Evaluation of the STAR Pilot Project Report
Published on
Last updated on
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of Education has published an independent evaluation of the pilot project “Supporting Traveller and Roma (STAR)”. The STAR project focused on improving school attendance, participation, and school completion among Traveller and Roma children and young people.
The pilot project was established in 2019 under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, supported by the Department of Education and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Inclusion and Youth. The project supported 55 schools with circa. 1,400 Traveller and Roma students across four regions, Co. Galway. Co. Wexford, North Dublin City and Cork City.
The findings indicate that the targeting of resources through the STAR Pilot Programme made a valuable contribution to children and young people’s learning and school experience. It gave them an increased sense of belonging in school and had a positive impact on their parents/guardians’ engagement with their schools.
The STAR pilot project was designed to inform the development of evidence-based policies. Initial findings were used to inform the development of the Traveller and Roma Education Strategy 2024-2030. This was published alongside its associated two-year plan for action and implementation on the 16 July 2024. The strategy included the importance of creating an environment of trust and collaboration among children and young people, their families and communities and the schools.
One of the key findings of the STAR pilot was to consider the potential advantages of community education link workers coming from the Traveller and/or Roma communities to help tackle educational disadvantage among Travellers and Roma.
This was followed last October with the announcement of €1.25 million in funding to establish 12 Community Link Worker roles to support Traveller and Roma children at risk of educational disadvantage.
Community Link Workers will work across a number of schools in areas where there are high numbers of Traveller and Roma children and young people. Their roles will focus on fostering greater engagement with Traveller and Roma families to facilitate successful communication, promote positive relationships and to support the learning of Traveller and Roma children and young people.
This number of community link workers has been increased since then from 12 to 15 due to additional funding.
This is a scaling up of a key part of the work being done in the STAR regional pilot on a national level.
More in-depth consideration of the findings of the STAR report will continue to inform future action and implementation plans for the Traveller and Roma Education Strategy.