Travelling to Wellbeing was set up in December 2012 and is the only professional mental health service that is unique to Travellers in Ireland. OTM identified the need for a culturally appropriate Traveller specific mental health service to address the serious situation for Travellers in Offaly in relation to their mental health needs and suicide rates. Travelling to Wellbeing is an evidenced based, clinical/therapeutic, recovery focused model of local mental health service provision within a community development context.

This service provides:

• 1:1 Recovery & Wellbeing Focused Support
• Wrap around Family support,
• Group support,
• Individualised recovery plans,
• Traveller specific models of suicide prevention and mental health recovery
• Mental Health Education & Training
• Advocacy and access to other services.

• We take part in Local Community Events,
• And contribute to National Training and Policy Development

Vision:

Travellers with mental health issues will be supported to develop their own culturally appropriate individualised recovery plans and facilitated and supported to access the full range of mental health services suitable to their needs. 

Aims:

• Support individualised culturally appropriate recovery plans with Travellers experiencing mental health issues

• Address inequalities by working with Travellers and service providers to improve referral pathways and aid recovery
• Raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health and suicide within the Traveller Community

Success factors of the T2WB model

In 2015 this programme was independently researched and the following success factors were identified.

• Service users do not have to be diagnosed with a mental illness
• Involvement of well-established Traveller organisations, which enabled the T2WB model to achieve a strong buy-in from Travellers;
• Capacity to address a multiplicity of issues presented by clients;
• Operating within a relatively low-cost model;
• Evidence-based approach, drawing from established good practice in both fields of clinical mental health care and community development;
• The mental health professional qualifications of its staff;
• Provision of structured clinical support and external supervision within the context of a well-established community development setting;
• Facilitation of meaningful referrals to mainstream services.