In a landmark moment for mental health advocacy in Northern Ireland, the first-ever regional conference dedicated to the mental health of the Traveller community took place on Wednesday 3 September at Ulster University Derry~Londonderry.
Hosted by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and organised collaboratively by Donegal Travellers Project, Minceirs Whiden, Samaritans, Ulster University, Western Traveller Action Group and the Western Trust’s Traveller Health and Wellbeing Programme, this was the first time the conference marked a significant step toward tackling the longstanding mental health inequalities faced by the Traveller population.
The conference ‘Traveller Mental Health: The Way Forward’ drew together a wide-ranging audience of mental health practitioners, community leaders, policymakers, commissioners and members of the Traveller community, to explore the poor mental health outcomes affecting the Traveller community, highlight barriers to care and identify culturally appropriate pathways to healing and wellbeing.
The Great Hall provided the backdrop for the powerful conversations and calls to action that followed, and the day began with a warm welcome from Professor Malachy Ó Néill, Director of Regional Engagement at Ulster University, setting the tone for an event grounded in both academic insight and shared lived experience.
Keynote speaker Professor Siobhan O’Neill, Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University and Chief Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland, explored the prevalence and impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences in Northern Ireland and provided an overview of the Mental Health Strategy 2021 - 2031.
One of the most compelling aspects of the day came from those with lived experience. Personal testimonies, delivered with honesty and courage, underscored the urgency of systemic change and culturally competent care.
These moments were interspersed with presentations from key partners, including David Friel of Atlantic Technological University on research into Traveller men’s mental health, and the Donegal Travellers Project, who presented models of good practice in community-based interventions.
Trish Cathcart and Grainne Griffith Start 360 service managers In Custody discussed empowering people through various therapies and core psychosocial skills which are inherent to working with Travellers in prison, including building a strong non judgmental therapeutic alliance, having respect for human rights, persons dignity, and the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health and well-being and avoiding any form of discrimination and/or stigmatisation.
Thomas McCann of the National Traveller Counselling Service brought the morning’s talks to a conclusion, with the message that traveller communities deserve mental health services that reflect and respect their culture, history and realities.
The afternoon sessions provided a space for open dialogue, with roundtable discussions generating practical feedback and collaborative energy. These sessions helped identify clear areas for future action, including improved access to services, the importance of trust-building, and the value of peer-led interventions.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the day, Professor Malachy Ó Néill, Director of Regional Engagement at Ulster University, commented:
“Ulster University is delighted to have provided the setting for today’s conference, which has not only highlighted the stark mental health disparities within the Traveller community but also demonstrated what is possible when services, researchers and communities come together. This is just the beginning of the conversation, but it’s a vital step on the way forward.”
Marie McLaughlin, Traveller Development Officer at the Western Health and Social Care Trust, said:
“A heartfelt thank you to everybody who worked together to make this successful conference possible: the organisers, the excellent speakers, those who courageously shared their lived experience, helpers on the day and to all the attendees who left with a renewed commitment to improving mental health outcomes for Travellers.”
Dr Marie O’Neill, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Ulster University, added:
“This conference explored some of the key issues that impact on mental health within the Traveller community and some of the considerations that need to be taken into account in order to address the mental health needs of the Traveller community. This conference has created the starting point for future opportunity for advocates, the community, service providers and policy makers to come together to explore the key issues in relation to developing culturally inclusive mental health services that are accessible to the Traveller community in Northern Ireland.”
As the event closed with a networking lunch, a sense of shared purpose agreed that it is the time for inclusive, culturally-informed mental health reform.
Find out more:
For further information, visit:
- Donegal Travellers Project - www.donegaltravellersproject.ie
- National Traveller Counselling Service - www.travellercounselling.ie
- Minceirs Whiden - www.minceirswhiden.com
- Western Trust Traveller Health and Wellbeing Programme - westerntrust.hscni.net/health-and-wellbeing/community-development/traveller-health-and-wellbeing-programme/
