Publication type: Report
Author: Other
Themes: Accommodation, Discrimination, Education, Health and Social Care
Having our Say presents the shocking results from a highly innovative peer research project carried out by young Gypsies and Travellers across Scotland. Thirteen young Gypsy or Traveller researchers interviewed 109 of their peers a group whose voices are virtually never heard about their experiences regarding accommodation, health, learning and discrimination.
Gypsies and Travellers remain one of the most marginalised and socially excluded groups in Scottish society, and the report found:
Discrimination
92% of respondents said they had been picked on because they were a Gypsy or Traveller
Accommodation
77% of respondents said their living conditions had remained the same or got worse in recent years
School
71% of respondents reported conditions at school had not improved
Health
84% of respondents said getting access to a doctor or dentist had remained the same or got worse.
The research findings in this report are alarming and disturbing. Many young people mentioned only being able to gain access to health and education services if they denied or hid their ethnic identity. There were frequent examples of discrimination in public places, indicating that it is still socially acceptable to discriminate against Gypsies and Travellers in modern-day Scotland. This report highlights the pressing need for a targeted approach to tackle the racism and discrimination faced by young Gypsies and Travellers on a daily basis.
The pack is now out of print
