-tongue tuition is available as a voluntary option, free of charge, to all immigrant pupils, and comprises 4 hours per week. 111. In Spain, teaching materials are gradually being produced at both regional and national level as part of an interculturai approach, and reference materials on the history and culture of the Gypsy community are being developed. 112. In France more and more education authorities are producing teaching packs, and European Commission support has made it possible for a range of associations to implement projects aimed at increasing awareness of Gypsy culture. 33 113. In Ireland there are increasing efforts to develop an interculturai approach to education for all children. The time has come for the inclusion of Traveller history and culture in the curriculum - and not only for Traveller pupils. Pilot projects developed in the European context of the implementation of the Resolution have led to the production of a general information document entitled With Travellers - a Handbook for Teachers. Further work along these lines is planned, as is further production of interculturai teaching materials. 114. In Italy, consideration of Gypsy history, culture and language is considered a necessary part of an interculturai approach to education. Such an approach will improve understanding of different cultural groups, reduce prejudice and discrimination towards them, and validate Gypsy culture and cultural identity. In this context a number of works are currently under way in order to bring together the basic elements on which to produce adapted teaching materials. 115. In the United Kingdom 42 LEAs in England and 3 in Wales have produced teaching materials reflecting Gypsy and Traveller language, history and culture : videos, slide shows, photographs, exhibitions, resource packs, literacy materials, teaching materials for the National Curriculum, jigsaws, games, stories with a Traveller context, anti-racist materials etc. 3 - 5 - use of new electronic and video materials 116. Danish schools are very well supplied with equipment of this kind, and all pupils make wide use of it. 117. Many training institutions and associations in France have produced videos. Use of computers and language laboratories is on the rise, but is not being developed specifically for Gypsy pupils. Telematics and video transmission are very promising techniques, and are currendy being studied by the National Centre for Distance Learning. In one French education authority area with a very large Gypsy population a telematic noticeboard helps to coordinate school placements, with a view to ensuring that the reception provided each pupil is as well-adapted and prepared as possible, and providing the necessary continuity/backup (as regards literacy level etc. ). 118. In Ireland a great deal of audio-visual material based on Traveller culture has been produced, and is available to the schools. In 1991 the Ministry produced a video entitled The Education of Travellers, available to all Department officials and much used in in-service teacher training. 119. Computers are not as yet a real presence in the Italian school, but audio-visual materials provide very important input to the learning process. Use of such materials is likely to intensify, all the more so in that these media have become a familiar part of everyday life and thus a powerful source of information. 34 3 - 6 teaching materials for educational establishments 120. Frequent changing of schools poses most problems for beginners. This is why, in Germany, an ABC for Travellers has been produced, and is in use in a number of Lander. An accompanying video for use by various involved bodies, and especially by Gypsy children themselves, is in production. 121. Several training institutions and associations in France have produced teaching packs, and in many places teachers have developed materials of their own; teaching card files are also being developed in a number of places. European Commission support has made it possible for educational and training establishments both to produce such materials and to intensify their exchange of same. 122. In Greece a programme for producing teaching and didactic materials has been developed; it includes the setting up of discussion groups, production, and experimentation. 123. In Ireland, in addition to the materials mentioned in the previous section, an image-based teaching pack, Travellers - Playing with Pictures, has been compiled and produced within the framework of the EC interculturai education projects. Work on teaching materials for use in schools with Traveller children is being done throughout the country. 124. In Italy a long-term research and development project on interculturai teaching materials based on Gypsy culture, is underway. The materials it produces will be subject to experimental use and evaluation prior to widescale distribution 125. No properly adapted teaching materials are currently in use in the Netherlands, with the exception of a few videos, a slide show for the use of project counsellors, and, for teachers, a 1989 publication introducing Gypsies and Travellers, their history, and current legislation of relevance to them. It is important to develop more material. 126. The response of the United Kingdom to this question has been covered in a previous section. Materials have been circulated to the schools by mobile teachers, Traveller Education Services staff, and Education Welfare Officers. Some materials have been incorporated into distance learning packs, while others have been distributed to school libraries. In general, the necessary financial support comes from the national fund (Section 210 grant), but the LEAs, various foundations, and the European Community also contribute. There is a desire to pursue the work of producing and distributing teaching materials. In Scodand, the Scottish Traveller Education Project has produced materials to increase awareness of Traveller history and culture, the Scottish Arts Council funds Traveller storytellers visiting the schools, and a great deal of work is being done to collect writings, songs, and stories. 35 Teacher recruitment and training 4 - 1- in-service and complementary training 127. Many Gypsy families are arriving in Germany as part of the wave of emigration from the East. In-service teacher training programmes in pedagogy for foreigners, taking the children's linguistic and cultural context into account, have been set up in a number of Lander. Measures of this kind have also been implemented at national level, for teachers working with Gypsy children. 128. Motivation and the quality of interpersonal relationships are vitally important for everybody. One report (Bf) concludes its description of a class with the observation that "the very existence of this class proves that it is possible to integrate Gypsy and Traveller children into mainstream provision, provided the teacher possesses the requisite qualities (openness to cultural difference, flexible organisation, great attention to individual needs) and gets unwavering support from the administration and the goodwill of all pupils and parents. Various measures, both material (such as a record card) and structural (such as liaison between teachers), would contribute to educational backup for these children. " Teaching teams discuss questions of relevance to Gypsy and Traveller children, in order to improve their understanding (Bd). 129. In Spain, many universities and teacher training centres have begun to develop discussion and training in the field of interculturai education, as has the Teachers' Association whose annual "National days" have made possible important advances in this field. Central government, for its part, organises meetings and courses, as do administrations at regional (Autonomous Community) level; the latter have also developed teaching modules for teachers working with Gypsy children. 130. There are a significant number of Training and Information Centres for School Provision for Migrant Children (CEFISEMs) in France, and Gypsy children come under their province and calling. These centres send personnel to teacher training institutes to cover certain aspects of initial training, and also play an important role in in-service training : organising regional and national training courses, class visits, making documentation available to teachers, etc. Every year, many training courses dealing with school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children are organised in this way. At national level, the Gypsy Research Centre at the Université René Descartes also has a role to play in training, and takes part in various activities. Several summer schools and national and international meetings have been organised at the joint initiative of the Ministry and the Gypsy Research Centre. In Paris, the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures offers a three-year post-graduate degree course in Gypsy language and culture. 131. In Greece, training for teachers called to work with Gypsy children is currently at the discussion/reflection stage. 132. In Ireland, interculturalism is figuring more and more in initial teacher training, and direct Traveller participation in teacher training - as speakers, presenters, and stimulatorsNof discussion - has become the rule. This is also true with regard to in- service training, and a whole programme has been developed here, particularly since the creation of the National Coordinator's post. National, regional, local and 36 specialised (i. e. for visiting teachers) seminars are held, with significant Traveller participation. Other methods are also being implemented : for example issues of relevance to Travellers are covered in the training course for the diploma in special education, and in complementary training for teachers working in Traveller preschool provision. 133. In Italy the emphasis is mainly on in-service training, and a nationwide association, Opera Nomadi, has organised courses at the behest of the National Ministry for Public Instruction. These courses are in two sections : "Gypsy and nomad children in the classroom : interculturalism in the primary school", and "Gypsy and nomad children in the classroom : strategies and intervention". A number of in-service training modules have also been organised at local level by the education authorities themselves or by associations. 134. As a general rule, teachers in the Netherlands have had no special training for the Gypsy and Traveller children in their classrooms. The exception would be those teachers who have worked in on-site schools; these are currently being phased out, and these teachers are much in demand because of their experience. The Catholic Pedagogical Centre runs information and study days for personnel employed in its various projects. 135. In England and Wales initial teacher training is currently under review, and reforms will include consideration for the presence of minorities, including Gypsies and Travellers, in the classroom. 50 LEAs in England and 2 in Wales provide in-service training for teachers whose pupils include Gypsies and Travellers, in the form of a six-week induction course followed by a monthly half- day session and an Open University course on "special needs". The LEAs also support teacher participation at regional and national level in various meetings and conferences organised by the schools inspectorate (HMD, the Department for Education, the LEAs themselves and specialised bodies such as The National Association of Teachers of Travellers and The Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers. Similar action with regard to training is carried out in Scodand. 4 - 2 - training and employment of teachers of Gypsy/Traveller origin 136. Most of the reports emphasise the importance of personal relations between teachers and parents, and the emotional ties between teachers and pupils. This reinforces the need for training and, in this context, of employing Gypsy and Traveller monitors, mediators and teachers. The number of Gypsy mediators is small as yet, but growing, and the number of Gypsy teachers involved in scholastic questions concerning their own community is also on the rise. 137. In Denmark a Gypsy support teacher has already been trained and employed. A number of young people will soon be in a position to take on a similar function, should the need arise. 138. In Spain an EC pilot project on the training and employment of Gypsy mediators is being developed; its findings may help to intensify action in this field. 139. In France, trained Gypsy mediators work in many places, linking families and the school. Gypsy facilitators are also employed in music workshops. 37 140. In Ireland, for the moment, there appear to be no Traveller teachers having undergone formal teacher training, but extremely important work in terms of both quality and quantity is being done by Travellers as educators in the broadest sense of the word, as mediators, and as leaders of organisations. The following are among the many organisations involved in Traveller training : - the training by Bernardo's of young Travellers as child-care workers and preschool assistants; - the leadership and development courses provided for young Travellers by the European Centre for Travellers, Tuam, and by the Dublin Travellers Education and Development Group; - the participation by young Traveller leaders in the 2-year part-time diploma course on youth and community development, at University College, Maynooth. 141. In Italy the training and employment of Gypsy mediators is also a priority. Training projects are under way in some cities, and UNIRSI. a national federation of Gypsy organisations, has been formed with a view to developing a reference and training framework for mediators. 142. There are at present very few teachers of Gypsy/Traveller origin in the Netherlands. 143. There are three Gypsy/Traveller teachers in England and Wales, as well as two others who are members of teaching teams but not teachers. In Scotland one Traveller is currendy pursuing university-based teacher training, and several sedentarv Travellers are alreadv teachers. Information and research 1 - provision of documentation and information to schools, teachers and parents 144. In Germany, the Lander are concerned that principals and teachers be well informed regarding the situation of Traveller children generally, and in particular with those aspects directiy relevant to school provision. Towards this end they have developed teaching materials, support, circulars and decrees, in-service training measures, discussion groups, and information on the cultural, family, social and historical context of the Gypsy communities, whose history is one of perpetual oppression. In this context it is important to increase teachers' awareness and sensitivity so that Gypsy families' understandable mistrust of the schools not continue to be misinterpreted as a rejection of schooling to be countered with repressive measures. The goal is rather to aim towards mutual acceptance and gradual rapprochement. It should also be emphasised that the publication of a German-language edition of the Interface newsletter plays an important role in publicising information, particularly concerning different projects. 145. A study in trench-speaking Belgium reveals that "it is parents' attitudes, far more than their own level of scholastic achievement, which directiy influence children's 38 literacy; parental illiteracy combined with lack of parental motivation accentuates children's illiteracy. Statistics confirm the eminently cultural character of Gypsies' and Travellers' attitudes towards schooling. " "In a context marked by a desire for invisibility and parental mistrust of the school as an institution, as well as by a lack of interest on the part of the authorities (in the broadest sense) in a transient population, information is the indispensable first stage to any other initiative. It is in this spirit that the Ministry of Education of the French-speaking Community of Belgium has undertaken research (currently in progress) into school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children in Brussels and Wallonia. Its findings should make it possible to define axes for priority action (training, teaching methods, programmes, types of intervention) on which to formulate concrete proposals" (Bf). 146. The family's social representation of the school is a fundamental and determining factor in schooling. Much school attendance continues to be out of obligation rather than choice (Bd). There is still very little documentation available (Bd); information exchange continues to be primarily informal and person-to-person. Brochures are being produced in response to the need for information. 147. In Spain the Ministry of Education and Science's Centre for Research, Documentation and Evaluation (CIDE) has undertaken a series of research projects, usually in collaboration with the University, which have led to reports and publications. Many autonomous regions have also developed activities along these lines, enabling them to increase their understanding of Gypsy children's scholastic situation. 148. In France the CEFISEMs (Training and Information Centres for School Provision for Migrant Children) mentioned above, whose responsibility includes Gypsy children, engage in many information activities with the various partners involved in school-related questions; much informative documentation (publications, cassettes, videos etc. ) has resulted. There is also the National Union of Institutions for Social Action for Gypsies which runs training sessions, particularly for social workers, and collaborates in the documentation work of the Association for. Gypsy Studies which publishes the journal Etudes tsiganes. Information is also available through the Interface newsletter published by the Gypsy Research Centre at the Université René Descartes, Paris. 149. In Greece there is a recognised need for awareness-building and information actions for all concerned parties; programmes of this sort are being set up in a number of regions, and should lead to improved mutual understanding and harmony. 150. Irish schools have access to publications produced by Traveller organisations, teachers' associations, the Ministry (circulars, letters of information, and policy guidelines on school provision for Gypsy children, sent to every school), the general policy document, "Education for a Changing World" (which takes Traveller children into account) etc. The Association of Teachers of Travelling People publishes a newsletter, Glocklai. 151. In Portugal some effort has been made to produce documentation and distribute it to the schools. 152. Schools in the Netherlands get information backup and documentation thanks to thé support of counsellors in 26 regional pedagogical projects (out of a total 56 39 regions). Parents are kept informed by counsellors and social workers, and receive a free information newsletter. 153. Each of the central education authorities in the United Kingdom (for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) has produced a circular oudining guidelines on good practice in Traveller education. Many more such documents have been produced by various Local Education Authorities. Moreover the Traveller Education Services disseminate training courses,, conferences, exhibitions, reports, various publications, resource packs, and through professional associations and voluntary associations. One LEA publishes a Traveller Education Service newsletter; other interesting initiatives include an information cassette for families and an information booklet for school principals. information through 5 - 2 - encouragement of research on the culture, history and language of Gypsies and Travellers 154. It emerges from several of the reports that a number of newly-developed actions, in particular pilot projects launched at European Community level, are conceived as action research. The development of actions of this kind in relation to school provision must be encouraged, as this approach makes it possible for all concerned to get involved. Teaching teams express keenly felt need in a number of areas, particularly concerning better understanding of the language. The reports also reveal that work in this field must lead to the production of good basic teaching materials. 155. These projects make it possible - as noted in particular in the Netherlands - to keep close tabs on developments in the situation with regard to teaching Gypsy and Traveller children. The Ministry of Education puts forward new methods and activities, based on project findings. There is recognition that the linguistic situation demands particular attention. Following the adoption of the 1989 Resolution. The National Experts Commission for the Education of Gypsy and Traveller Children submitted a request to a University to undertake research into Gypsy languages with a view to producing didactic materials. 156. A total of 36 LEAs in England and Wales say they are involved in research projects of various kinds : the development of a humanities work pack based on Ireland; development of resource banks; a directory of Traveller education in a region of England; a cultural awareness programme examining attitudes, the roots of prejudice and strategies to combat discrimination; vocational training; distance learning, etc. A number of these projects are considered to be trans-national. In Northern Ireland several studies on the scholastic situation of Traveller children have been carried out, and the Belfast school for Traveller children has produced teaching materials. In Scodand a range of research and information gathering has been undertaken, notably case studies of schools with a large turnover of Travellers. The EC Interculturai Education Programme has supported other research, including a study on secondary education and vocational training, and collection of materials on Travellers' lifestyle which have contributed to the production of resource materials. 40 Consultation, coordination, participation 6 -1 - appointment of trained staff carrying out coordination tasks 157. In order to improve parent counselling, the State may hire persons from the Gypsy/Traveller community in this capacity. Their task consists of helping parents get to know the school, and familiarising teachers with Gypsy/Traveller culture. It is sometimes useful to start with Romani literacy tuition and taking specific cultural content into account in the approach to teaching, in order to convince parents of the value of schooling (Germany). 158. In Denmark, coordination is seen as essential, and has been developed in a information, the planning of teaching, contact with other framework of administrational bodies etc. 159. In Spain, overall development is coordinated under the Plan de Desarrollo Gitano (Gypsy Development Plan) under the authority of the Ministry for Social Affairs. An interministerial working group makes possible the periodic exchange of information and the coordination of actions aimed at ensuring the realisation of objectives identified in the national plan. Some coordination has also been achieved at Autonomous Community level. The Gypsy Development Plan has significant funding at its disposal : a total of some 3 thousand million pesetas over the 1989-1992 period. 160. In France, "structures for consultation and coordination are being set up only gradually". Certain Education Authority areas most involved in school provision for Gypsy children have, through the CEFISEMs (which are also involved in school provision for Gypsy children), designated specific teacher-trainers to take on this coordinating role; in other areas, there are individuals who carry out this function without having been officially assigned to it. Coordinators get involved in questions such as accommodation for nomads, liaison with and between schools, the different partners scholastic continuity, organising meetings with (administrators, associations. ) concerned, with officials from the Ministry of Education, etc. Additionally, the Gypsy Research Centre plays an important coordinating role in the various fields in which it is involved. Gypsy mediators have been trained and are working in a number of places, ensuring liaison between families and the school. Gypsy facilitators also run a number of music workshops. 161. In Ireland, coordination of school provision for Traveller children at national level is handled by a Department of Education official with overall responsibility for all aspects of Traveller education. This official is also manager over the National Education Officer, whose duties are detailed in the report. At regional level. Divisional Inspectors manage inter alia the Visiting Teachers (currendy 9, due to expand to 12 in the near future) who cover the whole of the country and play an essential coordinating role (detailed in the report). There is thus complete complementarity between the administration, the inspectorate, and coordinating agents on the ground. 41 162. In Italy from the early 1970's the Ministry for Public Instruction has made available to a national association, Opera Nomadi, persons fulfilling an essential role of coordination, support, and mediation with local bodies and various institutions. This was discontinued in 1992, and coordination is now handled solely on a voluntary basis, at local level. 163. In the Netherlands the Catholic Pedagogical Centre (KPC) coordinates at national level the 26 extant education projects for Gypsy and Traveller children, and designates 3 project chiefs to liaise with pedagogical counsellors. There is regular contact between the National Expert Commission (a consultative body set up by the Ministry for Education to coordinate activities in this field at national level) and the Ministry of Education, which funds the projects. This Commission is an independent body of directly involved individuals, on which observers from various Ministries also sit. In addition, in each of the regions with one of the 26 projects, a "think tank" of people involved in education-related issues is in operation. 164. In Portugal, trained personnel have been designated to ensure coordination and consultation. 165. In England and Wales a total of 50 LEAs have appointed staff (amounting to 67 persons) to coordinate school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Their tasks include home/school liaison, arranging local and regional meetings, organising in-service training, general improvement of the conditions surrounding the child's schooling, identifying priority needs, consultation between relevant agencies, dissemination of information, pupil monitoring particularly in the transition from primary to secondary, distance learning, etc. Similar measures exist in Scotland and Northern Ireland. 166. The role and functions of Gypsy school mediators are taking increasingly clear shape in a number of States. 6 - 2 - encouraging liaison groups 167. In Germany some local initiatives, under the collective tide of "regional support services for foreign children and adolescents" (RAA), are working towards consultation/coordination with regard to school provision for Gypsy children. 168. It is becoming more usual to set up "pilot committees*' comprising different partners, in connection with projects (Bd); contractual partnerships and local collaboration networks are also being developed. Litde by little broader, regional networks are also taking shape, interlinking local actions and networks. 169. In Ireland liaison is very effectively handled within the framework of the activities of the national coordinating agent and the regional agents, the Visiting Teachers. A Task Force on Travellers has recently been formed in the newly-established Department of Equality and Law Reform; it plays a liaison and coordinating role at interministerial level. 170. As regards the Netherlands, details relevant to this question were given under the previous heading. It should be added that the Ministry of Education has a liaison agent handling administration at ground level. In addition, the Ministry of Welfare, 42 Health and Culture has organised three experimental projects on preschool activities. 171. 46 LEAs in England and Wales have set up liaison groups to monitor, evaluate, and plan a range of services and share information. Similar liaison groups have been set up in Scotland. Many of the tasks carried out by these groups concern inter-agency cooperation on matters to do with health, education, welfare, equal opportunities, site management etc. The majority (57%) of these liaison groups include Traveller members. In addition, regional coordination is also taking shape, for example through the development of regional groups of Traveller Education Services. Coordination at national level is handled by each Department of Education (England, Wales, Scodand, Northern Ireland) with the support and cooperation of the inspectors (HMI) who also fulfil an independent role in monitoring the quality of provision. 3 - designation, if necessary, of a State authority on school provision for Gypsy/Traveller children 172. The main bodies mentioned in the national répons are generally national and/or regional administrations. Other actions 173. Actions developed for a wider target group, and panicularly in connection with school provision for immigrant children, may in some cases be relevant to school provision for Gypsy children. In Denmark, for example, a teacher's manual and pupil's textbook give children an opportunity to improve their understanding of cultural diversity through a game of questions and answers in an interculturai framework. Danish-language classes for adults have been very useful to Gypsies, thanks to the fact that they were adapted to Gypsy requirements (women-only groups, etc. ). Unpaid training courses for adolescent immigrants (30 hours per week over 2 years) are also available, and have brought young people improved literacy skills and vocational support (in fields such as electronics, motor repair, catering, childcare. ) 174. Certain measures taken in Spain are of relevance to the implementation of the Resolution, particularly the projects developed with the Ministry for Social Affairs and the public awareness campaign entided "Democracy is Equality". Mention should also be made of substantial growth in the Gypsy associative movement, which is impacting positively on school provision through its mediating work, support, relaying of information, expressing parental demands etc. 175. In France, measures to combat illiteracy in general are direcdy relevant to Gypsy communities. Programmes have also been developed to increase parental awareness with regard to their children's schooling. 176. In Ireland several reports have been compiled defining or updating guidelines with regard to school provision for Traveller children. Partnership with the different Traveller organisations has also been intensified, as has coordination between 43 actions within the framework of a pilot project supported by the European Community. 177. The Netherlands are currently working on three projects supported by the European Commission : on didactics, on possibilities for collaboration between pedagogical counsellors and officials in the field of job creation, and on a system of monitoring which will reveal pupils' stumbling blocks. 178. Certain actions developed in the United Kingdom are not covered under the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989. These include, for example, measures regarding preschool provision, school transport and the purchase of school uniforms, the national record referencing system, and vocational and adult education. The government has also undertaken a variety of other, general action which has impacted on school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Outcomes and directions of work 1 - to what degree have actions developed contributed to "overcoming the major obstacles to Gypsy and Traveller children's access to schooling"? 179. "Once we perceive the correlation between persistent illiteracy, daily school attendance, and failure to progress beyond primary level, we cannot but admit how inappropriate basic teaching has been to the needs of Gypsy and Traveller children, sedentary or not" (Bf)- 180. In Denmark, actions to date have mosdv benefited children and adolescents: older people's opportunities for participation in the job market are reduced, because the types of economic activities to which these recent immigrants are accustomed, are unsuited to the Danish socio-economic context 181. In Spain, it is felt that the Resolution has been satisfactorily responded to, mainly at primary level. 182. In France there has been progress both qualitative and quantitive since the implementation of the Resolution was undertaken. However, while those measures which have been developed have certainly had a positive effect, many areas remain to be addressed. Some teachers are still isolated - but an increasing number of children successfully master all or part of the basic curriculum. Parents' image of the school is improving, and this is making matters easier. Teachers' increased awareness is also helping to make the children feel more welcome. 183. In Ireland the details given in the preceding sections, and indeed the whole of the report, demonstrate the significant progress made over the last few years. 184. In Italy there is a strong awareness of the need to improve the conditions of school provision for Gypsy children, but a number of parameters must be taken into account, notably the importance of regional pro-Gypsy legislation covering questions such as the right to nomadism and decent living conditions, education 44 and vocational training, health, the development of crafts and commerce, entering the workforce etc. At present, legislation of this kind is in force in approximately ten Regions. It must also be stressed that, when in comes to implementing or extending measures favouring the Gypsy communities, one comes up against numerous difficulties due to a piecemeal approach or to indifference or even outright opposition. 185. In contrast to the situation a few years ago, practically all Gypsy and Traveller children in the Netherlands now get a primary education, and most go on to start secondary. 186. In the United Kingdom, projects supported by the Section 210 grant in England and Wales have made it possible to develop a great many of the activities mentioned in the preceding sections, improving the continuity and quality of education for Traveller children. 61 LEAs in England alone provided 190 responses on strategies which they found particularly successful, falling into 8 broad categories (the overall pattern was similar in Wales) : - intensification of home-school links (mentioned 37 times); - staffing strategies : additional staff, peripatetic teachers, opportunities for professional development and in-service training (mentioned 37 times); - strategies for positive images, understanding and support : advice, fostering equal opportunities, school transport, emphasis on pupd success (mentioned 30 times); - support at particular stages of pupils' scholastic development : priority to education in the early years, integration into mainstream classes, supporting pupils' transfer from primary to secondary school (mentioned 26 rimes); - adapting the curriculum and teaching materials : the use of materials which acknowledge Travellers' way of life and take account of their particular educational needs, including distance learning materials and appropriate teaching styles (mentioned 23 times); - attentive monitoring of pupil attendance and progress : work to maintain and improve attendance, continuous assessment of progress, and promotion of the Department for Education educational record referencing system (mentioned 17 times); - intensification of networking and linkage with other services (such as health, welfare and housing) and also with organisations outside the LEA, regionally or nationally, including voluntary bodies and professional associations (mentioned 13 times); - strategies relating to strong and efficient overall policy and its administration (mentioned 8 times). 8 - 2 - important work still to be undertaken 187. "Apart from this (research) action, nothing has been done with regard to structures, pedagogy, or the recruitment and training of teachers. This is detrimental, all the more so in that there is a need for these things. At local level, these exist only insofar as the school and/or the teachers happen to be motivated. Some public primary schools situated near significant concentrations of Gypsies, do take the fact of nomadism into account, but without appropriate teaching materials or outside help" (Bf). A considerable amount remains to be done to improve in-school relations between pupils from different cultures. Segregation 45 remains substantial and pervasive (Bd). Considerable work remains to be done to improve children's and families' image of the school, and to improve scholastic results, in that too often both pupils and parents feel that children learn nothing in the school, and that it has nothing to offer them, and so they remain passive or apathetic towards it. The school retains its negative image (Bd). "Placing Manouche children directly into mainstream classes leads to violent assimilation and deculturation; transition structures such as those used for Rom children, and a more relaxed approach to teaching, are thus called for in order to overcome the obstacles Manouche children encounter in the school system" (Bd). 188. It is extremely important for young Gypsies to become teachers and to get involved in school provision for the children of their community (Dk). 189. In France, significant work remains to be done in the following areas : - infants and toddlers; - improved school attendance; - schooling for 12-16 year olds; - the transition from school to working life; - more research in relation to leaching materials: - pupil monitoring; - in-service teacher training, and training Gypsy monitors; - information for teachers and families: - above all, coordination; - information on Gypsy language and culture for all pupils, as part of the school programme; a start has already been made within the distance learning framework. 190. In Greece, it is perceived as important : - to improve transport provision for pupils living at a distance from the school; - to improve the conditions for enrolling children in school: - to develop reception schools for nomadic children, and to do so in a positive spirit so that schools of this type will not be limited to those situations where children are unable to gain admission to mainstream schools; - to provide information to principals, so as to improve conditions under which chddren are received into the schools; - to provide suitable support for children under the age of 10 who cannot read and write, to enable diem to integrate into ordinary classes, and to provide reception classes for children over 10 unable to read and write; - to develop forms of pedagogical follow-up for nomadic children; - to employ trained pedagogical counsellors to give teachers the support they require; - to develop the production of adapted teaching materials, particularly in the field of language; - to develop distance learning, notably for nomadic children; - to develop a vocational training programme for young people; - to intensify information activities; - to designate a coordinator who, in collaboration with all partners, can develop all of these plans in a coherent, articulated manner. 46 191. In Ireland, the essential points to be addressed are as follows : - the development of a truly interculturai basis for the education of all, respectful of the cultures of all; - the extension of appropriate second-level education to all Travellers; - improving both enrolment and attendance; - development of the interculturai education dimension of the initial and in-service training of teachers; - development of staffing at all levels (at school, visiting teachers, national education coordinator); - a comprehensive survey of Traveller education, both quanririve and qualitative; - the development of appropriate assessment instruments. 192. In Italy, in the light of action undertaken to date, the following points emerge as important : - to develop a statistically precise, and official, understanding of the data on school provision for Gypsy children (numbers, enrolment, attendance, availability of support and other services, scholastic success etc. ); - to inventory innovative and experimental activities in collaboration with the education authorities, teacher training institutes, the University, associations etc. ; - to disseminate research results and their didactic implications, encourage change, develop a data bank: - to develop, for teachers and others involved in education, in-service training firmly based on research findings (from training institutes, the University, study centres etc. ) and on the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989, particularly as regards teaching methods and materials, distance learning and pedagogical backup, the training and employment of teachers from the Gypsy community, the setting up of regional centres which can bring together the different partners, etc. 193. In the Netherlands, care must be taken over the coming years to maintain the current degree of interest in school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Particular attention must be accorded to the preschool period, difficulties in the school situation, insistence on the need for quality teaching, preventing early school-leaving, reducing absenteeism, and integration into the world of work. 194. The priority focus for development in Portugal is teacher training, to give them a better understanding of Gypsy culture. Greater parental involvement is equally essential. 195. In the United Kingdom, progress has been most marked at the primary stage; additional effort should now be made in relation to secondary. In Northern Ireland in particular a Circular on Traveller Education should act as a catalyst for further developments in the different areas discussed above. The Scottish Traveller Education Project has an identified role in supporting the education authorities and schools in the further development of curriculum materials, distance learning, teacher training, the maintenance of educational records, and the collection and dissemination of statistics. 47 8 - 3 - sectors in which there is still important work to be undertaken 196. In Germany the education systems of the new and old Lander still operate differently, and work remains to be done towards harmonisation, particularly with regard to adapting school systems to the particular needs of certain children. It is particularly important, in connection with this work, to take account of the fact that certain families' mobility may bring them beyond the confines of a single Land. 197. The following guidelines are mentioned for Belgium : • Coordination by a resource person, mediator/coordinator, link-up between different schools (Bd)(Bf). Intensification of coordination actions, and networking these; networking facilitates both dynamic development of ideas and a systemisation of work even in the least-explored areas (Bd). • Information for teachers and administrators (notably through information leaflets and cycles of conferences - Bf) and for parents (through coordinators and associations already active in this field). • Teacher training : particular effort must be put into in-service training, conferences, and a specialised course at a teacher training institute. The present phase is one of exploration and development of the different activities mentioned; it is important that they be evaluated. "A relatively new and unknown field of action in the school" (Bd). "Before extending action into other fields of intervention, it is first essential to finish what has been started" (Bd). Pilot projects may serve as supports and models for extending action into other areas. 198. "With some of the young men and women as their own teachers, it would be possible for the group to survive as Gypsies/Rom in the larger surrounding society. In the short term, it would strengthen their linguistic background and keep the children bilingual, where today there is a tendency for the Danish language to become more and more dominant"; it would be of great importance, under these conditions, to develop teaching/reference materials on Gypsy culture at a range of scholastic levels. Production conditions must be looked into, to keep costs at a reasonable level. Such material could be used by both Gypsv and Danish children (Dk). The current population movement from Central and Eastern Europe, and in particular from the former Yugoslavia, makes it more and more important to train young Gypsies in the host States, to prepare them to function as mediators and educators in welcoming new arrivals and helping them to adapt (Dk). 199. The Greek report emphasises the importance of networking both between the States of the European Community, and other States such as Romania, Hungary etc. which also have experience in teaching Gypsy children. 200. In Ireland, imminent reform of existing legislation regarding education will have a profound effect on school provision for Travellers. The Visiting Teacher Service, providing support and coordination, is due for expansion. There are also plans to develop second-level provision for Travellers, the interculturai dimension of initial and in-service teacher training, the training and employment of Traveller advisors - all of which should have a positive effect on school provision for chtidren 48 generally, in a context of interculturalism, and Traveller participation senso largo should improve significantly. Finally, the Task Force on Travellers has begun planning for a comprehensive survey of Traveller education, which will provide new assessment and evaluative instruments. 8 - 4 - projects foreseen in the short-, medium- and long-term 201. In Germany work in the following fields is currendy at the planning or implementation stage : - in-service teacher training; - developing teaching materials, particularly for distance learning; - harmonisation of teaching materials; - increasing public awareness (press, television. ); - organising responsibilities in the school and in school administration; - progress in getting pupils to finish the courses they start; - setting up mobile teaching services near camping sites. 202. In Spain : - to improve qualitative and quantitive analysis of the socio-educative needs of the Gypsy community, in order to direct work in this field more effectively; - to provide a better response through the development of interculturai models taking account of the culture of the Gypsy community, notably by publishing teaching materials, defining new pedagogical guidelines, and research; - to improve coordination between the different services (school, health, welfare. ), as well as collaboration with Gypsy associations and other partners; - to make possible the development of interculturai content in programmes at both theoretical and practical level through training, information, the production and publication of the required materials and the creation of pedagogical documentation centres; - to bring the Gypsy community's vocational qualification level up to its vocational aspirations; - to improve public understanding of cultural diversity, and of Gypsy culture in particular. 203. In France : - creation, experimentation, analysis and dissemination of adapted teaching materials; - developing an appropriate documentary base accessible to the different networks (pedagogical documentation centres, CEFISEMs, training centres, the schools most directly involved. ); - continuing the work on distance learning at primary and secondary levels; - pursuing awareness-raising and information actions among the families; - developing information exchange between the regional education authorities, to ensure better dissemination of innovation and suitable practice. 49 204. In Italy, in the short term : - discussion and reflection on language, history, the didactic approach to be taken in the logico-mathematical field; improving the conditions under which the child comes into the school; - defining guidelines for the testing, through a didactic guide for teachers, of a video documentary on the realities of Gypsy childhood in Italy; - testing and disseminating the materials covered in the preceding point; prehminary work on distance learning and on possible forms of pedagogical follow-up. 205. In England and Wales the Section 210 grant is normally approved for a period of up to 3 years, so that a number of current projects described above are due to run until the end of March 1996. Particular mention should be made of distance learning projects which under the EC interculturai education pilot programme would lead to the production of such materials as the basis for developing in- service training provision for teachers, to be complemented by a project in Scotland focusing on initial teacher training. In Northern Ireland it is probable that the accent will be on the development of Traveller teaching materials, provision of summer schools for teachers and the inclusion of a training module on Traveller education in initial courses of teacher training. Scottish priorities include the development of distance learning packs for pupils, but also for training teachers and other professionals, and training to give adult Travellers the skills for partnership with schools in providing home learning for their children while travelling. 50 Implementation at Community Level 206. Just after the Resolution was adopted, in May 1989, the European Commission was able - due to the availability of modest and precarious funding for this purpose - to provide backing for a very limited number of actions in connection with it over the late 1989-1990 period. Later the relevant Parliamentary Commissions, followed by the Parliament itself in plenary session in December 1990, opened a budgetary line for actions relating to interculturai education, and particularly to the implementation of the Resolution. Apart from a limited number of activities which took place prior to 1991, all of the actions outlined below were financed by this budgetary line. This part of the report is a tight summarisation, as these actions enjoy high visibility through the publication, from early 1991, of the quarterly newsletter. Interface, covered below. The interested reader should consult jt for detailed project descriptions : objectives, organisation, coordination, results, evaluation, publications arising, etc. Organising exchanges of views and experience Meetings, seminars, colloquia 207. The Commission's first post-Resolution action took place a few weeks after the Resolution was adopted. This was the summer school on "Education for Gypsy and Traveller Children : Action-Research and Coordination", proposed and organised by the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes, Paris, and co-financed by the French National Ministry of Education and the Commission. The meeting was held at Carcassonne (France) from 5-12 July 1989, with 65 participants from 10 Member States. The resulting report has been published in English, French, and Spanish, and remains a reference text. 208. A meeting organised by the Centro Studi Zingari in collaboration with the International Romani Union and with the support of the Commission was held at Ostia, near Rome, from 20-26 September 1991, under the title, "East/West : Comparative Analysis of Regional and Local Gypsy Policies". Participants represented Gypsy and other organisations from 15 States; the International Romani Union was well represented. Highlights included a Conference in the Capitol building and an audience with Pope John-Paul II. Many documents have come out of this meeting, outlining social and political guidelines and a working programme for the International Romani Union, which the organisation has gone on to develop, focussing on certain activities connected with European questions. 51 209. A meeting on the theme of "Gypsy and Traveller children : Models of Access to School Provision", organised by the Department of Education and Science (London) with the support of the European Commission and the assistance of the Gypsy Research Centre, took place in Poole, Dorset, UK, from 11-14 December 1991. Within the overall framework of European Community action, this seminar was a direct follow-up to that held in Carcassonne, France, in 1989, responding to participants' expressed wishes for an additional opportunity to meet at European level and, two years on, to build on the insights of Carcassonne. This, the first European meeting to be held in the UK, brought together some 65 participants representing most of the Member States of the European Community, to discuss 8 broad themes. 210. Within the framework of developing pilot projects at Community level, one of the Greek projects concerned with the "Teaching Materials" network envisualised a seminar aimed at increasing awareness. The National Ministry of Education and the General Secretariat for Adult Education jointly organised a seminar for this purpose in the city of Halkida, 5-7 June 1992: it was attended by many Gypsy families bom nomadic and sedentary. 211. The Brighton meeting (UK), April 1993, on "Gypsies and Travellers : Distance Learning", was organised by a team based in the London Borough of Hounslow and engaged in a pilot project within the Community network, with the support of the Commission and the Department for Education in London, and in cooperation with the Gypsy Research Centre. 212. The 5 meetings mentioned above are not the only ones to have been held in connection with the implementation of the 1989 Resolution. While each of them was particularly significant, they are also representative of other meetings within the same framework. 213. Mention should also be made of complementary measures which have enhanced certain particularly important initiatives and provided support as required in connection with realising proposed actions (organising seminars and meetings, compiling documents etc. ). These measures are thus supportive of, and complementary to, other actions, and enable the Commission to offer flexible support to activities which are not structurally integrated with long-term planning but are nonetheless able to participate fully in the development of agreed priorities. For example the International Romani Union's annual summer school (Belgrade 1989, Vienna 1990, Helsinki 1991) was held in Italy in 1992 with the cooperation of Komiteto Romano ande Italia, and in France in 1993 and again in 1994 under the auspices of the Union's own cultural foundation, Rromani Baxt. 214. It is also important to stress that there is wide demand for new kinds of meetings, and plans for two innovations in this field : • on the one hand certain States have been involved in pilot projects for a number of years and wish to carry out an appraisal at national level while intensifying discussion with other States. Many meetings along these lines took place in 1994 at the initiative of various Ministries of Education : for example Madrid (April), in connection with the production of teaching materials; Toulouse (September) on the same theme, linked to a training session at a summer school held in Rome earlier that year, also on the same theme; Dublin (May) on "Interculturai Education - Irish Fferspeçtives,\ etc. 52 • on the other hand, meetings aiming to increase overall political visibility and address questions of general political strategy at European level may be proposed. Mention should be made of the Congress held in Seville, May 1994, with the support of the European Union and the Andalusian Regional Government. This brought together participants from 18 States, including delegations from Gypsy organisations and representatives of various administrational bodies, researchers, observers and so on. Work focussed on three pivotal themes ; education policy, social policy, and civil liberties. This meeting, in which the Queen of Spain, the President of the Spanish Government, numerous Ministers, politicians both Gypsy and non-Gypsy, and representatives of European institutions all took part, was widely publicised. Promoting exchange of experiences and pedagogical materials 215. In order to promote the widest, most flexible possible exchange between teams and schools, it was decided to support a certain number of exchange projects. These entail action such as aiding the production and exchange of school newsletters and audio-visual documents, support in making use of new information and communication technology as a vehicle of exchange, etc. This approach is all the more important in that the Gypsy community is scattered throughout the Member States. Exchange along these lines is highly desired by, and intensely motivating to, both pupils and their teachers. A great number of teachers have already grasped the pedagogical value of simple contact between classes in different States, and, for particularly interested pupils, correspondence, making and exchanging videos, etc. 216. "Exchange" carries potential for doubly positive impact : • on the one hand to provide concrete assistance to local initiatives which may involve several States, and to projects which teachers and others on the ground deem priorities, providing them the benefits of a Community dimension (cooperation, comparative evaluation within the action-research framework, access to documentation, etc. ); • on the other, to complement projects planned by the Ministries. The benefits are twofold : giving more teams an opportunity to apply themselves in detail to questions of relevance to those on which their pilot projects focus, as well as an opportunity to address issues not identified as priorities at Community level but which may nonetheless be of great importance in certain local situations which can find, and draw from, analogies in other States. 217. The overall conclusion to be drawn from an analysis of this action is that it has by and large responded to the objectives set out for it. Each year, it has enabled a number of teams to mount projects involving one or more other teams in one or more other States. As laid out in the objectives, it has enabled widely diverse teams to participate actively, to launch innovative projects and concepts, and - an essential consideration - Gypsy organisations have been in the majority from the outset. Over the four years, then, 37 exchange projects have been developed, most of them in turn involvine (due to their multilateral. multi-State character) clusters ot projects. 53 Developing innovative projects A set of pilot projects General Remarks 218. Earlier, in outlining the Community's broad lines of action, a link-up was envisualised, with the aim of networking a number of pilot projects selected for their complementarity and focus. Bearing in mind the ongoing projects in various States, as well as those still in the planning stages, and considering report recommendations and Commission guidelines re. building on existing efforts and actively involving the States themselves, it was proposed to start by developing Community-wide networks based on existing regional and national initiatives. This lent a European dimension to action - whether ongoing or at the planning stage - focussing on priority themes, the development of which will contribute to formulating more coherent, better-adapted education policies. European Community assistance was earmarked for the development of these networks, providing financial and logistical support for study visits, inter-team contact, organising thematic conferences involving a number of States, developing exchanges, etc. 219. The definition of priorities, and thus of work themes, took place over the course of a series of meetings between the Commission and representatives of the Ministries of Education ; ^ the first of these, in Brussels, June 1991, led to the setting up of the Ad Hoc Group which subsequently identified six Priority Themes ; - secondary education - the transition from school to working life - Irish Travellers (later subsumed into the remaining categories) - distance learning - teaching materials - training Gypsy mediators When it met for the second time, in Rotterdam that September, the Ad Hoc Group had an opportunity to intensify its reflections and the exchange of ideas between States, and to formulate precise proposals. These proposals, later reformulated as projects, were organised in complementary fashion to form the networks described below. 220. Over the first four years of the implementation of the Resolution, some 100 wide- ranging projects - an average of 25 per year, all of them proposed by Ministries of Education in the various Member States - were launched, and grouped under five thematic network headings. These projects are regularly listed in the Interface newsletter. To this tally we must also add a number of seminars, meetings, colloquiaand other actions which will be covered under other headings but which are thematically linked to the above networks. 54 221. Project distribution over die first three years. 22 projects were launched in 1991-1992 : Network I -Secondary Education : Denmark - France (x2) - Netherlands - United Kingdom Network II - The Transition from School to Working Life : France - Greece - Ireland - Netherlands Network III - Irish Travellers : Ireland - United Kingdom Network IV - Distance Learning : France - United Kingdom Network V - Teaching Materials : Belgium (Dutch-speaking) - Greece - Ireland - Italy - Netherlands - Portugal - Spain Network VI - Training Mediators : France - Spain The 22 projects for the 1992-1993 academic year reflected to extend and develop projects launched the year before. Some carried over their original headings, but their content had changed, most often in the form of a more in-depth approach, and certain activities for which there was little demand when projects were just getting off the ground (meetings and seminars, for example) were intensified. the fact that most Ministries wished Network I - Secondary Education : Denmark - France - Netherlands Network II - The Transition from School to Working Life : Ireland - Netherlands - Spain Network III - Irish Travellers : Ireland - United Kingdom Network IV -Distance Learning : France - United Kingdom Network V - Teaching Materials : Belgium (French- and Dutch-speaking) - Germany (x2) - Greece - Ireland- - Italy - Netherlands - Portugal - Spain United Kingdom Network VI - Training Mediators : Spain launched over the 1993-1994 academic year. Since most of the Ministries in the 25 projects were various Member States wished to prolong and expand existing activities, some projects were carried over from 1992-1993. Their content had changed, however, again most often in the form of a more in- depth approach. It should be noted that some of the projects for which Ministries or other institutions request European Commission support involve seminars, meetings and symposia which are not directly linked to any of the networks mentioned below, as a result, some activities are not covered here under Pilot Projects, but under their logical heading. Meetings and Symposia. It should also be stressed that the networks themselves remain unchanged, with the exception of the "Irish Travellers" network which on the one hand was of relevance to only two Member States (Ireland and the United Kingdom) and on the other duplicated areas already covered in other networks, such as the production of teaching materials. The Ad Hoc Group of representatives of the Ministries and the Commission decided to integrate the activities launched under this heading into other networks. Network I - Secondary Education : Denmark - France (x2) - Netherlands Network II - The Transition from School to Working Life : Netherlands - Spain Network III - Distance Learning : France - Italy -United Kingdom (x2) Network IV - Teaching Materials : Belgium (French-speaking) - France (x2) - Germany (x2) - Greece - Ireland - Italy - Netherlands - Spain - United Kingdom Network V : Training Mediators and Other Professionals France - Greece - Spain : Belgium (Dutch-speaking) - Over 30 projects are taking place over 1994-1995. 55 The Working Groups 222. The Resolution adopted in May 1989 recognises that Gypsies' and Travellers' "culture and language have formed part of the Community's cultural and linguistic heritage for over 500 years". It goes on to emphasise that teaching methods and materials must take account of Gypsy and Traveller history, culture, and language. The Ministers also express a demand in this Resolution, that research into the culture, history, and language of Gypsies and Travellers be encouraged. 223. The texts which provided the foundation on which the Resolution was prepared - notably the synthesis report School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, as well as the Orientation Document for Reflection and for Action - placed equal emphasis on the necessity of developing reflection and action in these fields, and put forward concrete proposals towards this end. 224. In response to this range of demands, the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes, with Commission support, created and developed two Working Groups : • the Research Group on European Gypsy History • the Research and Action Group on Romani Linguistics. These Groups are innovations of primary importance; their function and remit must be made known. They are simultaneously transversal to. and reference bases for, all other activities, and provide a valuable working model in the field of interculturai education and indeed education in seneral. An integrated approach 225. As with every. measure developed within the framework of implementing the Resolution, the Gypsy Research Centre's launch of these Working Groups was conceived as complementary both to the full range of Community actions, and with each action in particular. Following an initial period in which structured medium- and long-term work programmes were developed, the Groups are now in a position to fulfil a number of functions : • to bring researchers into contact through the establishment of a European network • to develop a documentary database • to organise the production and distribution of materials for pedagogical use • to work as an expert group whose services are available to all concerned It would also be useful for members of the Groups and of the broader networks to be consulted for their advice and expertise by teams working on the production of teaching materials in the various States, for example in the context of pilot projects 56 coordinated by the Ministries, insofar as their work touches on questions of history, culture, and language. Interface, the quarterly newsletter, regularly carries information updates on these Groups' meetings, work and publications. 226. A new Group, concerned with work and publications in the cultural field, is currently taking shape, arising primarily out of the commitment and dynamism of the International Romani Union. Its remit is to encourage the development of concrete, priority activities in this field. Among the Group's objectives is a series of publications which will build into an encyclopaedia with direct pedagogical applicability but which, in an interculturai context, will also be informative and educational in the broadest possible sense. An "Encyclopaedia Commission" was set up during the 4th World Romani Congress (Warsaw, 1990), and held its first meeting (in the United Kingdom, organised by the University of Greenwich with the support of the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes) in 1993. This meeting provided an opportunity to make a start on developing the Group's work and to outline the establishment of a network linking universities and research institutes throughout Europe whose role will be to flexibly support and organise the work of researchers and Gypsy organisations in researching, compiling, and publishing the articles which are to make up the Encyclopaedia. A second meeting, joindy organised by the Rromani Saxt cultural foundation and the Gypsy Research Centre, took place in France in 1994. The European Working Group on Gypsy and Traveller Education 227. Another Working Group plays a different role within the ensemble, in that, being comprised of Gypsies and Travellers directly involved in school-related questions, it may simultaneously function much as the other Groups, and focus on developing its potential as an expert group for consultation on education-related questions. 228. This European Working Group on Gypsy and Traveller Education, developed at the initiative of the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes which provides it with support, notably of a logistic nature, meets regularly. The idea first took shape in July 1989 - just after the Ministers had adopted the Resolution - at the Carcassonne (France) summer school, at which a number of young Gypsies and Travellers were present. The Gypsy Research Centre set about making it a reality. In April 1991, near Avila in Spain, Gypsy and Traveller facilitators and monitors representing 5 States of the Community had their first opportunity to meet and work together, thanks to the support of the European Commission, the Spanish Ministry of Education, and the Gypsy Research Centre. In April 1992, a second meeting was held in Burwell, Cambridgeshire, organised by the East Anglian Gypsy Council with the support of the Commission, the Department of Education and Science in London, Peterborough City Council, and the collaboration of the Gypsy Research Centre. The Burwell Conference enabled Gypsy ancf Traveller participants from 8 States of the Community to takea closer look at topics examined the previous year, and to adopt a well-publicised 57 resolution. A further two meetings took place in 1993. The first of these, organised by the Irish Traveller Movement (ITM) with the assistance of the Dublin Travellers Education and Development Group (DTEDG), was held in Navan, Ireland, in July 1993. The second, in October, was held in Strasbourg, France, and organised by the Association de Recherche pour une Pédagogie Ouverte en Milieu Tsigane (Research Association for Open Pedagogy in the Gypsy Environment - ARPOMT) with the support of the Gypsy Research Centre. This latter, an intense working meeting, gave the Group an opportunity to evaluate the situation, relating this point-by-point to the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989, and to formulate guidelines for further work; these were conveyed to the Commission. Subsequent meetings were held in Lanciano (Italy) and Athens (Greece). 229. The Group is preparing its findings with a view to their optimal dissemination. The Standing Chairman summarised the Group's work perspectives as follows : "While it is nice to organise meetings in different pans of Europe and to meet Rom brothers and sisters, there is of course a far more important and serious purpose. Each conference has focussed on trying to clarify the direction that Gypsy and Traveller education should take in the different Member States. We recognise that there will be many differences both between and within individual Member States, but the Working Group has been trying to see above these natural, and in many cases justifiable, national differences. The aim of the Group is to identify and promote the basic principles of education as it affects our people across Europe. We have realised that this is only possible if we establish collaborative networks which facilitate the regular exchange of information and experience. Over the period of our existence and the various conferences that we have organised, we have developed and refined a set of prescriptive resolutions. " Materials for school use 230. In order to promote the broadest, most flexible possible dissemination of materials for school use, a decision was made to support projects dealing with the publication and/or distribution of materials of this kind. Some 30 such projects have been developed in connection with the implementation of the Resolution. Analysis and evaluation of the 1991-1992 and 1992-1993 projects led to revision of guidelines in 1993-1994, for three basic reasons stemming from the way activities were evolving : • pilot projects proposed and run by the Member States increasingly include activity involving the production of documents for school use: • aid for the promotion of exchange and teaching materials, described above, partly covers the distribution of such materials; • the development of a European Collection will complement the organised production of documents for pedagogical purposes. 231. When we add to the above that within individual Member States, and at the initiative of their respective administrations, numerous activities are giving rise to publications and audio-visual productions, we realise that the implementation of the Resolution adopted in 1989 has produced an intense response to the demand for materials for school use, and indeed continues to do so. 58 A European Collection 232. The text of the Resolution adopted by the Ministers emphasises the taking into account of Gypsies' and Travellers' history, culture, and language, the production of adapted teaching materials, information and research. These aspects come together in developing a Collection of materials of a general pedagogical, and sometimes directly didactic, nature, and the task of putting such a Collection together enables these materials to interlink, and thus to reinforce each other. Moreover, the organised production of documents - for that is, in part, the definition of a collection - guarantees that these publications will be complementary and non-repetitive. The quality criterion must also be taken into account : producing materials within an organised collection, with the backup of a wide network of experts, improves the likelihood of their being of high quality, and of works which might otherwise remain in the shadow reaching a wide audience through an established distribution network. 233. The essential principles of the Collection render it open to diverse initiatives in both document development and distribution, and to aid of various sorts which may be made available to it : • Collection tides, prepared by multi-State teams, are the fruit of truly international collaboration; the composition of these teams ensures their being in a position to understand the needs and sensitivities of very different places, as well as their having access to national and local productions of quality which should be brought to the attention of a wider public. Published texts will carry the Collection label, and the following guidelines will apply : • they should be conceived in complementarity with each other and with other action being undertaken at European level, so as to produce a structured information base ; such coherence is important for the general reader, and essential in the pedagogical context; • they are, for the most part, previously unpublished works, both because they will be addressing essential themes which have been insufficiently explored to date, and because they will do so in an original fashion; • the fact that all will be written by, or in close consultation with, experienced specialists, is a guarantee of overall high quality ; • although contributions will come from specialists, the Collection is not aimed at specialists : it should be accessible/comprehensible for direct consultation by secondary level students, and by teachers of primary level pupils for classroom use; • although contributions will come from specialists, the Collection is not aimed at any particular target group : in an interculturai approach to education every student, and every teacher, should have access to Gypsy/Traveller-related information, and may have occasion to use it in the classroom. The texts on offer, being the work of extremely competent contributors, may embody new approaches to the topics 59 covered (history, linguistics etc. ) and as such will be of relevance not only to teachers, teacher trainers, pupils, students, and researchers, but also social workers, administrators, and policy makers; • texts may be accompanied by practical teaching materials prepared by teams active on the ground, experienced pedagogues, and/or participants in pilot projects. The production of such materials is very indicative of the Interface programme dynamic : bringing together diverse partners in an action-research context, ensuring work coordination and complementarity, a European scope and adaptation to the local cultural and linguistic context; • the Collection is international in scope : most texts will be published in a number of languages, to render them accessible to the broadest possible public. 234. In order to launch the Collection the following questions had first to be resolved : • defining quality and reading level of document content, with pupils/students in mind; • defining the pedagogical approach to be adopted, and thus the overall presentation style (how long should texts be? how should they be broken up? what rhythm should they embody?. ) • defining a strategy which would make it possible to work in an ordered, coordinated manner, yet leaving the Collection open to outside contributions conforming to general requirements re. approach and quality; • defining graphic guidelines; • extending these graphic considerations to cover illustrative content; • completing the development and technical realisation of a full set of phonetic symbols required for publishing in Romani; • establishing a network of highly-motivated, quality publishers to ensure editorial support and distribution in a number of States and/or languages, both for maximum decentralisation of activities and for maximum proximity to interested parties locally; this approach guarantees both local involvement and broad international distribution. A number of series have been proposed. The following are currently being pursued : • European Gypsy History • Romani Linguistics • Reference Works (essential reports, basic texts, bibliographies) • Rukun (books for the very young : the adventures of Spot the puppy, published in Romani by agreement with the original publishers, Ventura). 7 volumes were brought out over its first year of implementation (the 1993-1994 school year). 1994-1995 will see the publication of a greater number of titles, and more still are in the pipeline. 60 Information and Documentation A newsletter 235. The need for documentation and information is clearly stated in the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989, and from 1990 the Commission took on the task of launching a newsletter on school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children : Interface, a quarterly published by the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes, Paris. That same year, a questionnaire was launched, with the aim of pinpointing the readership, forming a clearer picture of their activities in order to build up a database, and ascertaining their wishes with regard to information and action at Community level. The first issue came out in February 1991. 236. Aimed at all concerned parties - Gypsy and Traveller organisations, other associations, teachers, teacher trainers, coordinators, inspectors, librarians, local, regional and national administrative services, etc. - the newsletter made possible the formation, and subsequently the consolidation, of links fostering international cooperation. 237. The first few issues were published in two editions, English and French, but there was a demand for publication in additional languages, and the newsletter is currently published in German and Spanish as well: a Romani version is planned in the medium term. The German language edition is published with the support of the Kultusministerium Nordrhein-Westfalen. In 1994, in response to growing demand from Central and Eastern Europe, the Council of Europe undertook to support its distribution there. The newsletter is quarterly; 16 issues had appeared by the end of 1994. Originally comprising 12 pages, it now carries 24. 8,500 copies of every issue are distributed. Publications 238. In addition to documents covered under other headings, the following titles have been published in connection with the implementation of the Resolution : • The education of Gypsy and Traveller Children : Action-research and co ordination, proceedings of the conference held in Carcassonne, France, 1989; published in English. French, and Spanish; • the publication and repeated reissuing of the Union Romani espahola journal, Nevipens Romani, special edition in "Romano Kalo": this document deals primarily with the Orientation Document for Reflection and for Action compiled in the wake of the Commission's studies in the field of school provision, the Parliamentary debates surrounding the Ford Report on the Committee of Inquiry on Racism and Xenophobia, and Community initiatives to support minorities and combat racism and xenophobia: 61 • the report of the seminar at Poole, UK, 1991 : Gypsy and Traveller Children : Models of Access to School Provision, published in English and Italian: • in 1991, in Ostia (Italy), Centra Studi Zingari organised an international conference on the theme "East/West : Comparative Analysis of Regional and Local Gypsy Policies"; the resulting report was published in Italian under the tide Est e Ovest a confronto sulle politiche regionali e locali verso i Rom; • it must be pointed out that, within the framework of the various pilot projects, be it in connection with theme-focused meetings, project development, etc. , the distribution of existing reports and compilation/publication of new ones is proceeding apace. In this context we mention, as an example, the Italian document Produzione di Materiali Didattici Interculturali, compiled in the wake of a study seminar held in connection with a pilot project on teaching materials. A database 239. A range of studies on the situation of Gypsy and Traveller communities, as well as meetings, lectures, recommendations, and the expressed wishes of those involved, have all shown that maximum accessibility of information to all is absolutely imperative, for three reasons : • to enable others to share and profit from their colleagues' experiences • to avoid repetition and/or duplication, and to enable projects to take a complementary approach to each other • to intensify exchange, with the longterm aim of coordination. The Interface questionnaire, distributed in 1990, responded to an important need in the field of education : gathering information which has provided an ongoing update to the database aimed at facilitating teams to get in touch with each other, and at promoting familiarity with developments in the field of school provision. 240. International organisations; Gypsy/Traveller associations: national, regional, and local authorities; administrators, field workers, and researchers all need documentation and analytical instruments. Within the framework of activities developed for the European Commission, and with its support, the team at the Gypsy Research Centre drew up three questionnaires feeding into three different, continually updated, information files. These dynamic databases are there for the consultation, and cover : A • organisations (teams, associations, official services, voluntary groups. ) B • research and studies in progress C • existing documentation, whether published or not 241. It is clear that the existence of such a database greatly facilitates die establishment of contacts for the development of joint projects, and that as each participating body increases its number of contacts, these will gradually mesh 62 into broader networks. It is equally clear that existing documentation must benefit from increased visibility : at présenta number of extremely worthy documents have failed to gain the recognition they deserve, because they remain unpublished and/or have had only a limited distribution. 242. Setting up a documentary reference base is a long and complex process. Information must be analysed and indexed. Hence the necessity of a "thesaurus": a structured, organised set of keywords/concepts adapted to the indexing of documentary materials. The thesaurus currently exists in 4 languages, and a fifth (Romani) is in preparation. 243. It should also be noted that this information is protected : steps have been taken to ensure the safekeeping of data and its use in strict accordance with the project's stated goals. The documentary references database has been approved by watchdog bodies monitoring data protection and the observance of relevant legal guidelines and international texts. 244. Three databases are currently operational : A • the inventory of organisations (teams, associations, public services, voluntary bodies. ) is used to respond to requests from those looking to develop exchange and/or partnership with colleagues active in the same field as themselves: B • the inventory of research and studies in progress is used to monitor what is going on at any given moment in this field or that, in order to facilitate liaison and avoid duplication: C • the inventory of existing documentation (published or otherwise) is already vast, and growing; it must be continually updated, for the amount of documentation is very substantial indeed. Not until the database covers several thousand titles will it be able to claim to offer a representative picture of what is available. In this field, too, links are being forged, enabling work to reach a broader and broader audience, and bringing organisations with documentation into the network. Monitoring, coordination, evaluation, dissemination The Ad Hoc Group 245. In order to develop exchanges of views on ongoing actions, and to take part in defining projects for the future, the Commission convened a meeting of Community Member States' Ministries of Education, held in Brussels in June 1991. An "Ad Hoc Group", comprising delegates from each of the Ministries, was formed. Since then, the Commission has brought the Ad Hoc Group together at least twice a year; this continuity has encouraged the development of dialogue and has made it possible to review Member States" priorities, work in progress, and plans for the future. Moreover Ad Hoc Group members have, through the various other meetings and seminars they attend, more and more opportunities for personal contact and intensified cooperation and coordination. 63 246. Among the multiple roles played by the Group and its members : • defining priorities and proposing projects in response; • providing an impetus for innovative initiatives, monitoring and coordination at national level, particularly of pilot projects and of other actions of relevance to pilot projects; • interlinking of national and Community policies; • developing dialogue between Member States: • organising meetings and seminars at national and Community level; • intensifying and expanding consultation with, and participation by, bodies such as teams working on the ground, Gypsy organisations, voluntary associations. The Gypsy Research Centre 247. Over the period during which the Resolution eventually adopted by the Ministers in May 1989 was in preparation, many delegations of Member State representatives, at numerous meetings of the Education Committee, notably that of March 1989, reiterating the assessments and recommendations of studies and other documents, strongly insisted on the necessity for coordination and impetus at Community level, to be handled by a team capable of taking on this role. Paragraph 2 of the Resolution is quite explicit on this subject, mentioning an "outside body" in § 2. 3. 248. From the beginning, priority was given to identifying a body to take up these tasks, in that • the partners were unanimous in their call for a multi-functional structure of this kind (cf. various reports, seminar recommendations, conferences etc. ); • the development of the "global, structural approach" demanded by the Resolution necessitated an assisting structure; • there was a desire to utilise existing bodies as departure points in generating the envisualised network. 249. A European structure and its functions would thus respond to a number of basic needs: coordination, evaluation, dissemination and information. It required a team with experience of partnership with those involved in the various States. It needed to be sufficiently flexible to graft itself onto ongoing projects and existing structures in the various States, complementing their existing dynamics rather than seeking to reorchestrate them. It had to encourage the formation, in the mid- to long-term, of a Community-wide cooperation network fully respectful of the wide diversity of situations, consolidating unity through diversity and ensuring its permanence. 250. The Gypsy Research Centre (Centre de recherches tsiganes) of the Université René Descartes, Paris, is a public university-based institute founded in 1979. From the early I980's it has regularly been involved in collaboration with die European Community and the Council of Europe (through studies, reports, publications, organising meetings and seminars. ). In addition to undertaking 64 studies and providing expertise at European level, another important part of its activity consists of guaranteeing structured technical support for the implementation of measures aiming to improve living conditions for Gypsy and Traveller communities, through the types of activity in which, as a university institute, it is particularly competent : training, research, information, publication, coordination, and so on, in fields which are simultaneously the research areas of its various collaborators : sociology, history, linguistics, social and cultural anthropology. 251. In order to see this reflection and action followed through, the Gypsy Research Centre has developed a strategy enabling ideas, initiatives, and individuals representing a variety of outlooks to come together within an organised, consistent structure. The working framework thus established over the years is characterised both by its solidity - providing effective support - and by a flexibility rendering it open and adaptable. Animated by a philosophy clearly expressed in its numerous publications, and regularly spelled out in the pages of the Interface newsletter, the Gypsy Research Centre handles coordination at European level. 252. In the context of implementing the Resolution, and in addition to the ordinary activities of a body of this kind (research, technical assistance, advice, information. ) and its umbrella role with regard to coordination and documentation, the Gypsy Research Centre has, with Commission support, achieved the following initiatives : • publishing the Interface newsletter; • initiating and developing European databases; • launching the following Working Groups : Research and Action Group on Romani Linguistics, the Research Group on European Gypsy History, and the European Working Group on Gypsy and Traveller Education ; • supporting and promoting exchanges of experience; • developing teaching materials : organising support for various teams, developing the Interface European Collection: • one-off measures such as meetings, summer schools, studies, reports etc. Other institutions in partnership Within the Commission 253. While it is true that education-related questions were the first to engage the sustained interest of the Commission's services, these subsequently broadened the scope of their concern. Thus a hearing bringing together experts and Gypsy representatives was held in May 1991, organised under the Directorate General for Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs by the Directorate for Social Security, Social Protection and Living Conditions. This meeting gave the Commission an opportunity to acquaint itself with the analyses and proposals of Gypsy associations. At the conclusion of this hearing, and after distribution of the report arising from it, the services of die Commission undertook to study conditions relevant to developing activities relating to Gypsies and Travellers in fields other than that of school provision. 65 254. It should also be noted that many ongoing programmes include actions of relevance to Gypsies and Travellers. For example, the "Second Combat Poverty Programme" assisted teams in Ireland, Spain, and Portugal. The third programme, "Poverty 3", also entails action for Gypsy communities : of its 39 projects, 4 (in Greece, Spain, Italy and Ireland) directly involve Gypsies and Travellers. Other actions have been developed within the framework of the European Social Fund, and certain schemes such as the "Horizon" programme have enabled numerous associations working with Gypsies and Travellers to develop projects of their own. Further activities are at the planning stages, notably in connection with aid programmes for Central and Eastern Europe. 255. Two of the Commission's Directorates General, DG XXII and DG XVI, are involved in a joint initiative under the "ECOS" Programme, with the aim of developing an inter-regional cooperative project entitled "Fighting exclusion : Gypsies in the locality". This entails setting up a network of local, regional, and university-based bodies, developing activities addressing exclusion linked with difficulties local representatives and administrators, and contributing to local and regional social and education policies by offering scientific and technical support. in socio-cultural integration, providing training for 256. The European Parliament, which regularly questions the Commission with regard to the action it undertakes, exhibits a sustained interest manifest in oral and written questions. Resolutions, and active support in the field of education through the adoption and expansion of a budgetary line through which the implementation of the Resolution is made possible. An anthology of texts issued by international institutions, particularly questions and Resolutions from the European Parliament, was published in 1994, to serve as a reference document and a basis for further work. Other international institutions The Council of Europe 257. The Council of Europe has developed a number of activities regarding Gypsies and Travellers, some details of which should be given here in the context of examining the implementation of the Resolution, for the Resolution itself emphasises the need for complementarity in the work undertaken by the two institutions. 258. Following Resolution 125 (1981) of the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe "on the role and responsibility of local and regional authorities regarding the social and cultural problems of populations of nomadic origin", the Council for Cultural Co-operation (CDCC) decided, in 1983, to organise an international seminar which was to be the first of a series of actions : • a seminar on The Training of Teachers of Gypsy Children, held in Donaueschingen, Federal Republic of Germany, in 1983; • the preparation, in 1984. of the book, Gypsies and Travellers. Aimed primarily at teachers, teacher-trainers, inspectors, and administrational personnel, but also at 66 local and regional authorities themselves, this was to appear in a number of languages. An information handbook, it covers the European situation in two parts (Socio-Cultural Data, Socio-PoliticalData). A new edition, updated to include the European situation as a whole, and entitled Roma, Gypsies, Travellers, was published in 1994; • a second seminar, Schooling for Gypsies' and Travellers' Children : Evaluating Innovation, was held - again in Donaueschingen - in 1987; • the publication of a report from a summer school held in France in 1988 and organised by the Gypsy Research Centre with the support of the French National Ministry of Education : Gypsy Children in School : Training for Teachers and Other Personnel ; • a third seminar, Towards Multicultural Education : Training for Teachers of Gypsy Pupils, was held in 1989, in Benidorm (Spain), co-hosted by the Valencia regional education authorities and the Ministry for Education and Science, Madrid; • in 1990, the French National Ministry of Education organised a fourth seminar, held in Aix-en-Provence : Distance Learning and Pedagogical Follow-Up. 259. The Council of Europe has shown a sustained interest in questions relating to school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children over the past number of years. The seminars listed above were not simple training sessions - those can be organised at individual Member State level - nor were they one-off meetings. Instead, given both their infrequency and the opportunities they offer by bringing together so much knowledge and experience, and enabling the pooling of contrasting analyses of diverse achievements, European meetings must be geared towards the formulation of perspectives and prospectives, facilitate movement, open up new paths, bring about innovation. They must be mutually complementary, progressively developing the acquisition of knowledge on priority themes, a holistic understanding which will be both coherent and comparative at European level. 260. In addition to its achievements in education-related matters, the Council of Europe has, like the European Commission, expanded its reflections to include additional areas. Thus, in 1983, the Committee of Ministers adopted Recommendation NQ R (83)1 On Stateless Nomads and Nomads of Undetermined Nationality. The Committee of Experts for Identity Documents and Movement of Persons (CAHID) adopted its final activity report on the examination of legal questions relating to the circulation of nomads in 1986. In response to questions from the Parliamentary Assembly, the Committee of Ministers has also stressed important points. For example, at its April 1984 meeting, question ns 271, "On the recognition of the Gypsy people as an ethnic minority", provided an impetus for consideration along these lines. 261. Among recent developments, in February 1993 the Parliamentary Assembly adopted Recommendation 1203 "On Gypsies in Europe". The Assembly drew attention to the difficult situation of Gypsy communities and the importance of implementing texts already adopted, and recommended that the Committee of Ministers take initiative, if necessary in the form of proposals addressed to national governments, regional and/or local authorities of the Member States, in the fields of culture, education, information, equal rights, and daily life, as well as general measures such as research, cooperation with the European Community, 67 consultation with representative international Gypsy organisations, and designating mediators. 262. Following a hearing in 1991, the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe - CLRAE - organised a colloquium held in Slovakia in 1992. This brought together local authorities, representatives of Gypsy communities, and experts, and confirmed the results of the 1991 hearing. Its conclusions emphasised the necessity both of updating and of reactivating the 1981 Resolution, and of putting forward concrete work proposals. The CLRAE's Commission on Culture, Education, and the Media then decided, on the basis of the combined conclusions of the hearing and the colloquium, to prepare a new text. This Resolution 249 (1993), On Gypsies in Europe : The Role and Responsibility of Local and Regional Authorities, was adopted in March 1993. The Conference expressed its regrets that texts already adopted had been so littie followed by concrete effects. It urged local and regional authorities to adopt a holistic approach, within which they should take the necessary measures to facilitate Gypsies' integration into local communities, develop consultation and participation with Gypsies themselves, combat prejudice, and take part in developing a network of municipalities. 263. The proposal to establish a networking relationship between municipalities particularly concerned with providing for Gypsy communities is one of the key concepts of this Resolution, onto which a number of detailed activities are concretely grafted. Moreover the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has been asked to urge governments to implement the adopted texts, and to invite the Council for Cultural Cooperation to intensify the work in which it has been engaged for a decade through its publications, organising of seminars, commitment to participating in the municipalities network once established, launching a 'European Gypsy Cultural Itinerary", and taking account of Gypsy- related questions within the new "Democracy, Human Rights, Minorities : Educational and Cultural Aspects" project. The Resolution also carries proposals in relation to human rights, the study of migration-related questions (through the activities of the European Committee on Migration - CDMG) and the study of questions relating to the mass media. It is demanding the active participation of Gypsies and Travellers and their organisations, and emphasises the importance of the work being carried out by the European Community and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, as well as the necessity of ensuring the complementarity of these various bodies of work. The foundations of the municipalities network were laid in 1994; furthermore, the Council for Cultural Cooperation has requested a preliminary study in connection with developing its European Gypsy Cultural Itinerary. 264. The European Committee on Migration (CDMG) has, for jts part, intensified its work in relation to Gypsy communities : on the occasion of the 506th meeting of Ministers' Deputies, in January 1994, the CDMG received a mandate from the Committee of Ministers to "conduct an in-depth study on the various aspects of the situation and conditions of life of Gypsies in the new European context. This work should be carried out taking account of Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1203 (1993) on Gypsies in Europe and in close cooperation with the work pursued elsewhere, in particular within the European Union. " 265. Complementarity between European Community activities and those of the Council of Europe, as demanded by the Resolution of the Ministers of Education of the European Community in 1989, operates on two levels : 68 • holistically : the fact that the Gypsy Research Centre has been directly charged with the handling of some Council of Europe actions, and involved in others, has made concrete links and/or complementarity possible between certain activities of the two institutions : for example the choice of themes for teacher training seminars, the content of reports whether for the European Commission or the Secretariat of the Council of Europe, interlinking projects in different parts of Europe. • within certain realisations described under various headings in this report; for example : - the Interface newsletter which, as from the beginning of 1994, is being distributed in Central and Eastern Europe with the assistance of the Council of Europe; - the dissemination of certain Interface European Collection tides in a number of Central and Eastern European States benefits from Council of Europe support; - the Research Group on European Gypsy History is closely involved, through its association with the Council of Europe's Council for Cultural Cooperation, in developing new work : seminars, action-research, publications; - the various databases being developed by the Gypsy Research Centre are clearly of broad European relevance. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe - CSCE 266. From its inaugural meeting in Helsinki in 1975, the CSCE has focused on questions of military security, East-West political cooperation, and human rights. The Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE held its first meeting in Paris, June 1989. The second took place in Copenhagen in June 1990, over the course of which an important document was adopted. This five-chapter text spells out that participating States come together to reinforce "respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, the development of human contacts and the resolution of the issues of a related humanitarian character". Chapter IV is entirely devoted to national minorities : its Article 40 concentrates on questions of racism, and it is important to note that Roma/Gypsies are the only minority mentioned by name in this context. 267. As a follow-up to the Copenhagen meeting, a CSCE expert group on national minorities held a meeting in Geneva (1-19 July 1991). In Chapter VI of the final report of this meeting, participating States express their concern in relation to the proliferation of acts of violence on racial, ethnic, and/or religious grounds. In this context "the participating States. reaffirm their recognition of the particular problems of Roma (Gypsies). They are ready to undertake effective measures in order to achieve full equality of opportunity between persons belonging to Roma communities ordinarily resident in their State and the rest of the resident population^They also encourage research and studies regarding Roma and the particular problems they face. " 69 268. Following these conclusions, the governments of the participating States have begun to focus greater and more sustained interest on Gypsy- and Traveller-related questions, and these are now being pursued within the broad context of problems and practices developed by the CSCE. On the occasion of the Moscow Meeting on the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE (10 September - 4 October 1991), representatives of participating States again drew attention to the situation of Gypsies and Travellers, and did so yet again at the CSCE meeting in Helsinki (March-June 1992). In the chapter dealing with questions of involvement and cooperation in the human dimension, "The participating States. reaffirm the need to develop appropriate programmes addressing problems of their respective nationals belonging to Roma and other groups traditionally identified as Gypsies and to create conditions for them to have equal opportunities to participate fully in the life of society, and will consider how to co-operate to this end. " 269. In April 1993, the CSCE's High Commissioner on National Minorities was requested "to study the social, economic and humanitarian problems relating to the Roma population in some participating States and the relevance of these problems to the mandate of the High Commissioner (Helsinki Decisions, Chapter II, para. 2-7) and to report thereon to the Committee of Senior Officials through the Chairman-in-Office. In the discussion, it was furthermore stated that these problems, which fall into the larger category of migration problems, could also have an international dimension. " The report, based on analysis of reports compiled on other occasions, and referring back to texts already adopted (notably the Resolution of 22 May 1989 adopted by the Ministers of Education of the European Community, as well as Council of Europe and United Nations documents), was submitted in September 1993. It contains proposals of a general nature but also proposals expressed specifically in terms of the human dimension dynamic developed within the CSCE. It makes reference to the above-mentioned texts adopted by the participating States, and demands the CSCE's the commitments, particularly those measures mentioned in the document issued at the Copenhagen meeting. implementation of The report states that "The governments of participating States, with assistance available through international channels, should be encouraged to devise and implement constructive policies for addressing the serious social, economic, and humanitarian problems of the Roma, including attacks and discrimination against them. Not to confront these difficulties now is only likely to lead to even more serious problems for the Roma, for governments, and for the region in the coming years, particularly if economic or political conditions deteriorate sharply". The report recommends "Devising and implementing special policies, particularly at the national and local levels, for addressing certain Roma-related issues in such areas as employment, education, health care and general welfare with the participation of affected communities; highlighting the relevance of the human dimension of the CSCE, under which Roma issues generally fall, in assisting participating States to improve, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of policies at the national and local levels aimed at addressing the problems of the Roma, and underscoring the importance of international cooperation among multilateral organisations and States in making appropriate material and technical assistance available for these efforts; devoting proper attention to migration, refugees and related issues and considering, if the State had not already done so, 70. ratification of relevant international instruments (. )" During a CSCE-organised seminar on minorities held in Warsaw (May 1993), in connection with the work of the subgroup on "dispersed minorities", Gypsy- related questions were once again given prominence. In 1994 the CSCE, in cooperation with the Council of Europe, held a seminar on the situation of Gypsy communities. The Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development - OECD 270. In 1993 the OECD completed a report entitled Evaluation of Gypsy Populations and of their movements in Central and Eastern Europe and in some OECD Countries, mainly dealing with migration-related questions, demands for asylum, demography and employment. The document contains no proposals, and the OECD currently has no projects of its own in this field. The United Nations Organisation 271. Gypsies made their first appearance in a United Nations text in 1977 when, in the wider framework of the Economic and Social Council's Commission on Human Rights, the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities appealed "to those countries having Roma (Gypsies) living within their borders to accord them, if they have not yet done so, all the rights enjoyed by the rest of the population" (Resolution adopted on 31st August 1977, doc. E/CN4/Sub2/399, p. 47). In August 1991, the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, recalling its Resolution of 1977, drew attention to "the fact that, in many countries, various obstacles exist to the full realisation of persons belonging to the Roma community of their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and that such obstacles constitute discrimination directed specifically against that community, rendering it that "manifestations of prejudice, particularly vulnerable", recalling also discrimination, intolerance and xenophobia" affect the Roma community, and recommend a draft Resolution for adoption by the Commission on Human Rights (33rd Session, 28th August 1991, 1991/21, Protection of Minorities). Finally, the Commission on Human Rights, during its session on 4th March 1992, adopted Resolution 1992/65, entitled "On the Protection of Roma (Gypsies)". 272. ECOS OC, the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, took a highly significant step when, in March 1979, it recognised the International Romani Union as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) representing Gypsies and Travellers. In March 1993 the UN upgraded its classification of the IRU from Observer Status to Category II, thus giving greater weight to its contributions. 273. The problems faced by Gypsies and Travellers in different States are highhghted by special rapporteurs of the Commission and Sub-Commission on Human Rights, and are also included in the activities carried out by specialised organs of the United Nations, such as for example the International Labour Bureau, which is pursuing its reflections on Gypsies. In 1993 the United Nations High 71 Commission for Refugees - UNHCR - published a report on the situation of Gypsy communities in some Central and Eastern European States. This carried a series of recommendations addressed most particularly to the HCR itself, and aiming to protect Gypsies from the persecution to which they are subject, ensure equal treatment for those seeking asylum, engage the attention of NGO's, particularly those of a humanitarian nature, and to organise sustained observation and information on the part of each HCR bureau with a view to obtaining the necessary tools to appreciate the situation and respond appropriately in order to improve it. 274. UNESCO has given financial support to a number of short-term projects related to research, teaching, and/or publications, especially in connection with the Romani language (the seminar on standardising Romani [Warsaw, April 1990] and summer schools organised by the IRU [Belgrade 1989, Vienna 1990]). UNESCO is currently involved in literacy- and education-related pilot projects in a number of States, and envisages a pilot project focusing on culture. 275. UNICEF, though its International Child Development Centre, has turned its attentions to the situation, particularly with regard to education, of Gypsy children in several States. A comparative study, a seminar, and a publication have all resulted, and more in-depth evaluation and networking of certain projects have been undertaken and are being intensified over the course of 1994. In this context, too, the experience accumulated by European Community projects may be of direct benefit to project development in Central and Eastern Europe; conversely, the West has a great deal to learn from activities developed in these parts of Europe. 72 Analysis and proposals 276. In point 2. 5. of the Resolution on School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, adopted on 22 May 1989, the Ministers of Education demanded "a report on the implementation of the measures provided for in this resolution" : in other words, a description of what has been achieved in relation to the Resolution in the four years since its adoption in 1989. The two preceding sections of this report, namely "Implementation in the Member States" (rounded out by the more detailed information available in the national reports on which it draws) and "Implementation at Community Level", are a response to this demand. 277. At the same time, as noted in the foreword, we have aimed to make this report more than a mere description of what has been done in response to the Resolution, but rather a dynamic appraisal of actions undertaken, an assessment of prospective orientations arising from examination of activities, an informative stocktaking for the benefit of all involved, revealing the background and foundations of actions, showing how each fits into the whole, a technical examination to serve decision-makers and politicians as a tool in their reflections as they prepare new education and training programmes for implementation. An assessment 278. In the field of education in general, and in the field of interculturai education in particular, it is extremely difficult to establish criteria of success or failure. Appraisal at this level would require observational tools making possible detailed, comparative analysis, more qualitative than quantitive in approach. Therefore what we shall be giving here are only indications of general trends, which may serve as reference points for evaluation. Participation 279. Implementation of the various actions undertaken in response to the Resolution has been characterised by : • the active participation of different partners, notably teams working in the field and Gypsy organisations; • a positive verdict on actions and of the manner in which they have been developed, as expressed notably in the assessments and recommendations drawn up at the conclusions of various meetings (seminars, colloquia, the 4th World Romani Congress [which adopted a very positive Resolution on the European Community's education-related activities], etc. ). When teams and/or individuals have voiced criticism, this has tended to be an expression of dissatisfaction at not 73 having been sufficiently involved in implementation- a justified complaint, but an unavoidable side-effect at the initial stages; • a marked willingness to develop activities, and to develop them well. Two remarks may be made with regard to this point : - for actions great and small, most teams made a tremendous effort on the modest financial assistance made available to them; - there was also a thirst for information, knowledge, and documentation, a search for partnership from teams and institutions seeking to develop contacts, escape their isolation, and find out what is going on elsewhere; these share the concern of the Commission and the Ministers to avoid duplicating actions but rather to link them so they can learn from each other. Awareness-raising 280. The swift implementation of the Resolution is due in good part to that fact that it was accompanied by a wide campaign of awareness-raising among the various bodies concerned - administrations, associations, teaching teams etc. - both through the participation of Member State Ministries in the Ad Hoc Group, and through the broad dissemination of information in every Member State. The implementation process thus benefited from a degree of visibility and transparency rarely achieved even for major programmes. 281. Significant, positive spin-off effects have resulted, particularly the levering effect the actions launched have had in mobilising new dynamics, and in bringing diverse partners into association. Administration 282. We take this opportunity to remind the reader that overall funding for the implementation of the Resolution was (in Ecus) : - 1991 budget - 1992 budget - 1993 budget - 1994 budget 700,000 700,000 1. 000. 000 1. 200,000 All actions described in the chapter on the implementation of the Resolution at Community level (including the pilot projects) were funded out of this budget. It is important to be clear on this point, since it gives us a base line on which to measure the "return" on actions in terms of cost-effectiveness and quality. To give some indication, if we consider all actions great and small undertaken over the four years in question, we get an average per-project cost of 12,000-15,000 Ecus. 283. The points outlined above must be taken in tandem with a complementary consideration : the large number of projects launched over 1991-1994 in no way signifies a dissipation of resources or effort. On the contrary, each of these actions has a logical place in an overall configuration. The working principles underlying this approach, described in one of the first chapters of this report, and developed within a strategy to be described further on. made it possible to bring a great number of-partners into structured association. 74 The situation 284. Excellent and essential as the actions developed have been, they are far from sufficient. The situation of Gypsy and Traveller communities is difficult, and frequently dramatic. The fundamental factors determining these families' overall situation, and in particular their children's scholastic situation, must therefore be constantly at the forefront of our thoughts when evaluating a given activity, measuring progress while noting limitations, defining the significance both quantitive and qualitative of the means to be set in motion to compensate for the negative effects of a situation which in some respects (work opportunities, accommodation, rejection. ) is actually getting worse. The conclusions issued at meetings, hearings, seminars etc. are many but convergent with regard to their analysis of the situation. They also confirm the analyses of the Commission report, School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, and echo those of the European Working Group on Gypsy and Traveller Education, mentioned above. We will take this opportunity to cite just two such meetings and the conclusions arising from them. 285. In May 1991 the Commission's Directorate General for Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs, seeking to improve its understanding of the European situation, invited Gypsy representatives and experts to a hearing, over the course of which delegates from 14 different States presented their views. Their conclusions regarding education were as follows : • "Conditions for schooling were generally difficult : the education system had ignored Gypsies for a long time. Studies carried out by the Commission since 1984 in this field had provided evidence and reports on the matter. These conditions resulted in the well-known, very high proportion of illiterate persons, up to 90% of the adult population; • inadequate preschool education; • insufficient account was taken of the language; • rejection and segregation in the classroom were frequent; • many children were not registered at a school and if they were registered they did not attend. " 286. In September 1991 a conference organised by the Centro Studi Zingari with the collaboration of the International Romani Union and the support of the European Commission, was held in Ostia (Italy). It issued the following conclusions on school provision : "This workshop on School Provision is compelled to draw attention to the fact that the school situation for Gypsy and Traveller chtidren continues to be difficult everywhere (. ) The following facts must once again be highlighted : 1 - our situation urgently requires action to improve the conditions of school provision at all levels; 75 2 - Gypsies' and Travellers' language, history, and culture are not granted sufficient consideration in school; 3 - the difficult social and economic situation in which many families find themselves prevents their availing of school provision in acceptable conditions; 4 - negative stereotypes and prejudice colour the attitudes and behaviour of political leaders, administrators, teachers, parents, and other pupils : rejection thus continues to be an important component of the situation hindering Gypsy and Traveller children's access to school; 5 - it is necessary to add that there is currently substantial migration of Gypsy families from Central and Eastern Europe towards Western Europe. This should strengthen the ties between East and West, and lead to an increase in joint action aimed at ensuring improved access to proper schooling for these children. The recommendations of the Group are linked to those (. ) of the Resolution adopted on 22nd May 1989 by the Ministers of Education of the 12 Member States of the European Community. This Resolution - welcomed by the International Romani Union during its Fourth World Congress in Warsaw, Poland, in April 1990 - should be implemented by the governments of the European Community, and other States are urged to follow their example. In addition, the Council of Europe must intensify its efforts towards European coordination and exchanges of experience between States. European Community programmes geared towards the countries of Eastern Europe should participate in this collaboration, specifically citing Gypsies and Travellers among recognised priority groups. " 287. Reports issued by local and regional authorities, schools, Gypsy associations and other bodies continue to stress - and this is only one of the indicators highlighting the scope of the task - the high rate of non-attendance, which may go over the 50% mark at regional level and at more local level may even surpass 90% (data published by a regional administration). Other reports emphasise the need for flexibility in developing selected means : for example, a mobile school with a 30- pupil capacity seeking to accommodate 160 children in the mid-winter months. Other reports and a number of published accounts draw attention to the personal rejection Gypsy and Traveller children may be subjected to in school. 288. Along the same lines - an intensification of effort - attention should be drawn to the need for administrations in the majority of States to provide themselves with the necessary means to form a clearer understanding of the diversity of situations, and of activities taking place, throughout the territory for which they are responsible. This should be done with a view to improving knowledge and evaluation, but also in order to achieve better coordination and take existing measures into account so as to avoid trial-and-error and reap the benefits of actions which promise positive results. 289. We must underscore the importance of consultation, a principle which implies the involvement of all partners. The analyses and proposals put forward by diverse bodies (Gypsy organisations, teaching teams and associations. ) intensely 76 involved in work at ground level and in a position to give a detailed account of local situations, make possible a response based on full knowledge of the facts, and of the reality behind them, optimising the conditions under which education policy is formulated. Mobilisation 290. The analyses and demands of Gypsy/Traveller organisations, families' personal experience, studies carried out over the last few years and the publications arising from them, the experience of teams working in the field, and many other facts and testimonies are in total convergence in emphasising that it is unrealistic to consider any aspect of the situation of Gypsy and Traveller communities (be it school provision, health, economics, accommodation. ) in isolation. In attempting to ameliorate this situation, it is essential to take account of all the factors and parameters determining it, and to tackle all of these fronts. 291. A movement has been launched at the level of international instimtions; its guiding benchmarks were outlined in the preceding chapter. Over the past few years, generally speaking, European institutions have indeed responded positively to the urgings of the various statements issued by their respective parliamentary or other bodies, but with a strong bias towards education, putting a near-exclusive priority on school-related questions. These are indeed fundamental, but they are not sufficient. That is why it is very significant to note that, from the early 1990's, the trend has been towards broadening the scope of concern. This process is occurring simultaneously on three different fronts, and should finally make it possible to tackle questions within their overall context : • intensified reflection, accompanied by a will to see thought transformed into concrete action, in the sense that in those fields where new thinking is in evidence, it tends to go on to be developed and consolidated, and that in other fields there has been a feeling of ferment, an impulse towards new thinking; • diversification in that, while education remains a priority, there is also increased emphasis on themes such as local authority accommodation policy, social questions, legal questions, migration movements, etc. ; • increased consultation, in that Gypsy/Traveller organisations are increasingly regarded as partners by international institutions; as consultation procedures develop, these Gypsy/Traveller organisations will need to keep firmly in touch with the dynamics of their own communities. There is also increased cooperation between international organisations, each with its own profile and field of interest. 292. Approaching questions in this way should enable us to formulate them clearly and respond more effectively. For the past ten years the European Union has, through its Task Force Human Resources, Education, Training, Youth - recently renamed Directorate General XXII : Education, Training, Youth - been at the forefront of pioneering worK in the field of education. Certain recommended working guidelines have begun to bear fruit from which other fields can benelitin turn. As a result, school-related questions are part of a broad movement, and it is self- evident that the multitude of developments which have taken shape over the last while should be interlinked. This broader perspective also demonstrates that activities are not isolated, dead-ended events. In fact they are part of a dynamic process, if only they are linked with what is happening elsewhere. 77 A Strategy 293. From the very inception of the work, proposals and action connected with implementing the Resolution have been organised to form a coherent whole. Nothing was conceived in isolation, but rather always as part of a structured ensemble, with a view to progressing reflection, experience and knowledge. The Commission has played its part by supplying the impetus for Community action, providing background preparation and follow-up, ensuring coordination, disseminating findings. 294. Overall action organisation has been based on an approach responding to the demands of a difficult context, making it possible to : • begin work immediately, and efficiently, within limited means • implement action in a progressive and flexible manner, respecting the priorities of the different partners involved • take full account of the existing situation, and to enrich it with a Community dimension • graft local, regional, national and Community activities onto these priorities, and render these activities, initiatives and various sources of funding mutually compatible • the whole guided by an approach making possible an interrelation between most actions. 295. As for the driving principles behind the implementation of the Resolution, these are essentially : • broad dissemination of information and documentation^ which in turn brings positive, complementary effects, notably : - developing direct relationships with those involved - the formation of a number of networks, which take on a life of their own - the opportunity for every willing and able team to undertake a project of its own and/or to associate with existing projects. In a delicate and difficult field fraught with often contradictory sensitivities, access to information engenders consultation, which in turn engenders constructive partnership. • the second driving principle is that of a flexible working framework. The Resolution stipulates that "The Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, will strive to promote a set of measures (aimed) at developing a global structural approach. " We must conceive a working framework, flexibly structured, capable of accommodating both ongoing action and new proposals, linking and coordinating these changing elements. 78 • diversification of proposals (training, action-research, publications, meetings, exchange. ) and an extension of available aid, so that a significant number of teams can benefit without overstretching resources. This presupposes coherent management of the whole. 296. The fact that the same presentation format has been utilised from the start (particularly in the newsletter) has made it possible to convey, in a short period, information rendering activities not only visible, but transparent, facts greatiy appreciated by the different partners involved. Moreover, the advances being made are gradually inspiring other sectors. Prospects 297. As regards content, we need simply - but imperatively - remind the reader that the entirety of the report School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, published in 1986, and in particular its 100-point summary and recommendations, all founded on broad study and numerous consultation meetings, remain valid. The document served as a working base for the Council and as a foundation for the Resolution adopted in 1989. Some of these points have already been realised at national and/or Community level, in accordance with the strategies drawn up in 1986, and others are due for implementation in the near future. 298. As regards priorities : the studies, consultation, dialogue, seminars, conferences et al which have taken place since the early 1980's are convergent both in their conclusions and in their identification of priorities. Even now, a decade or more later, meetings which are not tightly limited to predetermined topics continue to reach the same conclusions and to identify the same priorities. This leads us to two conclusions of our own : • firstly, this convergence is a confirmation of long-established priorities; • but their continued reaffirmation signifies that there has, as yet, been no satisfactory response. Two practical considerations arise from this : • as regards further reflection, it is essential to pinpoint precise themes and to pursue them in depth; • it is imperative that action responding to the urgencies and priorities repeatedly identified year after year be initiated or intensified. 299. As regards working guidelines, we have proposed a set of 7 principles laying out an approach taking the dynamics of different communities and the reality of diverse political, cultural and economic parameters, into consideration. (We refer the reader to Roma, Gypsies, Travellers, the Council of Europe synthesis publication mentioned earlier, in which these are spelled out in some detail) : • flexibility in diversity • precision in clarity • internal dynamics : the basis of everything 79 • consultation • coordination • study and reflection • information and documentation. 300. Priorities have, therefore, been defined, the action implementation strategy has begun to bear fruit, working tools are honed and showing proof of viability, some concrete results have been achieved. The short period covered by 4 annual budgets has made it possible to initiate a programme. The time has come to consolidate this programme, passing from the quasi-experimental stage to one of broader dissemination of those approaches and findings deemed by the partners to be positive. In effect, it appears that efforts at both national and Community level, while significant, are too often piecemeal in nature; to put it another way, the number of children involved in projects of this kind is still, in most places, very small indeed in comparison to the number of children concerned. We are thus on the threshold of a new working period, in which the consolidated dynamics of these actions must be simultaneously broadened and intensified. 301. This intensification must nonetheless take place in a conscious awareness of the fact that a programme of this kind, developed by a number of States acting in tandem, must be characterised by an originality which could not be found in a programme at national level. Community initiative is no substitute for national action; its task is to play a levering role, raise awareness, and encourage cooperation, through its own different but complementary - and limited - means. Some key concepts may, in the context which forms the object of this report, suggest broad lines for future work. Promoting innovation 302. Activities must be original and exploratory in character. Such an approach carries a number of advantages : 1 • it avoids duplication of other European Union programmes and of other initiatives, especially national ones; 2 • it validates activities relevant to the Gypsy communities : it has been emphasised that reflections and actions undertaken in the Gypsy context can serve as the "cutting edge", providing inspiration for other communities and for more general actions, particularly in connection with interculturai education. This concept, first put forward in the 1980's, has since been substantiated in a number of instances. It is important that the development programme be, and continue to be, exemplary in the literal sense, both in order to generate recognition and respect for the communities concerned and, through the example it sets, to inspire further initiatives and new ideas, thereby bringing an important contribution to thinking on society in general and minorities in particular; 3 • it encourages the development of micro-projects : diverse situations and aspirations require a mosaic of micro-responses - particularly from die community development perspective - and micro-projects; 4 • it enlists the direct involvement of research actions and action research : While action-research is not the same as applied research, it is nonetheless inherendy geared towards a process of adaptation : action-research is evaluation for evolution. Innovation requires research, and the promotion of innovation goes 80 hand-in-hand with the promotion of research. In the context covered by this report, the proposal is to confirm the vital role of universities and institutes and of dieir personnel who, from Dublin to Bucharest and from Grenada to Moscow, work in this field and are active in action arising from it. Network-based logic 303. The pilot projects run by the Member States have been organised from the start along 5 priority themes : secondary education, the transition from school to working life, distance learning, teaching materials, and training and employing Gypsy mediators. Meetings focusing on each of these have been held, giving teams an opportunity to exchange information and insights, and consolidating the links which might be formed between people working on similar topics in different States. Following a period during which their work was geographically localised, and subsequently developed at national level, these teams are currendy networking throughout the European Union. At this stage, it is important to look ahead, with a view to ensuring the following : 1 • link-up and intensification of exchange within in each of the networks, between projects in receipt of Commission support; these projects must form, on an EU scale, a coherent series of entities concentrating on precisely defined issues; 2 • link-up and exchange within each State between projects arising from different initiatives but concerning the same theme. In other words, it is important for these networks to remain flexible and open to kindred experience and activities. Such openness increases both the number of different partners and their involvement, improves inter-action coordination, enhances responsiveness to new ideas, etc. It is important from every point of view to seek out additional participants and thus to enlarge the circle, if pilot projects are to have a sufficiendy broad base to confer validity and legitimacy, and if they are to merit the name of pilot projects by giving rise to further reflection and action. 304. In order to achieve these conditions, it is essential that the working methods currendy emerging from some of these networks, be consolidated : 1 • at Community level, financial support must be forthcoming for the teams comprising each of the networks to facilitate their flexible functioning within the Community; this proposal is entirely in keeping with Socrates, the new action programme in the field of education, which postulates this type of approach; 2 • at Community level, teams involved in the networks must be provided with technical support : tools consolidated at Union level over the four years of implementing the Resolution (databases, the newsletter, an established publications collection. ) can provide the necessary logistical support. This, too, is entirely in line with the dynamic oudined in the Socrates programme; 3 • the members of each network must have the opportunity to benefit from information and training sessions on how their project is managed, how European networks are organised and how they function, the overall context in which their own work is taking place, with a view to avoiding duplication and gaining the insights of others in the field, progress in database development concerning their particular theme, etc. 81 4 • at State level, where pilot projects on a given theme are being developed, information on the theme in question must be made available at national level, and a range of means (information circulars, information-gathering studies, regional or national meetings etc. ) should be employed to encourage the participation of other teams involved in the same field. 5 • at Community level, progress-assessment meetings must continue to be held; these must also facilitate the exchange of information and documentation, in order to maximise project coherence and progress. In addition to their training and exchange roles, and their increasing contribution to evaluation, these meetings also have an incentive effect on participants, encouraging the development of the dynamics that drive them, and play an essential role in network formation and consolidation, a process that takes off from the contacts participants develop amongst themselves. 6 • the different Working and Research Groups which have been established at Community level must actively participate in this network-based logic. Their activity as Expert Groups is part of the role assigned to them at their inception. They themselves constitute networks in their respective fields (history, linguistics, pedagogy, culture) and are engaged in precise projects of their own : for example, they are in charge of producing the Collection at European level. It is important for other activities to benefit from their experience. 305. The lines of action defined above should be firmly grounded in structures and/or agencies capable of ensuring the essential functions described in this and other reports (coordinating, facilitating. ) One of the points of the Resolution demanded the "designation, where necessary, of a State authority or authorities involved in the schooling of Gypsy and Traveller children in States with a large number of Gypsies and Travellers to assist in coordination of the necessary measures teachers, including, where appropriate, those relating to documentation and the production of teaching material. " the training of 306. In some cases bodies of this kind are already in existence. The fact that they are already operational would reduce both the costs and risks entailed in setting up the infrastructure, and their experience in the field would act as a guarantor of overall quality. Official confirmation of this role would make an important contribution to establishing "national agencies" as envisualisedin the Socrates programme, and the technical and scientific skills of such experienced bodies could provide national structures with essential support. 307. A proposal along these lines was already put forward in the 1986 report, and repeated in the Resolution adopted by the Ministers; the experience of the last few years has only served to confirm its validity. 308. These new agencies should be set up both with a view to the priority criteria of quality and experience mentioned above, and in a spirit of rational expenditure and value for money. In some cases, and in accordance with the logic we have outlined, all that is required is a simple redeployment of existing means, in order to structure them in relation to a relay function (providing contact points, information, documentation, expertise and so on). The logic behind the Resolution adopted by the Ministers suggests that, while most States would require at least one relay at national level, in those States where administration is organised on a regional basis, the education authorities could designate several relays (examples : England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the United Kingdom; 82 Andalusia, Catalonia, the Community of Valencia, the Basque Country etc. in Spain. ) We repeat that there are many places in Europe in which teams skilled in relay functions already exist; all that remains is to confirm them in this function training opportunities, practical support and and coordination. to provide them with 309. The first part of this report demonstrated the legitimacy of EU involvement and its importance to the Gypsy communities. The implementation of the Resolution is taking place through EU action (the information newsletter, the European Collection, the databases, the European Working Groups. ) complementing national initiatives linked at Union level (the pilot projects, local teams' projects, exchanges of experience. ), and has amply demonstrated the efficacy of subsidiarity in practice. Now that these actions are multiplying and intensifying, the consolidation of relay mechanisms (which will be taking place in connection with new education-related programmes, mainly Socrates) will strengthen the quality of work while continuing to respect subsidiarity and plurality. Interlinking to forge a whole 310. The definitive, overriding thrust behind proposals is towards intensifying those actions seen as producing positive results, and interlinking them so they can reinforce each other, thus avoiding duplication and establishing visibility and direction for the whole : • work should be structured around the pilot projects proposed by the Member States, within thematic networks which, while solid, remain open and flexible; • the Research and Working Groups should intensify their work in relation to interculturai education (in the fields of history, language, culture, teaching methods etc. ); they can be called upon to "inject" their expertise into pilot projects; • everyone direcdy involved in these actions, and indeed everyone concerned with or interested in them, must be assured of regular information and access to working tools such as databases and publications. 311. For any number of reasons, reflection and action in this field cannot be pursued in a fragmented fashion. School provision for Gypsy and Traveller children is an integral part of school provision for all children, and improving it should bring broad downstream benefits. The interculturai approach postulates a principle of openness to diversity. It is therefore essential to stress that the prospects oudined here can only take on their full force and import within a broader perspective linking these with proposals and actions in related fields, complementary programmes, other institutions. Education for all 312. In opening the budgetary heading which, from 1991, has made possible the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the Ministers, the European Parliament did so within the framework of developing interculturai education, targeting three groups : the children of migrant workers. Gypsy and Traveller children, and the children of occupational travellers. These groups clearly differ in their history, the treatment to which they are subject, the legislation regulating part of their existence, their languages and cultures, their numbers, their geographical distribution, the nature of their mobility, their relationships with the schools - yet, 83 though the means through which schooling is provided must remain open to diversity in order to continue to adapt, it is nonetheless also true that in some cases provision (pilot projects, for example) developed for one of these groups may serve as inspiration for, and indeed be of considerable usefulness to, one or both of the others. For example, work done on learning the national language as a second language addresses a problem common to both (some) Gypsies and (some) migrants; likewise, the same mechanisms for the scholastic monitoring of highly mobile children may be suitable whether they are from circus and fairground families, bargees, or nomadic Gypsies/Travellers. The Commission has been keeping an eye on potential for rapprochement since the implementation of the Resolution was first undertaken, and, now that projects have acquired considerable experience, it is desirable that inter-team exchange should develop in a number of fields. 313. Since 1982 the European Parliament has, through the allocation of funding, encouraged the development of activities concerning regional and "lesser used" languages. These activities have gradually been expanded. At this point, it would be well for the Gypsy language to be included in action covering "lesser used languages", and for a work programme to be defined through a joint effort of the Research and Action Group established to develop Romani linguistics at European level, in partnership with Commission bodies concerned with regional and minority languages, such as the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages and the Mercator network. 314. The Commission has. since 1987, directed sustained attention to open and distance learning, on which topic it has published a number of documents. As regards distance learning in relation to Gypsy and Traveller children, the 1986 report made a number of recommendations which were subsequently reiterated in the Resolution adopted by the Ministers, and several meetings focusing on the subject have taken place. Moreover, distance learning was among the priority themes identified by the various partners dealing with school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, and one of the pilot project networks is devoted to it. Article 126 of the Treaty on the European Union emphasises the importance of distance learning, and it enjoys a privileged role in the programmes - both ongoing and at the planning stages - being developed by various component bodies of the European Union. Current communication/information practice and technology offer great potential as regards distance teaching and support, as well as the scholastic monitoring of isolated or widely dispersed pupils. These possibilities, useful and relevant to anyone, at any age or level, pursuing an education, are clearly of particular interest in relation to Gypsy and Traveller children. It is thus important to investigate the ways in which these new methods can assist school proyision for Gypsy and Traveller children and, conversely, what insights the experience of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children can contribute to the general application of these new methods. In this context, work on school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children must receive the full support of the relevant Commission programmes. 315. In the field of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children. Council of Europe activities are being intensified, and are increasingly interlinked with European Union actions through the Gypsy Research Centre of the Université René Descartes, Paris, the external support body they share. Provided coordination is firmly maintained, this convergence represents very significant potential for 84 action on a European scale. We must emphasise that, when we speak of "European" activities, we are not confining ourselves to the Member States of the European Union; the Resolution of the Council and the Ministers, like the European Parliament and, in very concrete ways, the demands expressed by numerous partners, all oblige us to conceive our work on a scale of Europe as a whole. Information, expertise, and the exchange of views and experience should know no frontiers, particularly when they relate to a transnational community of some 7-8 million persons throughout Europe, over half of whom are children of school age. These considerations also apply to other activities mentioned earlier, such as those begun by UNESCO and UNICEF as well as in related fields such as cultural action, notably the Council of Europe study being undertaken in connection with the European Gypsy Cultural Itinerary project. Shared programmes 316. Certain programmes developed within European Union States, and others aimed at States in Central and Eastern Europe, have already given rise to actions of relevance to Gypsy communities; other programmes, too, could provide support for essential activities directed at these communities. In consequence particular attention should be paid to these programmes and to interlinkage with structural funds such as the European Social Fund, particularly in relation to certain major priority objectives for which the funding is earmarked. In this context we mention the "Community Programme to Foster the Economic and Social Integration of Least Privileged Groups" (better known as the Poverty Programme) and its successors, the Ouverture!Ecos programme, the Tempus programme, the Iris programme of training for women, the Horizon programme, and many others, some of them capable of providing direct input into education-related activities being proposed in the context of implementing the Resolution. For example, the Horizon programme has provided assistance to teams working on mediator training; while these mediators are not necessarily going to work in the schools, their training and employment nonetheless overlap with issues covered by the network linking pilot projects dealing with the training and employment of Gypsy mediators in the school context, which receives assistance under the heading of interculturai education. Other far-reaching programmes may be of significance to Gypsy and Traveller communities : for example the European Union's research and development programme-framework opens up funding possibilities for research on education and training, and most particularly for research into social integration and social exclusion (the processes of social exclusion, the forms it takes, its causes, migration-related questions. ). Particular attention will be paid to exchanging information on the forms and causes of social exclusion, and on ways of addressing these. It is important to establish synergies and to ensure a transversal dimension to actions aimed at Gypsy and Traveller communities. Here, too, the actions of die Council of Europe must be taken into account, as they are directly complementary to European Union activity. 85 Opening up to the transversal 317. Certain fields possess the dual characteristic of being simultaneously priority areas, and straddling diverse sectors' territories of reflection and action. They may bear some relevance to school-related questions, but go well beyond them : for example, vocational training, accommodation issues, economic activities, administrational attitudes, migration, freedom of movement etc. A great deal remains to be done in these fields : there are lines of communication to be established and exploratory studies to be undertaken, just as was once the case with regard to school provision. The fundamental first step with regard to each - vocational training, economic activities, accommodation issues, equal opportunities for women, etc. - is to analyse the conditions under which they occur, compile the findings and publish them as a report, and then, just as was done with regard to school provision, to formulate precise proposals and lay out guidelines for the work, so that resultant activity will be structured into an organised whole. Experience and skills developed in connection with school provision may prove very useful in proposing action in other fields. In some of these, such as migration, demands for asylum, and proposals for bodies to tackle and prevent the violent attacks to which Gypsies and Travellers are being subjected, the CSCE and United Nations have already produced reports, as mentioned in the preceding chapter. 1994 is bringing significant advances in this field, notably, in relation to the last few points mentioned, emerging from a conference organised by the CSCE and the Council of Europe for September 1994. In the new programme dynamic 318. Education is a linchpin of Union activity. It is covered in Article 126 of the Treaty on European Union, as is Vocational Training in Article 127, Culture in Article 128, and Research in Article 130. Union bodies therefore face the task, over 1994, of organising a coherent set of programmes, with the accent on rationalising and simplifying existing ones and reducing their number, "while reinforcing those aspects which appear most promising in terms of added value and European impulse " (COM (93) 183 final). 319. The proposals outlined in the preceding paragraphs are fully in line with the framework text of the quoted Articles of the Treaty, as well as the new guidelines defined by Union bodies, notably the Commission in its "Community action lines". "Respecting subsidiarity, Community action is developing and should continue to develop at three levels : - the encouragement of well-structured cooperation between the education and training systems; - the promotion of quality through innovation by exchanges of information and experience; - the launching of specific direct actions on a Community-wide basis, where there is a clear advantage over action only at national level" (COM (93) 183 final). 320. The same text stresses that "Specifically, efforts should be made to eliminate any possible duplication of effort, maximise the complementarity of the different actions and ensure real synergy and mutual reinforcement between them. " An examination of the remainder of this Commission text reveals the congruence 86 between the Commission's "Community action lines" and the proposals outlined in the present report : establishing transnational partnership networks, mobility, exchanges, joint transnational projects, transparency, information etc. 321. Under new programme proposals, schooling comes under the Socrates programme; in it, Gypsy children are mentioned a number of times, notably in relation to promoting equal opportunity, combating exclusion and racism, and, accordingly, the necessity of particular vigilance to ensure that these children have access to the full range of school provision. The programme also states, in reference to Gypsy children and the children of migrants, that "A particular aim of this action will therefore be to ensure that the achievements can be applied to education as a whole to foster interculturai education for all. Here, too, the Community contribution will be concentrated on transferable activities with considerable educational potential, and their dissemination. Because of the political and social situation a determined effort is required to provide interculturai education for all. The specific measures under Action 2 represent both a testing ground and a useful source of innovation for all young people " (COM (93)708 final). The Commission also emphasises the general point that : "Community measures form a particularly effective complement to the measures taken by the Member States in that the budget available for the Community measures is extremely limited in comparison with thatof the Member States, and is concentrated on sectors which generally receive less national funding and which are generally hardest hit by budget restrictions in time of economic austerity. In some sectors. the opportunities to make more widely available those teaching materials developed with Community support will certainly unblock the restrictions on the production of quality products tailored to the various target groups. " The assessment of the implementation of the Resolution carried in the preceding pages, and the proposals arising from it, are a clear expression of the agreement between the programme developed over the past number of years for Gypsy and Traveller children, and the Commission's current proposals both with regard to the Gypsy communities in particular and for education in general : one need only compare the projects developed over the past few years and the proposals now being put forward with the priorities and proposals of the new Socrates programme, to observe their point-by-point confluence. 322. The Youth for Europe programme, aiming to promote the development of youth exchange and youth-related activities throughout the Union, may fulfil an important complementary role to the Socrates programme as regards young Gypsies and Travellers. Youth for Europe does not cover projects carried out under the headings of education and vocational training, but it does open up important perspectives for youth workers, with particular attention to, and a significant proportion of funding earmarked for, youth in difficulty. Initiatives focusing on combating all forms of exclusion should be similarly and specifically encouraged and fostered. 323. A quick sui'vey of the various initiatives developed within the Union enables us to emphasise once again the need for structured information and for solid coordination, in order to avoid the dissipation of resources, inconsistency of approach, and duplication. It also reveals the validity of the approach followed in implementing the Resolution, and of the use the experience gained can be put to in structuring and providing practical assistance for actions such as information, 87 documentation etc. in other fields. 324. While stressing the congruence between the general proposals being put forward in the framework of the new programmes, and the specific proposals formulated with regard to improving the conditions of school provision for Gypsy and Traveller children, we must nonetheless remain vigilant to ensure that our new position within a vast programme entails no diminution of the flexibility, spontaneity, innovative spirit and organisation that have been essential factors in the success of achievements realised in the framework of the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989. 325. The right to schooling applies to all children, unconditionally, and must be put into practice with an eye to ensuring equal opportunity and in a context guaranteeing respect for the child's culture. 326. Education is a link to the future, a positive vector, which enables us to get out of the rut of thinking in terms of "problems" linked to an approach from a "social" or "marginal" angle. The training of young people, which is proceeding apace, will have a profound impact on the landscape : they will now become the fully accepted partners of institutions, experienced practitioners, and qualified experts. Considerable distance has been covered in a single generation. We must, however, bear in mind that, if part of the road is being travelled, and the jigsaw of projects and programmes in diverse and essential domains is gradually taking shape, a great deal nonetheless remains to be done, and that in a difficult context rendering all progress fragile and uncertain. All efforts must be combined to consolidate achievements and advance towards the dynamic cultural affirmation and development made possible in the mutual respect of an interculturai approach. 327. European institutions must remain vigilant in their role as guarantors of this approach. In summary, then, and in relation to the field covered by this report, it is proposed that the simple, realistic, economical way to achieve this, in accordance with the logic underlying new education-related programmes, is to intensify action already launched at national and at Union levels, while simultaneously strengthening networking at both of these. The working guidelines defined, the strategy employed, the themes identified, the balance of projects and the profile of each - all have proved their worth. Over a brief period, and despite limited means, the results are tangible. Reinforcing these means, and using them with the same attention to balance and in accordance with the same strategy based on flexibility, coordination and openness, should make it possible to extend access to the programme to include a greater number of partners, to have a more pronounced levering effect on actions launched, to pass from the exploratory phase to measures gradually made accessible to all the children concerned, while retaining a spirit of willingness to undertake innovation and the will to interlink this work with that being developed at the initiative of other bodies and within other programmes. Thus the set of activities launched in the framework of the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989 can continue to be seen as an essential driving force, as a reference model, and as a demonstration that cultural diversity and action geared towards respecting it are a source of enrichment for all pupils, ancffor European society as a whole. 88 Appendix 1 Study report published by the Commission by Jean-Pierre Liégeois Gypsy Research Centre - Université René Descartes La scolarisation des enfants tsiganes et voyageurs Commission of the European Communities Office for Official Publications of the European Communities "Documents" Series, 1986, 286 pp School Provision for Gypsy and Traveller Children, idem. Commission of the European Communities, 1987, 278 pp (English translation by Sinéad ni Shuinéar). La scolarizzazione dei bambini zingari e viaggianti, idem. Commissione délie Communità Europee. 1987, 288 pp (Italian translation by Leonardo Piasere). La escolarizaciôn de los ninos gitan os y viajeros, idem. Comisiôn de las Comunidades Europeas, 1987, 385 pp (Spanish translation by Carlos Martin Ramirez). Die schulische Betreuung der Kinder von Zigeunern und Reisenden, idem. Kommission der Europâischen Gemeinschaften, 1987, 516 pp (German translation by Marion Papenbrok). 89 Appendix 2 The Orientation Document for Reflection and for Action This 28-page document contains a succinct summarisation of proposals and guidelines, under the following headings : - structures - pedagogy and teaching materials - publication and information - teachers - action-research - consultation and coordination - the role, of the European Community Published in 1988, it is available in the following languages : - DE : Orientierungspapier als Discissions- undHandlungsgrundlage, avadable from the Cenue de recherches tsiganes, Université René Descartes, 106 quai de Clichy - F - 92110 - Clichy: - EN : Orientation Document for Reflection and for Action, published by the Traveller Education Service, Education Development Service, North District Centre, Monsall Road, Monsall - UK - Manchester M10 8WP. - ES : Documento de orientaciôn para la reflexion y para la acciôn, published by Nevipens Romani - Noticias Gitanas, Apartado de Correos 202 - E - 08080 - Barcelona. - FR : Document d'orientation pour la réflexion et pour l'action, published by the Ministère de l'Education nationale, de la Jeunesse et des Sports, Centre national de documentation pédagogique, Centre de Documentation Migrants, 91, rue Gabriel Péri - F - 92120 - Montrouge. - IT : Documento orientativo per la riflessione e l'azione, published by Lacio Drom, Via dei Barbieri 22 -1 - 00186 - Roma. - PT : Documento de orientaçâo para a reflexâo e para a acçâo, available from the Ministerio da Educaçâo e Cultura, Direcçâo-Geral do Ensino Bâsico e Secundârio, Avenida 24 de Julho, 138- 5° - P - 1399 - Lisboa Codex. - Valenciano : Document d'orientaciô per a la reflexiô i l'acciô, published by die Conselleria de Cultura, Educaciô i Ciència, Direcciô General de Centres i Promociô Educativa, Avenida Campanar 32 - E-46015-Valencia 90 Appendix 3 The following national reports were compiled in connection with evaluating the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the Ministers in 1989 : Belgium (Dutch-speaking) : Marc Verlot with Sven Sierens and Nele Goethals, Het Onderwijs aan kinderen en Voyageurs, Ministerie van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Département Onderwijs, Secretariaat-generaal - Cel Studie en Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, January 1994, 34 pp. van Zigeuners Belgium (French-speaking) : Alain Reyniers, La scolarisation en Communauté française de Belgique des enfants de culture itinérante (Tsiganes et Voyageurs, bateliers, forains. Gens du cirque), Communauté française de Belgique, Scolarisation en milieu multiculturel, October 1993, 56 pp. Report on Education of Gvpsy Children in Denmark, Undervisnings Ministeriet, 1993,21pp. voyageurs. Jovhanna Bourguignon, Scolarisation des enfants Ministère de l'Education nationale. Direction des Ecoles, Direction des Lycées et Collèges, November 1993, 23 pp + Annexes. tsiganes et Martin Emundts, Die Schulische Betreuung der Kinder von Binnen-Schiffern, Circusangehôrigen und Schaustellern und der Kinder von Sinti und Roma und Fahrenden. Kultusministerium Nordrhein-Westfalen. undated, 16 pp. National Ministry for Education and Religious Affairs. Rapport communautaire pour l'enseignement des enfants tsiganes, undated. 52 pp. Report on the Implementation of EC Resolution 89IC 153102 on School Provision for Travellers. Department of Education, September 1993, 30 pp + Annexes. Opera Nomadi Nazionale (Secondo Massano, with the assistance of Maria Ottani and Mario Salomoni) La scolahzzazione degli alunni zingari e viaggianti in Italia, September 1993, 25 pp + Annexes. Denmark : France : Germany : Greece : Ireland : Italy : Netherlands : Overzicht van Voorzieningen in Nederland voor het Onderwijs aan Woonwagen- en Zigeunerleerlingen, Ministerie van Onderwijs en Wetenschappen. December 1993. 21 pp. FDrtugal : Spain : Relatôrios nacionais sobre a escolarizaçâo das crianças ciganas e viajantes. Ministério da Educaçâo. April 1994, 5 pp. La escolarizaciôn de los Gitanos en Espaha, Ministério de Educaciôn y Ciencia, July 1993, 37 pp. United Kingdom School provision for Gypsies and other Travellers in the UK relevant to EC Resolution 89/C 153/02. Department for Education, undated, 23 pp. 91 ISSN 0254-1475 COM(96) 495 final DOCUMENTS EN 16 05 Catalogue number : CB-CO-96-503-EN-C ISBN 92-78-09937-6 Office for Official Publications of the European Communities L-2985 Luxembourg ^X