department of social and family affairs annual report 2006 - Welfare.ie

Appendix to Chapter 8
The following is a sample of the 2006 Family
Services Project initiatives:
* Ballina Neighbourhood Youth Project, Co. Mayo
Ballina Neighbourhood Youth Project is a
Partnership between Foroige and the HSE and is a
community based adolescent and family support
service with particular emphasis on working with
young people who are experiencing or at risk of
personal or social disadvantage.
The group delivered a series of personal
development courses for young parents under
the age of 23. These courses aimed to enable
young people to involve themselves consciously
and actively in their own development and in the
development of their community.
social development; building co-operation and
good social behaviour; building self-esteem;
problem solving and conflict management; and
building good relationships and communicating
positively.
It also aims to enhance the understanding and
personal skills of young people with ID/Autism
establishing healthy relationships and building
self-esteem and self confidence.
Finally it provides siblings of people with
ID/Autism with an opportunity to explore
feelings and concerns around disability; to share
experiences of having a family member with
ID/Autism and to explore the role of advocacy in
relation to siblings with disabilities. In addition it
provides age appropriate information on types of
disabilities, causes and effects.
Courses included subjects such as ECDL and
Driving Theory, cooking skills and learning how
to deal with younger children. The course also
provided them with a break from home and a
social outlet.
The project makes a positive change in
participant’s lives by assisting them clarify and
realise goals, improve personal relationships,
overcome stress and build self-confidence and
self-image.
* Family Support Project, Brothers of Charity
Services, Roscommon
This programme which commenced in September
2006 is designed to support families which
have one or more children with an intellectual
disability/autism. It aims to offer a comprehensive
range of training to families who are raising
children with ID/Autism and to enhance their
skills.
The programme has three separate strands which
seek to address the needs of parents, the young
people themselves and siblings.
It aims to enhance the skills of parents by
maximising children’s learning, language and
* Traveller Interagency Primary Healthcare
Programmes
The overall aim of the Traveller Primary
Healthcare programmes is to establish Traveller
women participation in the promotion of health
by increasing participant’s knowledge of health
care and community development and to train
Traveller women as Community Health Workers
to work in their own community alongside Health
professionals to ultimately improve the health
status of Travellers.
These programmes are funded on a multi agency
basis by the HSE, FÁS and the Department. In
2006 programmes were funded in the South
East Region in Carlow/Kilkenny, Bunclody, Co.
Wexford; Cashel, Co. Tipperary and Dungarvan, Co.
Waterford.
The programmes provided participant’s with the
opportunity to attain FETAC Level 3 modules in
Family Health, Literacy, Personal and Interpersonal
Skills, Health Related Fitness, Computer Literacy,
Communications, Maths and Community
Development. All training was provided in a
Traveller-led, culturally appropriate manner.
annual report 2006
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