Description: Created by the US Vicarious Trauma Toolkit in collaboration with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, this resource provides talking points for managers to communicate how their organisation is addressing vicarious trauma. This resource provides clear talking points regarding what vicarious trauma is, why it is important to address vicarious trauma at the organisational level, and what steps organisations can take to address vicarious trauma in their workplace.
What's the evidence base for this resource: This was developed by the US Vicarious Trauma Toolkit so we are confident in it being a reliable source of information.
Potential uses and limitations: This resource may be a useful starting point for managers looking to communicate the importance of addressing vicarious trauma in their organisations. A limitation is that it does not give any concrete examples of policies, procedures, or practices to prevent vicarious trauma.
Where it comes from: The US Vicarious Trauma Toolkit.
The CPSU gratefully acknowledges the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime, for allowing us to reproduce. in whole, Message Box: Communicating about VT to Staff. This article was prepared by the Office for Victims of Crime.
Description
Written for women working in anti-violence fields (e.g. domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault). Uses a strong gender lens and the specific challenges for women workers in these fields.
What's the evidence base for this resource
Based on the author's 8 months of consultations with expert workers in the sector, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Family Violence. The author was contracted by the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children in London, Ontario, The University of Western Ontario, to produce this report for the Family Violence Prevention Unit, Health Canada.
Potential uses and limitations
The resource is intended for women workers in anti-violence work. Some of the content is also quite specific to the Canadian context. Also note that the publication date is 2001.
Covers topics ranging from individual self-care practices, to organisational strategies. The uniquely feminist perspective, with an emphasis on gender and social justice, sets this apart from many other trauma related resources. The section on organisational strategies includes sections on:
Feminist Philosophy
Social Justice
Organizational Structure
Staffing
Human Resources Policies and Practices
Training
Administrative and Support Staff
Hiring
Orientation and Training
Personal Relationships of Staff
Supervision
Retreats and Celebrations
Exiting Gracefully
Where it comes from
Published by National Clearinghouse on Family Violence, Canada. Some of the content does apply specifically to the Canadian context.
Description: Self-assessment tool for work health and safety risk management during organisational change
What's the evidence base for this resource: The evidence base is not explained. The resource is designed to assist employers and managers fulfill their obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) to ensure the health and safety of their workers.
Potential uses and limitation: This tool is a guided self-assessment to identify key risks and corrective actions to minimise the risks of change. The focus is on Consultation, Prevention, Early intervention, Recovery and Return to Work, and Leadership. It is intended for use by managers and leaders- those with responsibility for managing and monitoring organisational change processes.
It includes a short survey to test employer/manager perceptions vs worker perceptions about organisational change management.
Not directed specifically at Vicarious Trauma, however clear communication from leadership around organisational change is a factor explored in the VT-ORG.
Where it comes from: Comcare Australia
Description: This self-assessment tool has been designed to provide you with a checklist to assess your performance and plan of systems and processes required to ensure the health and safety of workers undergoing Machinery of Government (MoG) changes.
What's the evidence base for this resource: The self-assessment tool is deisgned to assist employers act in accordance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) (Commonwealth legistlation). There is no other explanation of the evidence informing the tool.
Potential uses and limitation: This tool should be used by managers and people responsbile for organisational change, to review your current planning and implementation of organisational change in the areas of Consultation, Prevention, Early Intervention, Rehabilitation and Return to Work (RTW), and Management and Leadership
It is not specific to Vicarious Trauma. However, clear communication regarding organisational change relates to some of the items in the VT-ORG, so this may be useful where the VT-ORG indicates this area needs attention.
Where it comes from: Comcare Australia.
Description: The (US based) Resiliency Project engaged researchers, educators, and
practitioners from the child abuse field in a collaborative effort to
develop, implement, and evaluate an organisationally based program to
build resiliency in staff and volunteers. Twelve service organisations participated in the project.
Key to the project were the pilot "resiliency coaches" who evaluated all training and technical assistance products related to the organisational program model.
The model identified 5 key themes- self-knowledge and insight, sense of hope, healthy coping, strong relationships, and personal perspective and meaning- that can be promoted in the culture of organisations.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Evaluation conducted by the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) at the University of Texas School of Social Work.
Potential uses and limitation: It includes
examples of specific interventions implemented under the categories of
Policy, Supervisory Technique, and Competency-based Training. There are a range of training and reflection exercises that could be useful in supervision contexts. Suggested practice examples range from personal reflections, through to policies that promote staff well being.
Where it comes from: Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA) in the Center for Social Work Research, School of Social Work
Description: Australian qualitative study with 16 EMD workers, identifying core themes related to Operational Stress and Vicarious Trauma, Organisational Stress, and Post-Traumatic Growth.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Academic research article published in peer reviewed journal.
Potential uses and limitations: Identifies specific organisational and operational factors that can contribute to vicarious trauma.
See attached diagram showing causes and impacts of Operational stress, organisational stress and post-traumatic growth factors.
Highlights the importance of workers being treated respectfully and their work being valued by leadership.
Specific focus on Emergency Medical Dispatch workers. Small scale study (n=16), findings may not be generalizable.
Where it comes from: Journal of Loss and Trauma. The full article has been made available via the US VTT website.
The CPSU gratefully acknowledges the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime, for allowing us to reproduce. in whole, the Supervision Guidelines for a Vicarious Trauma-Informed Organization. This article was prepared by the Office for Victims of Crime.
Description: A clearly described set of communication principles aimed at promoting transparency and shared power in decision making.
What's the evidence base for this resource: Based on practice experience/wisdom the organisation. The guidelines are explicitly based on an
ethical commitment to respectful communication, rather than a positivist
evidence based or clinical approach.
Potential uses and limitations: A simple, useful guide where communication from leadership, or within teams, is identified as a problem.
Where it comes from: Developed by the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence .
The guidelines have been made available by the US VTT site