Health care group completes money management course
Workers from Wicklow Traveller Primary Health Care Project were presented with certificates last week for successfully completing a community education course about Money Managment which was facilitated by Arklow MABS.
The certificate presentation took place at Wicklow Travellers Group, CEART, Crinion Park in Wicklow town, on Tuesday, July 3.
The course was facilitated by Anne Dixon and Sheila Kavanagh of Arklow MABS. The Community Health Workers provide an outreach service of health promotion, information and support to accessing health and all other services in the community. MABS – the Money Advice and Budgeting Service – is a free, independent, confidential, and non-judgemental advice service for people who are having difficulties with managing money or are in debt.
In total, 15 staff members were recognised for completing the training, which deals with issues such as budgeting, saving and borrowing, dealing with debt and, in particular, tackling legal and illegal moneylending. The knowledge developed and information gathered during the course can now be applied to the Primary Health Care Project’s work with the local Traveller community, and the service can refer people to Arklow MABS.
The certificates were presented by Mary McDonald, co-ordinator of Arklow MABS.
Speaking about the course, one staff member from Wicklow Traveller Primary Health Care Project said: ‘The information I learnt about money lenders on the course could save lives’. WICKLOW’S Active Ageing Programme organised a well-attended Go for Life Taster Games in the Brockagh Resource Centre in Laragh.
The three hour session was organised by Wicklow Sports Partnership and included representatives from Volleyball Ireland who gave demonstrations on their new chair volleyballl programme. Participants were then invited to play a few games of the
Another Primary Health Care Worker said: ‘Saving a little like €5 could add up to a lot of money over time and can help you out for Christmas and other times’.
Sheila Kavanagh and Anne increasingly popular sport which includes physical activity as well as social interaction. Bowls was one of the other activities which proved particularly popular. A number of different groups were represented in the session, including the Irish Men’s Shed Association, Active Retirement Ireland and other local organisations. Wicklow Sports Partnership will be running a PALS course in October so look out for future details. Dixon from Arklow MABS, who facilitated the course, said: ‘We found the participants in the group to be very willing to share the experiences and values of their way of life. There was huge evidence of support from each participant to those in the Traveller community, a great comradery within the group, and a willingness and desire to share their knowledge and experience – and to take ours on board.’