Irish Travellers Movement

Background to Traveller Tenant Participation

Background to Traveller Tenant Participation

In recent years there has been increasing emphasis placed on tenant participation in estate management by the government. 'Greater Involvement of tenants in the running of their estates is essential to ensure the delivery of the type and quality of housing services which tenants want. Tenants know better than anyone else the strengths, weaknesses and the problems of their estate'. (DOE, 1993, memorandum on the Preparation of a Housing Management Strategy). This has been reflected to some extent through local authorities developing an estate management approach to local authority housing estates and developing tenant participation strategies as part of this process.

Successive governments have highlighted the deficits in local democracy. Subsequently, the reform of local government is underway following the publication of 'Better Local Government- A Programme for Change'. Hopefully this will provide for greater involvement of people in developing local authority policy on a range of issues. This reform has led to a range of strategic policy committees being established. It is hoped that these structures will develop a synergy between participative democracy and representative democracy. Tenant participation in estate management is a key arena for the development of more participative structures at local level.

The first reference to Traveller tenant participation in accommodation management in government policy was the 'Report of the Task Force on the Travelling Community', 1995. This has created the framework for the development of Traveller tenant participation strategies and has emphasised the importance of Traveller involvement in the design and management of their accommodation.

What is Traveller tenant participation in accommodation management

Traveller tenant participation is the formal and structured involvement of Traveller tenants in decision-making related to the management and development of their own accommodation.

What it involves

It can range from the activities such as:

• national structures which provide the basis for Traveller tenant participation in policy
• county level formal structures to design an overall Traveller tenant participation strategy
• formal structures to redevelop existing and develop new Traveller accommodation
•     * site/accommodation forums to develop Traveller accommodation agreements or action plans by Traveller tenants and the local authority setting out agreed plans for specific accommodation over a 2-3 year period

Central Concepts

Community Development Approach: Community development is 'enabling people to enhance their capacity to play a role in society of which they are part. It works towards helping groups and communities to articulate needs and viewpoints and to take part in collective action to influence the processes that structures their everyday lives' (ADM, March 2000, The Interface between Community Development and Local Development) The use of community development is key to developing collective approaches to Traveller tenant strategies that are based on empowerment and real Traveller participation.

Real Partnership: The achievement of real partnership involves power sharing so that all the players have a key role in the decision making process. This involves respecting each other, establishing good communication lines, problem solving and implementing agreed actions.

Anti-racism: Anti-racist objectives are a central component to Traveller tenant initiatives. It is vital that the discrimination and racism being experienced by Travellers is tackled within the process. Appropriate training on intercultural skills and anti-racist practice for all parties should be implemented from the outset. This would contribute greatly to ensuring that quality Traveller tenant participation strategies can be developed.

Diversity: Building diversity in to the strategy at the beginning will ensure that the range of needs that exist within the Traveller community are catered for. This should ensure that the needs of Travellers with disabilities, Traveller women and older Travellers needs are addressed within the overall strategy.

Consensus decision-making: Agreement between all parties is essential to strengthen the outcomes of the work and ensure that all those involved in the strategy will be committed to ensuring the outcomes are implemented.

Commitment: The key players need to be committed to the process as this will ensure that decisions and actions are implemented as planned.

Evaluation: Structures and training developed by the Traveller tenant participation initiatives should be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis. The National Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee has a role in monitoring this process to ensure that equality objectives are met.

What it is not about

    * It is not a control mechanism, which can be used to keep tabs on tenants
    * It is not a mechanism whereby Travellers and Traveller organizations will sort out management issues on sites.
    * It is not about individual gain at the expense of the collective.
    * It is not about shifting of responsibilities for poor maintenance or lack of resources to the tenant
    * It is not about rubber stamping decisions already made by the local authority
    * It is not a mechanism to only resolve maintenance issues.