Supporting the Travelling Community

Community outreach is essential in making positive contributions that represent the industry.

Contractors have the manpower and resources to make a difference, not just solely on the work they are doing on-site.

It is therefore important to maintain awareness of any opportunities that may arise in the local community and offer any size of contribution or support to leave a lasting legacy.

It is also important to encourage a range of people to consider a career in construction, to attract new talent into the industry.

One site provided career advice and support to the travelling community:

• The sites Community Liaison Officer presented at a careers fair sponsored by Belfast-based Bryson House Charity – An Munia Tober;
• Promotion of career employability on their own site, the company and also the industry was given to the traveling community attending the fair;
• The indigenous Irish travelling community is the second largest ethnic minority group in Northern Ireland, estimated at around 1400 people;
• The Careers Advice Fair was seen as an opportunity to reach out to this diverse group of multi-skilled individuals;
• The overall aim of the campaign is to provide careers advice and job opportunities to the ethnic minority group in a format where everyone was given a fair and equal chance of succeeding.