Technical Report - Donegal Traveller's Project

All Ireland Traveller Health Study• A video on Traveller Children’s Health, Pavee Gailles has been produced by the project. As inthe case of the women’s health video, the starting point of the initiative was a course organised onchildren’s health for the CHW’s.• Traveller men’s health is the focus of a number of pilot initiatives in response to the identificationand exploration of men’s participation in their health care.• A model of education on mental health was developed and piloted with a group of Travellerwomen engaged as CHWs in one of the PHC projects. The model can be replicated. The project hasengaged with health professionals in the area of mental health and contributed to the developmentof culturally appropriate mental health services. It has also participated in the Amnesty Internationalconsultation days on mental health.• The project, with its community work approach has also produced a video on the NationalTraveller Health Strategy that informs Travellers and local Traveller Groups of the commitmentsin the Strategy. The production of materials in accessible formats facilitates discussion at local levels,of the policy commitments and their implications for Travellers. It facilitates Travellers to acquirenew knowledge and confidence to deepen their analysis of the issues facing their community andenables them to collectively campaign for the full implementation of the Health Strategy and itsproposed actions.• A survey of needs at the local level is being conducted by the Community Health Workers inCommunity Care Area 6. It is 5 years since the last detailed survey was undertaken. The new surveywill allow a detailed analysis of current and new needs. It will also allow an assessment of the workand of the project over the past five years in addressing the needs identified in the last survey.• An All Ireland Traveller Health Needs Assessment and Health Status Study is a major North/South initiative being specifically designed to engage Traveller organisations at all levels of theresearch and in the data collection.• There is much greater awareness about the needs and entitlements of Travellers in the healthservice as well as the difficulties in accessing services that are available to them.• In many health areas public health nurses (PHNs) have been specifically designated to work withTravellers. They are engaged in direct service provision to Travellers of all ages and both sexes, andinterventions such as advice, nursing diagnosis and referral. In areas where there is a PHC Project,PHNs are engaged in the delivery of health promotion/prevention services in partnership with thecommunity health worker (CHW)• The provision of in-service training to a range of health professionals aims to encouragehealth personnel to offer more culturally appropriate services and work towards an increase in theutilisation of essential services. The project has also contributed to the development of culturallyappropriate services with regard to mental health and has participated in the Amnesty Internationalconsultation days on mental health.26