Job Title: Community Education Coordinator (CEC)

About the Role

The Community Education Coordinator (CEC) will lead the delivery of the Tipperary Traveller Education project, working to improve educational outcomes for Traveller children and young people across the educational lifecycle. This is a multi-faceted, high-impact role requiring initiative, community engagement skills, and the ability to work across sectors including education, youth, and community development.

The CEC will coordinate and implement a community-led work plan designed to support Traveller children’s participation, retention, and progression in education, while enhancing family engagement and promoting Traveller culture within educational settings.

Key Responsibilities

Project Coordination & Planning

• Lead implementation of the Tipperary Traveller Education work plan.
• Conduct a comprehensive local educational needs assessment with Traveller families.
• Develop and monitor an annual action plan in collaboration with TRTP staff, schools, and community stakeholders.
• Coordinate project logistics, administration, monitoring, and reporting.

Direct Support & Programme Delivery

• Support afterschool and Traveller Family Learning programmes.
• Develop mentoring, outreach, and transition-support initiatives for children and families at key educational milestones.
• Provide one-to-one and family-based education support through the Education outreach work.

Community Engagement & Capacity Building

• Engage directly with Traveller families through home visits, group sessions, and parent support forums.
• Develop a peer support model with volunteer parents and alumni.
• Encourage Traveller family participation in Parents Associations and school activities.

Networking & Interagency Collaboration

• Build and maintain relationships with local schools, ETBs, HSCL officers, EWOs, and Tusla services.
• Represent TRTP on relevant networks, initiatives, and interagency groups.

Advocacy & Cultural Promotion

• Promote Traveller cultural identity in schools via events, visibility campaigns, and awareness training.
• Organise cultural programmes such as Traveller Pride and Culture Night.
• Deliver Traveller Cultural Awareness sessions in collaboration with TRTP’s education team and external experts.

Essential Requirements

• A degree-level qualification in education, social science, community development, or a related field.
• Proven experience in community development, education, youth work, or a related field.
• Demonstrated understanding of the educational experiences and challenges facing Traveller children and families.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust with marginalised communities.
• Strong organisational and multitasking abilities, with project coordination experience.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with diverse partners.
• Familiarity with relevant national strategies and rights-based approaches to education.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Lived experience of the Traveller community and/or experience working in Traveller organisations.
• Experience in supporting community-based education programmes or facilitating peer-led initiatives.
• Knowledge of national education policy, particularly NTRIS and TRES.
• Group facilitation and mediation skills.
• Full clean driving licence and access to transport.

Garda Vetting & Child Protection

All offers of employment will be subject to Garda Vetting. Child protection and welfare policies are strictly upheld, and training will be provided.

Job Title: Community Education Cordinator
Working hours: 35 hours per week
Terms of Contract: Fixed-term (Sept. 2025 – Sept.2026 with potential for extension)
Salary: B.O.E. (funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth via the National Traveller Partnership)
Closing Date: 27th June 2025

Recruitment:

Interested candidates should submit their CV, together with a short statement on why they have an interest in the position, to: administrator@tipptravellerproject.com

Candidates may be short-listed on the basis of information supplied on their Curriculum Vitae. Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competition, based on an interview conducted by or on behalf of the Tipperary Rural Travellers’ Project Ltd.