Vikki, Peer Hub
20 Jul 2021
Our Biggest Online Trauma Informed Training Yet!
The idea of online training can feel disconnecting and quite different to being in a room with your fellow delegates. Or it can feel daunting, especially when the subject you're learning about is mental health and trauma. While the Covid-19 pandemic is getting us used to online training and working from home, it can still sometimes be a challenge to feel connected to others online.
In mid-July we held a bespoke, one day trauma informed training online for the psychology department at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. With over 80 attendees signed up to attend, we knew connecting with so many staff over a subject which can be difficult and emotional was going to be a challenge.
The Derbyshire staff came to the training with the intention to build relationships and connections, so with a whole load of breakout rooms and a real focus on our motivations and hopes in the workplace, the training was a joy to facilitate and we were able to have some really interesting conversations about trauma informed mental health services.
What we at Peer Hub CIC learned from this training is that big groups doesn't necessarily make online training feel more anonymous and less connecting - but we do have to bring that intentionality to connect and build relationships. As facilitators we must honour this intention with opportunities for delegates to have conversations that matter with each other during the training. Training in a large group offered the opportunity for wider networking, and connections across teams and departments that might not often get the chance to interact.
In the end, it was a really powerful experience for us and taught us that 80 attendees at an online training is not just doable, but might be a good idea from time to time!
We wish Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust all the best in their journey towards trauma informed care, and hope to continue to be part of it in the future.
Find out more about trauma informed approaches in our blog, resources and training sections.