Operation Traveller Vote
What is Operational Traveller Vote?
The Operation Traveller Vote initiative is dedicated to empowering Romani (Gypsy), Roma & Irish Traveller communities, ensuring their voices are heard and represented in the democratic process.
By actively participating in elections, Travellers can influence policies that affect their lives and communities.
Over the past 5 years and more, The Traveller Movement has championed engaging with people to tackle the disconnect between our communities and the political landscape and showing how voting can make a difference to policy, process and life.
Why voting matters
Voting is a fundamental right and a critical avenue for enacting change.
For the Romani (Gypsy), Roma & Irish Traveller communities, engaging in the electoral process is essential to address their unique needs and concerns.
Key Objectives:
- Increase awareness of voting rights
- Empower communities to engage with local and national representatives
- Break down barriers that historically hinder participation
Why is Operation Traveller Vote needed?
The UK’s success depends on all communities that live within it to play their part, be represented, and be heard.
Understanding the unique identities within the Romani (Gypsy), Roma & Irish Traveller communities is vital for this campaign to succeed in improving how our community engages with the political system, process and environment.
The term “GRT” (Gypsy, Roma, Traveller) can be too broad, leading to gaps in health, education, and housing services. Accurate representation, monitoring and community engagement will help to address these gaps.
The key issues that the Traveller Movement aims to address as part of our Operation Traveller Vote campaign include:
- Bureaucratic Barriers: Identifying and addressing the democratic barriers faced by Romani (Gypsy), Roma, and Irish Traveller communities
- Mistrust of State Institutions: Exploring the reasons for mistrust and how it affects democratic engagement
- Perception of Voting in the UK: Understanding how perceptions influence participation
- When Politics Pushes People Away: Discussing alienation, language barriers, and the role of politicians
- Pyramid of Need: Building a framework for understanding the specific barriers to democratic participation for Romani communities
Watch our video highlighting how voting is an issue
Harnessing the power of video for Operation Traveller Vote
On top of our effective community engagement, Traveller Movement has collaborated with several partners to develop simple, effective and engaging video content.
These videos are used both in face to face community engagement events and also available for on demand viewing online.
Video highlights include a number of animated shorts aimed at the community we represent to introduce the basics of how the democratic system works and how Romany, Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller people can engage with it
Video: How laws are created – a short animated video explaining excatly how laws are made in the UK
Video: A guide to getting help from your MP – an animated short film on how to identify and get help from your MP
Video: What does a Councillor do? – a animated short film on the basics of what a councillor does
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On top of this, a series of animated shorts have been co-created with our partners at the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust on how the political world can do better to engage with
Breaking down barriers to Democratic Engagement – an animated short on the barriers within the democratic system can prevent our communities from voting
Rebuilding trust empowering Romani and Travellers – an animated short discussing the democratic barriers and how trust can be rebuilt
Video: Empowering Voices – an animated short detailing how Romany, Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller people to feel disconnected from the democratic system and the importance of rebuilding that connection
Video: When politics pushes people away – an animated summary of our research into how it’s important to break the barriers to democracy for Travellers
Video: Bridging Barriers Empowering Traveller Voices – an animated summary of our research into what can be done to rebuild trust between Romany, Gypsy, Roma and Irish Traveller people and the democratic process
Download our Operation Traveller Vote toolkit
To assist in empowering Romani and Traveller communities, we have developed a comprehensive toolkit. This toolkit is designed to provide valuable resources and information to help navigate local democracy effectively.
Get involved
Your support is vital for the success of Operation Traveller Vote.
Here’s how you can contribute:
- Educate Yourself: Watch our video series to understand the challenges faced by the Traveller community.
- Spread the Word: Share these videos and toolkit resources on social media to raise awareness.
- Engage with Local Representatives: Contact your MP and local councillors to discuss issues that concern you and your community.
- Participate in Events: Join our workshops and community gatherings aimed at enhancing democratic engagement.
