Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople involvement in assessments of need

1. Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople involvement in assessments of need Dr Lisa Scullion Salford Housing & Urban Studies Unit (SHUSU) The University of Salford 29th November 2012

2. About me Not a Gypsy, Traveller or Travelling Showperson A researcher – working on Gypsy, Traveller, Showpeople and Roma projects Six years involvement in projects for: Local authorities and regions of England UK Government European Commission Specific experience of: Fieldwork on GTAAs (approximately 1,000 interviews) Training and working with Community Interviewers (but not just G, T & TS)

3. Community Interviewers in GTAAs Approach Recruited through key stakeholders Primarily from within each study area Where possible covered a range of communities (e.g. Romany Gypsies, Irish Travellers, Travelling Showpeople, New Travellers) Provided with training and on going support Paid members of the team Opportunity to comment on the questionnaire (although limited scope to influence…)

4. Issues arising in previous GTAAs Understanding of ethics Close knit communities with extensive networks Unwilling to share information within research team

5. Issues arising in previous GTAAs Ensuring inclusion of all communities Reluctance to interview certain families or communities Actual discrimination against certain communities Advocated need for ‘matching’ – not always feasible, but also reinforced idea of ‘closed’ communities

6. Issues arising in previous GTAAs Consulting around sensitive issues Reluctance to engage with certain issues Differences between Community Interviewer and academic team questionnaires Sensitive for who? Again, potentially reinforcing ideas of ‘closed’ communities

7. Importance of context Arguably different context to some other community based studies? Political creation Evidence base for planning policy Contentious issue so findings often contested Limited budget/timescale for assessments Requirement for specific and quantifiable data reduces ability to shape research goals/influence questionnaire Role of community members that of ‘Interviewer’ rather than ‘Researcher’

8. Approach in recent GTAA updates Working with smaller number of highly skilled interviewers - wider appreciation of studies i.e. constraints, pressures, etc. Same interviewers across studies – integral part of the team Importance of agenda of interviewers – making a difference (albeit small in some cases); working in team; opportunity to meet people; financial rewards Internal timescales set around community interviewers – so greater level of involvement in decision making Not just delivering structured survey – feeding back qualitatively on study areas, providing contextual information, assisting with site identification Accessing all relevant communities – questioning the ‘matching’ approach and perceptions of ‘closed’ communities

9. Thank you Dr Lisa Scullion Research Fellow Salford Housing & Urban Studies Unit (SHUSU) Joule House University of Salford Salford, UK, M5 4WT Email: l.scullion@salford.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)161 295 5078 Twitter: @lisa_scullion