2010

Following the Partnership's 2010 grant submission to the ISC in which we requested that we be permitted to use carryover funds from programmes which were funded but not completed in previous years (e.g. Travellers in sport), and the ISC's permission to do so, a new integration programme was developed and delivered in 2010 to cover increase the participation of Travellers and Migrants in sport and physical activity.

Approximately 180 children in each of the two schools attended by Travellers in Tullamore (and who also have high immigrant populations) participated.  The trained Traveller and immigrant tutors also provided support in helping children in other communities.

In total, 360 Traveller and  immigrant children were supported to participate to their optimum in sporting disciplines. 

Scoil Bhride, Tullamore (for example) which has the highest population of Travellers and immigrants in the county, participated in and won the Offaly inter schools athletics championships following a programme intervention.  A number of the participants have now joined the local athletic club as a result.

While there has been some transfer of children into mainstream clubs, this generally remains a problem and the number of immigrants for example participating in the mainstream is not proportional to the overall size of the community.  The Sports Partnership made a strong case to the office of the Minister for Integration in this regard and is to receive support for 2011 to start to address this issue.