National Traveller Mabs

A Way of Life - and Overcoming Illegal Debt facilitated by NTMABS with the health care workers of both Mullingar and Longford.

In February 2014, Dermot Sreenan Community Education Worker with National Traveller MABS facilitated Community Education training with Mullingar and Longford Primary Health Care Workers. This five week course saw participant’s complete "The Way of Life" training manual and the recently published "Overcoming Illegal Moneylending Debt" module. These training resources promote money management by increasing understanding in areas such as budgeting, income maximisation, saving and banking and borrowing.

Following completion of this training, separate certificate presentation days were arranged in both Mullingar and Longford. James Clarke, Chairperson of Longford MABS along with Fergal Fox from the HSE and Valerie McFarlane from Longford Community Resources Limited attended the Longford presentations.

In all 18 people were presented with the certificates of completion

Collet Tuohy the co-ordinator of Mullingar stated: "The training has given the Community Health Workers a new understanding of managing money and the services MABS provides and more importantly, that they will bring the message back to their own community, that there is help for people who are struggling to pay bills or who are burdened with debt".

Frances Swaray, the co-ordinator from Longford said: "The MABS training has equipped the staff with both skills and confidence to discuss 'money matters' with clients when needed and the knowledge of the types of supports the MABS service  can offer".

National Traveller MABS was happy to facilitate this community education taking place because it develops skills and knowledge for the participants and an understanding of the valuable service that MABS provides.  As one primary health care worker said: "I have learned the importance of managing my money with the budget sheet and having the confidence to go to MABS if I get into any difficulty."

Crucially community education provides a platform for local MABS services to build links with local Traveller groups and NTMABS are totally committed to supporting services in doing this work.