Welcome to the second edition of the quarterly Trauma InformedOrganisation(TIO)Newsletter.
I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the new Chair of TIO It is a privilege to take on this role from Leslie Ann and I hope that together we will achieve the ambition we have settobecomeaTraumaInformedOrganisation
I truly believe in what it means to be a TIO Every single person in Extern has a valuable contribution to make every day as we embark on this journey together Whether your work is on the front line, in management, orinsupportservices–weallplayavitalroleinchanging lives It is this collective effort that makes Extern such a remarkableorganisation
But it’s not just about the work we do; it’s about how we do it Living our new values feeling safe, being trusted, having choice, working collaboratively, and feeling empowered will support us on our journey and will keepExternstrong
We can’t do any of this without learning from our staff and that is why we carried out our first TIO Questionnaire
Inthisedition
TIOSurvey–ToplineInsights TIOWorkingGroups
oTeams
oFocusfor2025
back in December which will now benchmark our process on a yearly basis as we will run a survey every December totrackourprogress
Your feedback from the December Survey reflected that we are only just beginning and there is much to do What was greatly encouraging to read in the survey is that across our organisation there is wide support for Extern becomingaTraumaInformedOrganisation
There is much insight you have shared in the survey, and it is shaping the planning of the six TIO Working Groups for the year ahead You can read more about this in the pagesthatfollow
An addition to the newsletter, we are introducing a supplement section and in this edition we have focussed on Wellbeing – Ten Top Tips to ‘Get your Breath Back’ and ‘HealthyWaystoaBalancedDay’
We had a 35% response rate to our survey, a solid start, but we’d love to hear from even more of you Your voice is key in shaping TIO, so if you didn’t have the chancetocontributetothesurveyinDecember,andhavesomesuggestions,pleasecontactAllyMcClayorClareO’Connor,ChairofQuestionnaireGroup
8 in 10 believe they have been given clear information on whyExternismovingtowardsTIO
8in10believetheirworkspaceisasafespace
8 in 10 feel safe to be open and honest within their team withoutjudgement
Areastoimprove
3 in 10 believe they have received trauma training relevanttotheirrole
4 in 10 agree that Extern supports them in their role to feelpartofawiderteam
5 in 10 feel there is a collaborative process when policies and procedures that directly affective them are being reviewed and that they have the choice to be part of this andtheirinputisvalue
How do we ensure all staff, regardless of computer access or specific needs, have the opportunitytocompletethequestionnaire?
Exploring the possibility of focus groups to capture the quality aspect of the organisation's experienceofbeingTraumaAware
Help
TRAUMA-INFORMED LANGUAGE GROUP
Launch of Employee Handbook by the end of this quarter This handbook is being crafted withatrauma-informedlensandplaces employees'voicesatitscore
Collaborating with the Training subgroup to ensure theIr training offerings reflect our commitmenttotrauma-informedlanguage
To support both services and support services teams, the group will be developing a comprehensiveGuidanceDocument
TRAUMA-INFORMED REFLECTIVE PRACTICE GROUP
The IFSS team is trialling a group reflective practice initiative using Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to support staff in discussing and learning from workplace situations
· Develop a PowerPoint presentation to raise awareness of what trauma-informed environmentslooklike
Consider how to cascade this presentation to staff to increase their knowledge and understanding(eg,throughteammeetings,webinars,Sway,lunchandlearnsessions)
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TRAUMA-INFORMED MODELS OF PRACTICE GROUP
Reviewing Existing Models – Assessing various established models to determine their relevanceandeffectivenessforExtern
Developing a Bespoke Approach – Selecting key aspects from different models to create a tailoredframeworksuitedtoExtern’sneeds
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Breaking Down the Model – Analysing the overarching structure and identifying specific componentsthatneedtobeappliedwithinExtern
SUPPLEMENT ‘WELLBEING’
StayHydrated:
Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to keep your body hydrated and functioningproperly
RegularExercise:
Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderateexercise,likewalkingoryoga, mostdaysoftheweek.
Mindfulness:
Practice mindfulness or meditation for at least 10 minutes a day to reduce stressandimprovementalclarity
DEEP BREATHING TIPS
BalancedDiet:
Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains in your meals
AdequateSleep:
Ensure you get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help your body recoverandrejuvenate
SocialConnections:
Maintain healthy relationships and spend time with loved ones to boost yourmoodandoverallwell-being
FROM TRAUMA TO TRANSFORMATION: DR KATRIONA O'SULLIVAN’S INSPIRING VISIT TO EXTERN
Dr Katriona O'Sullivan, author of the compelling memoir Poor, recently met with Extern staff to share her personal journey through adversity and discuss how organisationslikeExterncansupportpeoplefacingsimilarchallenges.
During her presentation, Dr O'Sullivan highlighted the importance of trauma-informed practice, stressing that understanding and responding to a person ’ s lived experience is key to supporting healing, resilience, and empowerment She commended Extern’s commitment to creating safe, supportive spaces where people feelvaluedandheard
Readmorehere
CREATING SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE SPACES: A TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH TO ROOM DESIGN
The environments we create have a profound impact on well-being In redesigning a space through a trauma-informed lens, we consider more than just aesthetics-prioritisesafety,comfort,andasenseofcontrolforthoseusingthespace
Readmorehere
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