Anne Marie Stokes is a member of the Irish Traveller Community and a mother of three children and eight grandchildren. In 2006, while working with the Galway Traveller Movement, Imelda Byrne, the head of the Access department, gave a talk about the Access course, which sparked her interest in education. With the encouragement of her colleagues, She applied and got a place on an Access course with the University of Galway. This was a profound change in her life since she left school at 14 and had no qualifications. However, she was aware that education could enable her and her children to have a better future.
She loved the Access course and the passionate tutors who encouraged her and other participants to finish the course and progress to an undergraduate degree at the University of Galway. It was her second chance to pursue education and she grabbed it with both hands. She completed her undergraduate degree and then went on to attain a master's degree from the same university, which changed her life and perspective on the world. She became an advocate of education for all individuals, especially those in the Traveller Community.
Anne was aware that a position as Traveller Education officer covering both the University of Galway and ATU Galway had been advertised and she applied for the position and was successful, which was a dream come true for her. As a member of the community, Anne had a lived experience of the barriers that Irish Traveller students face, and she could offer guidance and support to them. She believes that having a member of the community in this position helps to motivate students to progress, as they can see someone from their community working in higher education. She hopes that more members of the community will be employed at the University of Galway and ATU Galway in the future.
Working with the University of Galway and ATU Galway has been invaluable to her, and Anne believes that it has a significant impact on the wider Traveller community. The University of Galway is the only university in the country that employs male and female members of the Irish Traveller community who self-identify as Travellers. They offer extensive support to Irish Traveller students, and their Traveller Ethnicity Day celebrations show that the university values its Traveller students and is a safe and inclusive space for all communities.
Many exciting initiatives are being developed at ATU Galway to encourage Irish Travellers to take the first steps to engage with the team at their access and widening participation office, who are always more than happy to support them and encourage them to progress in education.
Anne has been in contact with many members of the community who live both in Ireland and abroad, asking about her experience working in an environment that is mainly dominated by the settled community and if she feels comfortable in that environment,