St. Catherine’s Traveller programmes aim to achieve social justice and improve equality outcomes for the Travelling community in Carlow and its environs.  Our professional programmes focus on working in partnership with the community at local, regional and national levels to effect this change. Our three key programmes below are delivered by our Traveller Programmes Team with the support, strategic guidance and supervision of the Traveller Family Support, Community Development and Health Programmes Manager. The programmes are devised, planned, delivered, evaluated and reviewed within an equality and diversity framework that sees anti-discriminatory work practice at its core.

Our Programmes

A – Traveller Community Development

B – Traveller Men’s Health Work

C – Community Traveller Health Workers

Traveller Pride

Carlow Traveller Pride takes place annually in June. The day includes a demonstration of the Living Heritage exhibition and Traveller Culture

Did you Know?

• Over 200 members of the Travelling and settled communities attended the 2015 Traveller Pride event
• Over 200 people attended the 2016 Traveller Pride event
• In 2015 36 women participated regularly in the community and health development programmes

The Men’s Health programme focuses on improving Traveller men’s health including cardiovascular health, mental health and cancer awareness.  The Traveller Men’s Health Worker (TMHW) works in both County Carlow and County Kilkenny.

Outreach work is carried out using a Camper Van. It was identified in 2012 that Traveller Men attended and responded very well to a programme on health delivered from a Mobile Unit. A Camper Van was purchased in 2013 to build on this programme for Traveller men. It is envisaged that van will be used for outreach across all three programmes with the support of the Traveller Public Health Nurse and other Health Professionals.

Did you know?

• The All Ireland Traveller Healthy Survey in 2010 highlighted serious issues regarding the health of Traveller men.  Traveller men die 15 years younger than settled men and are 7 times more likely to die by suicide.
• To speak with the designated Traveller Mental Health Nurse please contact Valerie Byrne (Traveller Programme Manager on 086 0272803)

The programme focuses on improving health outcomes for members of the Travelling Community, through direct work with the community and health services.   The aims of the programme include raising cardiovascular awareness, highlighting the importance of cancer screening for early detection, good mental health awareness, creating spaces to discuss health for individuals and the community, providing training and support for the health services to ensure Traveller culture is recognised and respected in all areas and to identify new or emerging Traveller health issues.

Activities and supports include:

• Pre Development Programmes including healthy eating, positive mental health, smoking cessation and cardiovascular health and fitness
• Advocacy to facilitate access to health services for GP appointments, medical card renewals, dental clinics, cancer screening, cardiovascular appointments, immunisations etc.
• Internal and external referrals
• Delivery of and facilitation of health inputs to Traveller Pre Development groups
• Health themed open mornings
• Cultural awareness training for health professionals and other service providers locally

Did you know?

• The All Ireland Traveller Health Study 2010 highlighted the fact that Traveller women’s life expectancy is 12 years less than settled women. Traveller infant mortality rate is three times higher than in the settled community.