Women of wellbeing
The first participants in a new healthy living and emotional well-being project for Gypsies and Travellers living in South Buckinghamshire have completed their training as community health advocates.
Six women from Traveller communities will become health advocates for the Traveller sites of Iver, Wapseys Wood, Dudley Wharf and Mansion Lane.
The project is delivered through a partnership between One Voice 4 Travellers Ltd, Buckinghamshire New University and NHS Buckinghamshire after the partnership received a Slough Social Fund grant of £10,000 from the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation last year.
The multi-level project, comprising outreach, healthy living advice and support is set to benefit in the region of 60 families across South Buckinghamshire, and will have the potential to be transferred to and replicated in other areas of the UK as a ground-breaking model of good practice.
A key focus of the project is to explore the health needs of women, particularly young mothers and older women, who, according to research evidence, are particularly likely to neglect their health whilst caring for others. The trainee health advocates will now work with other women to offer advice and information on their families’ health needs, such as accessing screening for cardio-vascular health and diabetes; healthy eating; emotional wellbeing and access to social care support; and conflict reduction services.
The educational element of the project has been developed by Bucks New University and NHS Buckinghamshire, and following a six week course of tuition, the women received certificates of attendance at a special presentation ceremony held at the University today, 25 March.
The health advocacy programme has provided the participants with training in listening and interviewing skills; recognition of local sources for health sign-posting (e.g. health promotion, and specialist diabetic health teams); child and vulnerable adult protection proceedings; Emotional Well-being First Aid; drug awareness and prevention, and basic information on medical emergencies which need urgent referral.
Leading on the educational element is Dr Margaret Greenfields, Senior Lecturer Social Policy at Bucks New University
Dr Greenfields said: “In the light of the very specific health needs of Gypsy and Traveller families, I have been delighted by the fact that Bucks New University has provided support to enable us to co-devise an innovative health advocacy and health promotion package explicitly tailored to meet the needs of these often marginalised communities.
Shirley Barrett took part in the health advocacy training for personal interest reasons and to encourage other women to attend. She said: “The training was very interesting, particularly the sessions on mental health and on drug problems. I learnt a lot from it, for example resuscitation techniques.
“Dr Greenfields and the University did a really excellent job and are to be applauded for being an equal opportunities institution; the University incorporated culture into the training and did not ask about personal circumstances, which is extremely important for the women who attended.
“The other women and I can now work as health advocates across all of the Traveller communities and use what we have learnt to benefit others. I have a much clearer, balanced picture now, and can actually help people by giving them proper advice and the truth.”
One Voice 4 Travellers Ltd, the lead partner in the project, already works with Gypsies and Travellers in South Buckinghamshire, East Anglia and Bedfordshire, and its aim is to support, inform, represent and develop the wellbeing of women, children and young people from the Gypsy and Traveller communities who are suffering from, or are in some way affected by, social exclusion, isolation, conflict or violence.
Jayne Codona, Development Manager Advocacy for One Voice 4 Travellers Ltd, commented: “This project has been a partnership of learning for all; we have all been part of a group travelling together on a journey to better health, have shared personal experiences and learning, and as a group have improved our knowledge and ability to help support someone with accessing help or dealing with an emergency.
“This has truly been a partnership project from start to finish between One Voice, the University and NHS Buckinghamshire. The women, including myself, have enjoyed being part of this journey and most importantly we all reached our destination together as a group.”
Olga McBarnett, Senior Community Development Lead for NHS Buckinghamshire, added: “The Well-being for Travellers project has provided an excellent opportunity for community engagement and partnership working to develop a strong foundation for further joint working initiatives. It has been a privilege to deliver the training to an enthusiastic group of students, where learning and personal development has come from all parties involved.”