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Background Information about us
The TVG is a Traveller-led Cork based organisation, which works within the philosophy and ethos of the National Community Development Programme established by the former Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. Our core funding now comes from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The TVG brings together Travellers and settled people in solidarity, to facilitate community development work within the Travelling Community. The Traveller Visibility Group recognises Travellers as a nomadic ethnic group with its own distinct culture and lifestyle. We were formed in 1992 by a group of Traveller women concerned with the issues facing Travellers in Cork. The absence at that time of any community development work to facilitate Travellers in identifying and addressing these issues was one of concern. Our work is based on the findings of research we commissioned in 1993, which was carried out by the Social Policy and Research Unit of University College Cork. This research was published and entitled "Making Travellers Visible, an account of the lived experience of Travellers in Cork; an examination of the services and unmet needs in Cork". We commissioned a further major piece of research in 2000, which analyses the extent to which Travellers in Cork influence state agency policies about Travellers. The research report "We Consult but Who Decides" was published in 2004 and has laid the basis for our negotiation relationship with statutory agencies for the years to come. Our catchment area is Cork City and the suburban areas near the city. In November 2005 the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern opened our new state-of-the-art community development and childcare centre near the city centre, at 25 John Street. This is a quiet street down the steps from the Quality Shandon Court Hotel, near St. John's Well.
