Di Dunne is the first Traveller to get a job with the VEC in Cork. She is delighted to be in full-time employment and feeling a sense of achievement. She has also won a Garda Youth Award
My name is Derrel (Di) Dunne. I am 19 years old and was born in Dublin. I moved to England at a young age and then came back to Dublin 10 years ago.
We travelled around for a while and then moved to Cork. We know lots of our neighbours and get on well with them. I live with my parents, brothers and sister. I have one sister and two brothers. We are Travellers.
I work in St Finbars Senior Traveller Centre, Cork as a secretary and I love it. The people I work with are great. I am the first Traveller to get a contract with the VEC in Cork City and am proud to say I got a full-time contract in February this year. I worked there for three years as a student and left and did a computer course.
I completed and passed my ECDL City and Guilds. Then I came back to St Finbars on work experience from FÁS and was asked if I would like a job of secretary.
I was really happy as I thought that a Traveller would never get a job like that, but I went for the interview and got the job. I like working there because there are Travellers and settled people working together. I get on well with everyone that works here. I am also a member of the board of management for the TGV (Traveller Visibility Group).
This has given me a great sense of achievement. I plan to go to college to study youth and community work. I would like to get involved with Travellers all over the world, not just in England and Ireland.
The first Traveller Training Centre was established in 1974. There are now 29 centres throughout Ireland. They were seen as a way of responding to the educational needs of Travellers who were not availing of secondary education.
St Finbars Senior Traveller Centre, which was established in 1981, is in an old school building in Blackpool. There are 21 students registered in the centre, 11 female and 10 male, though these numbers change from month to month, due to the nomadic lifestyle of some families. The centre recognises that there are two cultures present and welcomes this. Respect for both cultures is essential to a good working practice. I like working with young Traveller people because I know how they feel. There are not many schools or workshops where they would feel welcome or comfortable.
In St Finbars, the students have a chance to learn and develop new skills. They are aged between 15 and 18 and come from all over the city. It is an educational environment.
The staff aim to create a positive learning atmosphere. The hope is that everyone in St Finbars, staff and students, come to enjoy each other. I feel that I have developed in many ways and I am very comfortable working with both cultures.
I have a great relationship with everyone there. In some cases students may not have had much contact with people from the settled community. I think it makes a difference for them to see how well I get on with the staff. As I also have close friendships with a lot of students, there is less chance of any cultural misunderstandings.
I hope, through my achievements, young Travellers will realise that there are opportunities for everybody. I also hope that there will be a better understanding between the settled community and the Traveller community in the future.
Fiona Scott Feehely, of St Finbars, and Anne Hughes, of Farranree Youth Club, nominated me for the Garda Youth Award. I was nervous when I heard I had won. I didn't think it was that big of a thing and I didn't think I was going to win.
I never thought a Traveller would win an award like this. I am very pleased to have won but also very nervous. I can't wait until March 8th when I will get the award. It will give me a chance to thank everyone who supported me.
• Di Dunne is a Traveller living in Cork