Minister for Mental Health and Older People Mary Butler TD, launched the new Young Pavees ‘Mind Your Nuck’ website today. This innovative platform offers culturally appropriate information on many areas impacting on young Travellers’ mental health – racism, discrimination, drug issues and unemployment – and offers signposting to services.
Pa Reilly, Pavee Point Mental Health Coordinator, chaired the event and welcomed the launch of a resource that “has been developed by Travellers for Travellers. It began as a piece of research from a number of years ago that showed that the issues impacting on young Traveller mental health are very different to non-Travellers.”
Martina Queally, Chairperson of the Eastern Region Traveller Health Unit (THU) and HSE Chief Officer Community Healthcare East, acknowledged the unacceptable levels of poor mental and suicide amongst the Traveller Community and credited the work of the Mental Health Initiative & their effective approach in bridging the gap between Travellers and mainstream mental health services.
The resources are clear and provide information in way that is culturally appropriate. The website presents a clearly innovative solution to addressing Traveller mental health inequalities. It also will support implementation of key actions in the forthcoming National Traveller Health Action Plan (NTHAP) – Martin Queally
Minister Butler TD also noted the targeted way that Traveller health inequalities will be address through the implementation of the NTHAP. The www.youngpavees.ie website is just one tool to “provide a better understanding of mental health difficulties, reduce stigma and will, hopefully, enable Traveller families and the community to access the vital services needed.”
Videos highlighting how the Young Pavees Mind Your Nuck website can be used by both young Travellers and their families. These videos can be viewed here.
Also contributing to the event were Martin Collins (Co-Director of Pavee Point) and Linda Moore (Head of Service, Mental Health, HSE Community Healthcare East).
