In a recent MORI poll in England, more than one third of adults taking part admitted to being prejudiced against Travellers/Gypsies. Such prejudices are frequently reinforced by mainstream media. Combining social media with web 2.0 technology in a unique social networking site, Savvy Chavvy gives young members of this often misrepresented and marginalised community the opportunity to take control of how they are perceived.

Already, the 50 young bursary/award-holders we trained in social media techniques have made short films on topics as diverse as religion, gypsy boxing clubs, and ways to tackle the bullying faced by young gypsy travellers in mainstream education.

As the trained users produce photography, podcasts and videoblogs, they encourage participation from an expanding membership base, now over 1000-strong. A user-administered community, Savvy Chavvy is becoming a democratic outlet for young gypsy traveller stories to move into the mainstream media.

Supporting social life as much as social purpose, with much of the gypsy traveller community no longer able to move around, social networking will go some way to counter declining community cohesion.

Providing a place to chat, joke and gossip on, as well as a hub for citizen journalism and user-generated media, Savvy Chavvy also functions as a forum for young gypsy travellers. Reflecting the vibrancy of the community, they discuss topics ranging from the serious (bullying in mainstream education) to the light-hearted (organising dances).

Savvy Chavvy aims to provide young gypsies and travellers the confidence and skills to build and populate a social networking site through which they can communicate with each other, as well as the wider world, as citizen journalists. It seeks to create a sense that young people are able to change their community and how it is perceived, without having to depend on others.

Nominated by Christy McAleese, 13 May 2008

its very good

Submitted by April, 20 May 2008

i love savvy chavvy its really good gives you a chance 2 meet people who you have alot in common with

Submitted by Rosina, 22 May 2008

Are you really sure chavvy is Romany for child?

Great that is rhymes with savvy but the etymology is suspect and the word itself - especially in this context - is an edgy choice.

Submitted by Business Sensei, 27 June 2008

from

http://www.worldwidewords.org/topicalwords/tw-cha2.htm

"Chav is almost certainly from the Romany word for a child, chavi, recorded from the middle of the nineteenth century. We know it was being used as a term of address to an adult man a little later in the century, but it hasn’t often been recorded in print since and its derivative chav is new to most people."

Submitted by Was, 02 July 2008