Trauma Informed Communities - Learning Briefing 3

Peer learning from the Trauma Informed Work in the Communities Fund around the trauma informed approach. September 2023

Summary

This short report is based on the reflections of 6 different Trauma Informed Communities projects from the Trauma Informed Work in the Communities Fund. The peers were asked to reflect on an exercise taken from Karen Treisman’s, A Treasure Box for Creating Trauma Informed Organisations’ resource and the exercise was “Steps to reflect on different aspects of the work & of the organisation from a  trauma informed lens.” The group were asked to zoom in on an aspect of their work. The group thought about what might facilitate, hinder, increase, decrease people’s trust and safety and considered both emotional, relational and also physical safety. (Treisman 199) These discussions have been organised, where possible, into the trauma informed principles as a guide.  

Reflection - Part 1

The peers took an imaginary walk through looking at the first steps to engagement with a young person/parent or family. The peers reflected on before, during and after the process. The peers were asked to think about what they see, notice, feel, observe and think during the walk through.

The following prompt questions were used:

What does it look/feel like before engaging with a parent or young person for the first time?

What happens before you meet/call the young person?

What communication leads up to the meeting? Where do you decide to meet?

What happens during the first meeting?

What happens if the person or parent does not turn up?

How does the first meeting end?

What happens after that meeting before the start of the meeting? Why do you do those things? 

(Treisman 193-195)

Findings

Safety & Trust

• Meet the young person and any support network around them and we invite them to the venue to make them feel comfortable.
• Identify new members and introduce them to the coaches and talk to the parents.
• Ask people questions rather than assume they are doing ok.
• During the first conversation, have a nice discussion about the child and why the family has been referred. Try to focus on the positive and connect with Mum over the child.
• At the end of the 1st phone conversation, I would give them as much information as possible.
• Try to get as much information as possible and as much knowledge about that person before calling them for the first time so they do not have to repeat.
• If someone does not turn up, follow up a few times and understand that some respond to text more than phone calls.
• We like to use praise and rather than say a negative we use a method of "much better if"
• Asking for permission around giving the taxi driver their phone number.

Choice

• Enquire what the person needs and see what they want. Some people want to speak on the phone but some people want to come in person.
• “Text to Mum to ask is it alright if I phone you? When I call, is it alright to talk?”
• Introductions happen in a public place in a cafe with someone they know or sometimes in their home.
• We like to conduct face to face meetings so an individual can meet us and we can meet them but there is always the choice of email/telephone.

Collaboration

• “We always work on where the young person is and not where we want them to be, every individual is different.”

Humility & Responsiveness

• Bring food, sweets, cultural stuff from their home.
• Speak their language and explain the whole process formally.
• Applied to a translating context - balance the tone where difficult questions are being asked and adapt the wording.

Reflection - Part 2

The group were then asked to think about putting this through the lens of a young person who is a new starter, a young person who has experienced trauma, someone who is disabled, or someone who doesn’t speak English. Think about what you see, notice, feel, observe and think. (Treisman 194)

The following prompt questions were used:

What will the young person feel/hear/see experience when engaging with you for the first time?

What do you think the young person might be feeling/thinking/seeing before the first meeting?

How might the young person/parent feel about the communications prior to meeting with you for the first time?

During the first meeting, how would the young person feel about the meeting place? Physical environment? What might it feel like, look like (walls, seats, signage, ease of location, greetings from other staff in the building (useful to think about if it is agile spaces))

How might the young person/family feel if they do not turn up?  

How might the young person feel at the end of the meeting?

Safety & Trust

• A young person will be anxious and everyone is different. Some people are quiet and some talkative. Every individual is different and we have to adapt to them to make them feel comfortable.
• Communication and presence is essential. We must not be overbearing and demanding too early.
• We have a gaming device and whilst playing it, this creates conversation about interests and fears.
• People like to feel wanted, to know routine, rules and outcomes.
• Asylum seekers have seen so many people. They are quite numb and desensitised and quiet in the whole process. They can be untrusting and tired from the whole system. People will feel nervous and scared. Be very welcoming.
• Make the environment as comfy as possible and bring food!
• Use the sport/activity to make them feel safe.

Choice

• Young people sometimes do not turn up. The first day is the hardest but give them more options to attend when they are ready.

Collaboration

• We thrive on showing people around our facility and allowing them to speak to current attendee's if needed, after all they probably felt the same when they started.

Empowerment

• Signage - emphasis that it is their room rather than my room. Talk about our environment so they have that ownership.
• Get to know what they like so it is personalised and they feel comfortable and seen.

Work Cited

Treisman, Karen. Dr. 1 ed., vol. 1, London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2021. 2 vols.