Title: Healthy Minds
1CRSIs 7th Annual Joint Conference with
UCC Lives less known
- Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project. - Funded under the THU HSE South
- HSE South,
- Old Library Building,
- St. Marys Road,
- Cork,
- Phone John 087 7590050/Helen 087 7592464
- Email John.walsh2_at_hse.ie
2(No Transcript)
3HSE South Traveller Health Unit
- Task Force Report on the Traveller Community 1995
- Traveller Health Units (THU) were established in
response - Local and Regional Level to promote
collaboration and partnership Cork/Kerry - THU works in partnership with local Traveller
organisations - Using a community development approach and
recognising the importance of the social
determinants of health - 2010 All Ireland Traveller Health Study (Our
Geels)
4Traveller Health Unit
- Employment of Travellers as Community Health
Workers - Traveller Led Community Development organisations
5 in Cork/Kerry - Interagency work on Health and Accommodation
- Health Impact Assessments (HIA) on development of
Halting sites - Joint work with other departments in the HSE
5Culturally Appropriate Service Provision
- AITHS 2010 showed that Discrimination is key
barrier to improvement of the health status of
the Traveller community - THU recognises the importance of promoting
Traveller culture - Commitment to an inclusive approach
- Recognition that all cultures have different
social positions - A system of data collection to map all ethnic
groups - Contact Deirdre OReilly THU Co-ordinator
087 9919792
6Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- In a country with already high suicide rates -
fifth highest in Europe for youth suicide
according to the National Office for Suicide,
four times more men take their own life that our
nearest neighbours in the UK. The Public Health
Agency (PHA) noted in their research that
Travellers experience worse mental health and a
higher rate of suicide than the settled community
(ROI data only)1. The All Ireland Traveller
health Study reported that the suicide rate in
male Travellers is a statistically significant
6.6 times higher than in the general population
7Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental Health Status of Travellers in Ireland
- All Ireland Traveller Health Study 2010 gives us
the most up to date information about the mental
health status of Travellers in Ireland - The study explored
- How many Travellers there are in Ireland and how
old they are - How is Travellers health
- What affects Travellers health
8Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental Health Status of Travellers in Ireland
- Key findings of the study include
- Participation rate of 80 - as a result of
extensive contribution of Travellers, Traveller
organisations and networks - Traveller population 40,129 on IOI
- Average family size is 4
- Age profile
- 42 of Travellers under 15 years compared to 21
of wider population - 63 of Travellers under 25 years compared to 35
of wider population
9Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- 3 of Travellers are aged 65 years and over
compared with 13 of wider population - Life expectancy Traveller men can expect to
live to 62 years15 years less than a settled
Irish man (no improvements in the health of
Traveller men since 1987) Traveller women can
expect to live to 70 years12 years less than a
settled Irish woman - Suicide 6 times higher the rate of the wider
population and accounts for 11 of Traveller
deaths
10Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- Causes of death - compared to the wider
population Travellers have a higher rate of death
from lung chest diseases and heart diseases and
strokes - Mental health 2 in every 5 (40) adult
Travellers say their mental health was never good
in the past 30 days 1 in 4 (25) of Travellers
strongly disagree that most people can be
trusted
11Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- Education only 6 of male Travellers and 5 of
female Travellers have completed their leaving
cert - Employment only 5 of male Travellers and 4 of
female Travellers have jobs - Lifestyle 66.3 of Travellers said illicit drug
use is a problem in the community 31 said that
price is a factor which prevents them to eat
healthily overall 15 higher rate of smoking
compared to wider population
12Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- Discrimination many Travellers said
discrimination affects how they live their lives
60 in schools, 50 in work, 60 housing, 40
getting healthcare - Health services most commonly used services
included GP, Community Welfare Officer, Dental
Services, Public Health Nurse barriers to using
health services included waiting, shame/
embarrassment, lack of information. - Religion, identity and culture were ranked as
very important by nearly 90 of those who
participated
13Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- Travellers are particularly affected by poor
mental health and suicide - The suicide rate is much higher than the general
population - Traveller men are 7 times more likely to die by
suicide than a settled Irish man - Traveller women are 5 times more likely to die by
suicide than a settled Irish woman
14Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Mental health status of Travellers in Ireland
- Mainly Traveller men take their lives by suicide
- Suicide is a growing phenomenon within the
Traveller community - There is a stigma in Ireland around suicide and
this relates to Travellers also - Travellers are a high risk group to suicide as
they fare poorly on every indicator used to
measure socio-economic status, health,
accommodation, education and employment
15Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- At a local level, due to concern after a
significant number of suicides in the Traveller
community in Cork city county, the Traveller
health unit (HSE South), in partnership with
Traveller organizations, identified the need to
establish a mental health project to respond to
the needs and concerns of the Traveller
community. In May 2010, Healthy Minds was
established to offer support and information to
members of the Traveller community.
16Healthy Minds Traveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- The Traveller Health Unit has funded the Healthy
Minds project since 2010. The project has been
managed and supported by Cork North Community
Department Dept.. and a multidisciplinary
steering group membership includes TVG and CTWN,
THU Coordinator, Harbour Counselling, Cork North
Community work department and HSE Mental Health
services. Project employs Project Coordinator
fulltime and part time TCHW - The project was initially funded as a three year
pilot covering specific geographic areas of Cork
City. An evaluation process has been established
to document and analyse the work and make
recommendations for future work to address the
mental health needs of Traveller community
17Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project.
- What the Healthy Minds project is providing
- To work with existing services in Cork city to
ensure that the services delivered to Travellers
will be appropriate to their needs culture. - To work closely with the Traveller community so
that we are aware of the needs of Travellers and
to ensure that their needs regarding mental
health support will be meet. - To provide information support to members of
the Traveller community to ensure a greater
awareness of how to access existing services will
evolve. -
18Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
project.
- To offer training to Travellers which will enable
participants to provide peer support within their
own community. - To provide information support regarding
suicide, mental health, positive well being
bereavement through suicide. - To work closely with the HSE to highlight issues
such as lack of services or blockage within the
system that may inhibit Travellers entering into
services and how best to address the problems. - To link with HSE services in addressing these
issues in partnership.
19Healthy MindsHow do we link
- Link in with mental health services thru Cork
North Mental Health - Link through the mapping of services joint work
- Can come and talk to workers- on our work and the
best way to link in - Offer Cultural awareness training
20Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
project.
- We also offer a one to one confidential service
offering support, advice, referrals and
information to individuals, family members and
other services. - If an individual needs we can contact other
services and key workers on behalf of
individuals .i.e. social workers,
probation/prison/GPs, mental health services
etc. - To ensure that mental health information is
available to Travellers as part of broader health
checks. That information is widely available
within the community i.e. annual fairs, markets
place, soccer tournaments and other events where
Travellers meet and socialize.
21Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
project.
- On-going site visit and community groups visit to
build up a working relationship with members of
the Traveller community. - Make visit to both Prison and Hospital to offer
support and information.
22Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Some of the Issues presenting to the Traveller
Healthy Minds project are - Addictions
- People entering/exiting HSE Mental Health
Services - Suicide ideation.
- Impact of suicide on family/community.
- Depression, anxiety and PTSD.
- Homelessness
- Sexuality
- Abusive relationship/ Domestic violence
- Impact of feuding
- Sexual abuse/ impact of residing in industrial
schools. - People entering/exiting prison services
23Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Brief summary of activities of project
- Outreach and one to one work It is estimated
that the project has engaged with over 500
Travellers. At least 78 Travellers have accessed
the one to one supports (41 male 37 female) up to
2013. This does not include additional support to
family members on an ongoing basis. This support
has covered a wide range of issues- bereavement,
addiction, unemployment, sexuality, low self
esteem and anxiety, trauma, accommodation/
homelessness, domestic violence, conflict etc.
This work includes advocacy and ongoing referrals
to a range of services,. A significant amount of
advocacy has taken place with a wide range of
service
24Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Survey
- HM Completed a survey amongst Travellers in
Cork regarding their experience of mental health
and mental health services. 77 surveys were
completes 34 men and 43 women. The survey showed
evidence of very positive feedback on work of
project.
25Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Engagement with agencies
- Wide engagement with voluntary and statutory
services providers to raise awareness and
facilitate referrals. New initiatives in
development intersectoral collaboration between
CAMHs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Services), HM, Cois Ceim/SHEP Social Health
Education Project to support to family bereaved
by suicide.
26Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- A brief description of some of the work
provided - John Walsh Traveller Mental Health Co-ordinator.
- I offer one to one support, in this I provide
information on services, an assessment that
ensures that the individuals are referred to
appropriate services. - Offer ongoing support whilst entering and exiting
services. - I provide advocacy work, provide information,
support and act as link person when an individual
is linked with social work department, mental
health services, prison/probation etc.
27Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Develop links with services and make
recommendation on best practices on how to engage
with members of the Traveller community. - To link in with other services/organisations to
develop policy/guidelines on how to address the
mental health needs of the Traveller community. - To organise or provide workshops on mental health
issues to members of the Traveller community. - To ensure that the learning from our work in
Cork is shared with Traveller organisation
national, in turn to better the response of the
mental health needs of the Traveller community in
Ireland.
28Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Helen OSullivan- Community Health Worker
- I have delivered a number of workshops such as,
Being well, Peer support training, Let someone
know "and SafeTALK training. - I hope to receive training in Mind your Head.
This training will enable me and Caroline Bernard
from TVG to present mental health awareness
training to young people. - I am a Safe Talker Trainer have delivered same
to settled and Traveller Community - Going forward I would like to see some of the
women in the groups become SafeTALK trainers. - I worked on a CD project with TVG and also acted
and did the voice over in a short animation last
year on mental health.
29Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Group Work
- This includes specific group work in relation to
positive health and well being, information on
mental health, facilitated discussions on issues
and concerns, healthy eating activities and
development of posters and materials promoting
positive mental health. Aprox 50 Travellers have
engaged with group activities undertaken by
project. Also through the Let someone know
project work carried out with young women group
issues identified included body image,
pressure of appearance, post natal depression and
bullying, group designed posters around these
themes.
30Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- Some of the Traveller groups the project has
engaged with Meelagh Traveller womens group.
Farranree womens group, Blackpool womens group,
Spring lane womens group, Spring lane mens
group, Fairhill mens group, Mahon womens group
St Anthonys Park
31Healthy MindsTraveller Suicide Mental Health
Project
- I attend the Health Meetings in TVG. This allows
everyone to give an update of the work their
doing. I find it useful as it ensures there is no
duplication of anyone's work. - Recently I have asked to shadow some of the
Community Health Care workers in TVG so I can
meet with their groups that I may not have met
before and let them know more about Healthy
Minds. - Groups I have worked with are the Faranree
womens group, the Springlane young girls group,
the Meelagh young girls group and the Togher
womens group. - This year I hope to work with a young girls group
in both Meelagh and Springlane again.
32HSE South, Old Library Building, St. Marys Road,
Cork. Phone John 087 7590050 or Helen 087
7592464 or Eleanor 087 6599485 Email
john.walsh2_at_hse.ie.
33Cork Travellers Womens Network
34Our key work is in the areas of
- Cork Traveller Womens Network is a community
development organisation run by Traveller women
and working for the rights of Travellers across
Cork City. - Community development promotion of leadership
for Traveller women - Promote Traveller Health responding to findings
of All Ireland Traveller Health Study - Advocacy around issued affecting Travellers
particularly health and accommodation - Supporting local Traveller Womens groups
- Promotion of Traveller Culture
- Promoting more equitable access to services for
Travellers
35Our team
- Voluntary management committee project
volunteers - Project Co-ordinator
- Outreach development workers (2)
- Development worker Meelagh project
- Project administrator
- (All staff are part time)
36Cork Travellers Womens Network
- CTWN are led by the Traveller community who we
engage with through our management through
their active participation in our projects. - The community define the issues and prioritise
our work - collective decision making
accountability - We deliver service directly and in partnership
with key agencies. - Also support key initiatives of the Traveller
Health Unit Healthy Minds Project, Traveller
Foster care Initiative, Traveller Cultural
Awareness Training Initiative, and others - We also advocate for social change and more
equitable service provision - Funded by the HSE
37Traveller Visibility Group
38Background Information about the Traveller
Visibility Group (TVG)
- The TVG is a Traveller-led Cork based
organisation, which works within the philosophy
and ethos of the National Community Development
Programme. The TVG brings together Travellers and
settled people in solidarity, to facilitate
community development work within the Travelling
Community.
39Background information on TVG
- The Traveller Visibility Group recognises
Travellers as a nomadic ethnic group with its own
distinct culture and lifestyle. - We were formed in 1992 by a group of Traveller
women concerned with the issues facing Travellers
in Cork. - The absence at that time of any community
development work to facilitate Travellers in
identifying and addressing these issues was one
of concern.
40Background information on TVG
- Our work is based on the findings of research we
commissioned in 1993, which was carried out by
the Social Policy and Research Unit of University
College Cork. This research was published and
entitled - Making Travellers Visible, an account of the
lived experience of Travellers in Cork an
examination of the services and unmet needs in
Cork. - Our catchment area is Cork City and the suburban
areas near the city
41Mission Statement of the Traveller Visibility
GroupTo work with Travellers in Cork towards
achieving real change and improvement in their
lives
- Principles of the TVG
- Anti-racist and anti-sexist work practices be
implemented in all programmes - Participation, partnership and empowerment the
core elements of community development - Starting from where the Travellers are at and
passing on skills - Seeing the value of working through a development
process with people being as important as
completing the task
42Aims of the TVG
- Continue to promote Travellers as a nomadic
ethnic group, with its own distinctive culture
and lifestyles. - Continue to promote Traveller self-determination
and empowerment (enabling Travellers to make
decisions and work in a collective way to bring
about real change in their lives). - Continue to work for real change and improvement
in Travellers lives including the areas of
education, accommodation, health, and employment
/ work and rights. - To challenge discrimination and racism against
Travellers. - Continue to ensure the inclusion of Traveller
issues and resource the real participation of
Travellers in policy decisions and practices that
affect their lives.
43Aims of TVG
- Develop a suitable, well-resourced Travellers
Centre and Crèche. - Develop the TVG's management, administrative and
staff structures and procedures. - Promote mutual understanding, acceptance and
support between Travellers and others in Irish
Society - Develop network links locally, regionally and
nationally. - Carry out research on the circumstances of
Travellers in Cork and contribute to national
research, which will inform the TVG's work
44The Team TVG consists of
- Voluntary Broad of management
- Project coordinator
- Administration
- Community Employment Workers
- Goras Community Crèche
- Drugs and Alcohol Project
- Health Development Team
45Community Health programme
- TVG health team consists of
- Health Coordinator
- 3 Community Development Workers
- (2 job share and 1 full time)
- 4 part-time Traveller Community Health Workers
46Community Health Programme
- Community Development workers
- support established groups in the Traveller
community which consist of both men and women - They provide workshops, training and activities
for the groups on an on-going basis to address
their needs. This can include the following wood
work, computing and IT skills, committee skills,
employment, workshops on health related topics,
Driver Theory sessions, cooking etc.
47Community Health Programme.
- They also provide one to one support to families
to help address individual needs. - They furthermore support families at Estate
Management meetings, attend sub-committees
locally and regionally to represent the TVG and
the needs of the Traveller Community. Their
working role brief is also health focused.
48Community Health Programme.
- Traveller Community Health Workers are
- from the Traveller Community and they peer
support their community to access health
services. - They are a link for services also to the
community. - They are based across the city with 2 on the
North side covering St Anthonys Park,
Springlane, Farranree/ Fairhill, The Glen,
Blackpool and Mayfield areas, and 2 on the South
side covering the Straight Rd, Meelagh, Mahon,
Douglas, Hazelwood Grove, Ballincollig.
49Community Health Programme.
- They are trained in a number of health promotion
areas so they can deliver training to their
community around health related needs. These
include, walking groups facilitation, cook it
and being well programmes, sexual health, child
safety and child protection. - They provide one to one outreach support to the
community and help individuals to access
services, as well as providing information to
services about the Traveller Community. - They also represent the TVG and the Traveller
Community at local and regional committees.
50Drugs Alcohol Programme
- TVG Drugs projects consists of a full time Drugs
and Alcohol Support Worker and a part time CE
worker who supports the project. - The support Worker works in conjunction with the
Local Drugs Task Force and works with people in
the Traveller Community specifically around the
issue of Drugs and Alcohol. She provides 1 to 1
support, some group work and also information
sessions to community services.
51Drugs and Alcohol Programme
- Ongoing support to Traveller families who
experiencing difficulties with drugs and
alcohol misused - Build up referral cases to mainstream services.
- Provide the community with access information on
these issues - Build up a bank of data and resource material for
the centre library - Continue to work with the existing clients
- Build a strong subcommittee to support the
community drugs programme
52TVG Community Crèche
- The crèche team consist of Crèche Manager, Team
Leader and 4 childcare assistant all who are all
women from the Traveller community support
through community employment scheme - We continued to developed and support training
opportunities for Travellers as childcare
workers. - We access equality /diversity training and
Traveller culture Awareness training for all
crèche staff. - We are opened from 930am to 5pm Monday to
Thursday and 930am to 1pm Friday. - We continue to prioritise majority of childcare
places to Traveller community we also offer a
number of limited places available to the wider
community.
53Traveller Cultural Awareness Training Initiative
(TCAT)
54TCAT
- Community led training in Traveller culture and
issues affecting the community - Aims to support culturally competent service
provision and challenge stereotypes - Traveller women completed Training for Trainers
course and deliver bespoke sessions to key
agencies - Since late 2012, TCAT has delivered training to a
wide range of services e.g. social workers,
foster care workers, speech and language
therapists etc, Gardai, council Traveller
accommodation unit, Probation, Schools etc - Co-ordinated by Traveller orgs (incl. VTWN TVG)
supported by the THU and HSE Health Promotion
55An overview of issues affecting the Traveller
community
56Overview
- Background to Traveller culture and identity in
Ireland - Public Policy towards Travellers
- A snapshot of Traveller health
57Background to Travellers in Ireland
- Travellers are
- a small indigenous minority group that has
been part of Irish society for centuries. They
have a value system, language, customs and
traditions, which make them an identifiable group
both to themselves and to others. Their
distinctive lifestyle and culture, based on a
nomadic tradition, sets them apart from the
general population. (AITHS 2010)
58Background to Travellers in Ireland.
- 29,000 36,000 Travellers in ROI, 1 of
population - 600 Traveller families in Cork city
- Travellers fare poorly on every indicator used to
measure socio-economic status health,
accommodation, education and employment - Travellers experience high levels of racism and
discrimination
59Background to Travellers in Ireland.
- Traveller experience of low social status and
exclusion, which can prevent them from
participating in society as equals is often
aggravated by hostility and misconceptions of
people towards them (Helleiner 2000, AITHS
20109)
60Myths and Realities
- Travellers are not settled people pushed off
their lands during various land clearances in the
past few hundred years - References to a group identified as similar to
present day Travellers as far back as 5th Century
BC
61Myths Realities
- Travellers have their own culture key features
are nomadism, family, the importance of extended
family, economic activity and faith - One cannot become a Traveller one has to be born
into the Traveller community - Travellers have their own language Cant, Gammon
- Settled Travellers versus Travellers
62Public policy towards Travellers
- Assimilation Phase (1963-1983) Report of the
Commission on Itinerancy - Travellers (Itinerants) are social misfits and
deviants - Led by priests, social workers and teachers
- Settled people know what is best for Travellers
- Travellers should be helped conform to normal
way of life! - No recognition of Travellers culture and identity
or discrimination experienced by them
63Public policy towards Travellers
- Intercultural Phase (1990 present) Report of
the Task Force on the Traveller Community (1995) - First official report to address Traveller issues
from a human rights perspective - Recognises the role of Traveller organisations
to participate in decision-making processes that
impact on the Traveller community - Traveller Accommodation Act, Traveller Health
Strategy, Education Strategy
64Public policy towards Travellers
- 2000 Equal Status Act
- Makes discrimination illegal and names 9 legal
equality grounds (including membership of the
Traveller Community) under which a complaint of
discrimination can be made - 2002 Trespass Act
- Trespass on public or private land a criminal
offence - Punishable by jail sentence, fine or confiscation
of property - Travellers living on roadside are criminalised
65A snap shot of the community.
- 4 out of 10 Traveller under 15 years (compared
with 2 out of 10 wider population) 6 out of 10
under 25 (compared with 3 out of 10 wider
population - Only 3 of Travellers are aged 65 years and over
(compared with 13 of wider population) - Life expectancy Traveller men can expect to
live to 62 years15 years less than a settled
Irish man (no improvements in the health of
Traveller men since 1987) Traveller women can
expect to live to 70 years12 years less than a
settled Irish woman - Infant mortality - A Traveller baby born in
Ireland is 3.6 times more likely to die than that
of a settled Irish family
66A snap shot of the community.
- Health services
- most commonly used services included GP,
Community Welfare Officer, Dental Services,
Public Health Nurse barriers to using health
services included waiting, shame/ embarrassment,
lack of information. - Health Information
- 82.7 of Travellers interviewed said they got
their health information/advice from Traveller
community health workers and the Traveller
organisations
67Equality?
68On going challenges
- No ethic identifier, no consistent way of
identifying Travellers within all state
services, no real true picture of Travellers
take-up of services - Huge gap in data analysis
- Lack of real cooperation between services on a
more effective deliver of services to the
community
69On going challenges
- Lack of Traveller specific accommodation ,crisis
in private rented sector - Uncertainty in community voluntary sector,
funding cuts . A rode back on Traveller
infrastructure .i.e. - Traveller education has experienced a
disproportionate cut in the last numbers of years
and this has led to dismantling of direct
education supports to the community .
70Thank you for Listening
- We now open the floor to any questions you may
have.