“Every adult in school is getting paid to be there, including me, the kids are not. They don't get anything out of it. And if they're disengaged from their education, from the learning in that school, they're getting less than nothing. Imagine if somebody said to you as an adult, now, here's the thing, you go to this place, it's not very good for you. You just don't want to be there all day. And maybe it's giving you some kind of anxiety as well on top, and you don't get anything out of it. Why would you go? You know, I see adults, talking about schools,as professionals who say the school is toxic, and they cannot wait to get out of it. If you're a child in a toxic school, you can't get out of it. You've got no power. An adult you can walk. As a child, you can't. And that's what always concerns me. I've been that child in a school thinking, what am I doing here? What is the point of this?”In this episode Angie talks to Richard O’Neill about his nomadic childhood as a member of the Romani community. They explore the prejudices he has experienced in life and work, and the stories he chooses to tell.Richard O’Neill is an internationally acclaimed performance Storyteller, Author and Playwright. He was born and brought up in large traditional, fully nomadic Romani Gypsy family, travelling throughout the North of England and Scotland. His roots are also to be found in the coal mining communities of the North East having family members who worked down the pits. This co-cultural upbringing is reflected in his creative work. As Richard says,’Gypsy in my heart and coal dust in my veins’.Richard grew up working alongside his father and extended family, a keen learner he picked up many of the old skills including peg and spoon making just as they were dying out. Skills he now passes on to others through educational projects in schools and colleges.Find out more about Richard on his website - www.richardthestoryteller.weebly.comConnect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.ukA full transcript of this episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-richard-oneillThis podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

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