The Travelling to Wellbeing (T2WB) service is a partnership between Exchange House Dublin, Offaly and Cork.  Within the partnership there a four key Mental Health workers based in Dublin, Cork and Offaly. Each local project is set up to provide a service depending on the needs of the community.

T2WB staff:

Paul Nugent

Paul Nugent is the new Exchange House T2WB Mental Health Social Worker. He is the latest edition to the family support team within Exchange House. The aim of Paul’s role is to support clients, family and carers of those will mental health issues. The focus of the support is on the Recovery approach of mental health and wellbeing.  At present WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) is been rolled out via Paul and Exchange House. This is given to any client who is willing to engage.  The overall aim is to give those with long and enduring illness or short term mental ill health to have the best chance possible to live in their own community with supports.

Adele Plant

In Cork Adele Plant has also started working as a T2WB mental health family support worker and she is located in West Cork.  Adele is enjoying her post and she feels that the strong trust the Traveller community has in the Centre and their workers has made her introduction into the wider community so well received. Adele feels that one of the benefits of T2WB is that each person’s recovery plan is individual and unique to them therefore more beneficial.  In May the Mayor, Cionnaith O'Súilleabháin, called to congratulate Adele on her new position as the T2WB project and to welcome her to the centre. He is a regular visitor to West Cork Traveller Centre as he actively supports the valuable work which they do. He recognises the complex issues that affect Travellers in the West Cork community, and the need for Traveller specific, individualised health care response.

Sharon Roche

Also in Cork Sharon Roche is the T2WB mental health social worker.  Sharon is based in the Office of The Travellers of North Cork Ltd Doneraile, Cork.  The Travellers of North Cork operates groups and provides support to Travellers in five North Cork towns, these are Mallow, Fermoy, Mitchelstown, Doneraile and Charleville. Sharon provides mental health and wellbeing support to individuals and groups based in Doneraile and Charleville which hosts 47% of Travellers of the North Cork area. Sharon is currently working on a project alongside Iain Mentiply, the local Community Health Development Worker to support the local community of Charleville to set up a boxing club. This aims to target the younger generation and that this will support individual’s needs with regard to health, fitness and mental health through local community engagement. On June 13^th as part of her on-going work a Mass to Celebrate Traveller Faith and Culture took place in the Holly Cross Church Charleville at 7.30pm. It incorporated many different opportunities for the Travelling community to become involved in the ceremony. There was also information available on the night on local services that can support mental health and wellbeing and the contact details for individuals within these services.

Sandra McDonagh

In Offaly Sandra McDonagh is working on the T2WB project.  She is based in Offaly Traveller Movement in Tullamore Co.Offaly.  Sandra’s aim is to work with mainstream mental health services and Travellers alike in Offaly to break down the barriers that exist to recovery pathways, to increase access to mainstream mental health services and ensure equality of outcomes for Travellers. Sandra is looking forward to all projects that she will undertake in Offaly in responding to needs of Travellers and their mental health. She committed to social justice and asserting the rights of people with mental health problems. On June 20^th 2013 a seminar was held Tullamore as part of T2WB. There were many guest speakers at the full day seminar. There was a large attendance with the guest receiving information on mental health service, young people and mental health and also information on T2WB.