Thomas Acton | Present |
Colin Clark | Apologies |
Brian Foster | Present |
Valdemar Kalinin | Apologies |
Hazel Marsh | Apologies |
Sue Mutter | Present |
Lisa Smith | Present |
Siobhan Spencer | Present |
Anne Walker | Present |
Margaret Wood | Present |
Candace Thomas | Present |
Agenda
- Apologies
- Minutes of previous Meeting
- Matters Arising
- Forward planning
- Showman working group update
- Correspondence
- GRTSB Matters Arising
- Schools pledge
- Finance Update
- AOB
Discussion
- Covered by the agenda
Action
Forward planning
SWOT
Strengths
ACERT is a small, agile organisation, in charge of our own finances, with strong values and skilled volunteers. We have a wide range of supporters and keep them in touch and involved through our website, newsletters, online events (like the Education Support Network) and conferences.
Our conferences provide an opportunity for community activists to share their work; ACERT is seen as an organisation which encourages all our partners to do well; we avoid factional tensions.
We participate in the DfE Stakeholder group, respond to consultations and Parliamentary inquiries and requests from the press and media.
Weaknesses The age distribution of core activists is skewed towards the older end. Younger people tend to have many commitments and opportunities, and may have to focus more on earning a living or studying.
ACERT has insufficient funds to pay staff and there is some reluctance to take on the responsibilities of employing staff directly. Our track record of successful bid applications is not not good.
We are more reactive than strategic.
Opportunities We have charitable status and have a good record of financial prudence and good record keeping. Our reputation among the communities is generally good. We would encourage new leaders to become involved and building on our strengths, take the organisation in new directions.
Threats At present we pose and experience few threats. As we become more ambitious and begin to compete for scarce resources and raise our profile we may experience more conflict.
Ideas for the future
If we want to bring in young people, we need to be come a fun organisation! Our conferences, particularly the social events that follow them, can be fun, giving activists from different localities the opportunity to get to know each other better and plan collaboration. A young people’s council might shape the future direction of ACERT’s development, but that council would need to be built through participation in interesting and relevant activities.
Our conferences and network meetings have identified community members with a wide range of skills such as writing, illustration, poetry, film-making and dance.
The aim would be to promote personal development and self-expression, at the same time as developing skills and materials which could be used to raise understanding and awareness through Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and wider community events, like exhibitions and poetry slams.
Lisa Smith and Dee Cooper are setting up an online girls writing group (independent of ACERT) which could be used to research the demand and potential of a skills based approach.
Unfortunately, in many areas, secondary attendance appears to have broken down, so it is likely that participants may be younger and interested in a more general educational offer.
Actions
- Siobhan agreed to look into possible sources of funding for the sort of projects we are talking about.
- John Henry Philips may be interested in working with us as he has struggled to involve local families in the Romani Archaeology project.
- Violet Cannon has experience of establishing a Youth Council
- Imogen Di Sapia of Bright Moon Weaving Studio may also be a potential partner and the Crafts Council may be a source of funding. Vardo art and living waggon crafts have been added to the Red List of Endangered Crafts.
Correspondence
All Circulated
Education Support network
Discussion
Around 20 people attended the online meeting. Davie Donaldson couldn’t attend but the presentations by John Henry Phillips – Archeology and Richard Kerridge – Including Gypsies Romanies and Travellers in the History Curriculum were so interesting we have incorporated them into posts on the website, and are considering making this a way to record the work of the network members.
We look forward to welcoming Davie Donaldson at a future date.
The next meeting is on 7th June 2023 at 2:00pm where we hope to introduce resources from Norfolk and the Scottish project STEP
Action
AOB
Training and Mentoring Opportunity
Discussion
Lisa Smith is developing a feature documentary that is aimed at preserving the cultural memory of Romani Travellers stopping places in England & Wales through a personal family perspective. Its aim is to bring issues facing us to the attention of an international audience.
She has been offered a place The Circle Doc Accelerator programme, a year long Training and Mentoring Programme for female identifying film makers from marginalised backgrounds. Her project was 1 out of 10 projects selected from a 130 projects from 52 countries.
The costs are £3,600 and most of the other projects have been funded through production companies. Since she does not have any type of backing behind her, she is asking if this is something ACERT would consider sponsoring. When the final film is completed ACERT would be recognised as an official partner. The deadline is 31st May 2023.
All present agreed it would be an exciting project and a great opportunity. There was some concern that it might not fall within ACERT’s charitable objects. It will create an educational resource which can be used in GRTHM and for training. Lisa will develop her skills as a film maker and which will be of assistance if we develop film-based youth training as envisaged in the Future Plan.
World Romani Congress Gathering
There has been a general invite to join this meeting via the You Tube Channel between the 15 and 17th May. None of the community members at the meeting (Siobhan and Lisa) had received personal invites. Thomas was concerned about how representative the meeting was if the effort had not been made to engage key players or community based organisations. He suggested that Lisa should contact ERIAC to ask who is the target audience.
Action
- Because of the deadline Lisa agreed to put the proposal in writing and share it with the EC to allow us to respond individually before the end of May.
Finance report
Bank Balances
CAF Bank £12035
PayPal £ 1829
Total £13864
Next EC meetings
8th June at 6:00pm
6th July at 6:00pm