CHILDREN in the travelling community are being helped with their education by a new learning centre in York.

York Travellers Trust has received more than £17,000 worth of funding to provide education for children aged between five and 13-years-old two evenings a week at the trust's Falsgrave Crescent base.

Children from three official traveller sites in the city - Clifton, James Street and Osbaldwick - along with transient travellers and house travellers, are currently using the facility.

Christine Shepherd, York Travellers Trust coordinator, said: "Traveller children, not all but some, do not do as well as other children.

"They tend to drop out and tend not to like school and have problems in a school environment."

Christine said the new centre combated some of these problems by providing education in an informal atmosphere.

She said: "I think it is giving them an opportunity to look at different ways of learning in an informal way and it is creating extra opportunities for them.

"It has to be informal so that it is not seen as being rammed down their throats - it has to come from the children."

At the centre the children are able to use computers, take part in arts and crafts, do circuit training, dancing and bring along their homework.

They can take part in trips and outings, residential weekends and parties linked to annual events.

The centre has also taken on adult volunteers from the travelling community who are receiving training.

Christine is hoping some of the volunteers will benefit in the long term and will be able to go on to further their careers.

She said: "It gives them the chance to do some training such as food hygiene and first aid. We are hoping some might want to go on and do youth or community work qualifications."

Money for the centre has come from the Children's Fund. The project is expected to last for three years.

Updated: 11:17 Wednesday, November 19, 2003