'Your Voice' workshops with Roma students
ROMA and Gypsy pupils at a Bradford school have dispelled negative stereotypes and shared their rich culture with their classmates
Carlton Bolling College in Undercliffe is home to at least 60 pupils of a Gypsy or Roma background, and they have held a number of events where they are given the chance to teach their classmates about their language, history, and art.
Classes also got to try traditional foods and learn Roma dances as part of the week, which took place during Gypsy, Roma and Traveller history month. The pupils led the activities, and staff say the week has proven a big success.
Ida Ladicova, 13, is from Slovakia and has lived in the UK for four years. She taught dancing during the course of the week, said it was nice to be able to bring her culture to the forefront of lessons, adding: "It has been good to show it off to all our friends."
Vicky Wood, EMA Mentor at the school, said: "It was good for the other pupils at the school to be involved with. It has all been done by the pupils, we've had students teaching Hungarian.
"A lot of the Gypsy and Roma children at the school are from Slovakia or Hungary. When people think of Roma they tend to think of negative things, so it has been good to promote the positive parts of the culture. It has been a massive success and hopefully in the coming years we can make it a bigger event."
In addition to this Travellers' Times are their this week. The Bradford High School was one of the first to sign it's pupils up to take part in 2 day Media Skills workshop called 'Your Voice'.
The 2 day workshops will give media skills training to over 30 Roma students enabling them to tell their stories and have a 'voice'
Marta Benedekova, EAL Co-ordinator and Carlton Bolling School said "we have some fantastic young Roma students who would benefit enormously from being involved"
The all short films created as part of the 'Your Voice' workshops will be available to view online on the new Travellers' Times website due to launch in Autumn 2014