A trauma-informed, Relational Approach to working
When we consider that people experiencing any form of homelessness are likely to have experienced higher levels of trauma or distress than the general population, it is clear why it is so important to have support wrapped around people in their time of need.
We understand the impact of issues like financial difficulties, feelings of isolation, and potential challenges with anti-social behavior—all of which can take a toll on everyones wellbeing. Trauma-informed approaches and building relationships with the people you work with can help them have a good life with their tenancy and support your own mental health.
How can we work together?
We create supportive spaces for people to learn, reflect together and create connections in a relational way. Our preventative approach to staff wellbeing helps prevent burnout, compassion fatigue and strengthens service delivery.
If you are unsure about your specific requirements and where to begin, that’s ok, we can work that out together.
What are the benefits of our approach?
A study found that trauma-informed housing support helps staff and clients build stronger connections, creating a safe space for understanding, better mental health, and quicker progress toward independence. Focusing on strengths and setting realistic goals was key to these positive outcomes.
We work to influence positive change in public and healthcare systems. To do this, we draw on our 30+ years of experience working in housing, homelessness and mental health. We know that if the systems intended to support us all are going to work, then they need to understand our environments, experiences, and circumstances.
These are the things that influence our mental health, and it’s here that we focus our calls for change. By applying these learnings, we help organisations change how they view and engage with their team, recognising potential where others see problems. It’s about building space for knowledge and reflective capacity and educating frontline workers and leadership.
The trauma informed approach in Caredig
In 2019, Caredig Housing Association began a journey to become more trauma-informed in the way they deliver services and provide support for tenants, service users and staff. We led a deep listening exercise on how this change can feel to people on the ground.
“The difference in the work that we’re able to do with our tenants, our clients, has been huge – the quality of the conversations and being confident enough to have those conversations with people”.
“I think it’s just important for the higher up to know that actually what they’re doing is working and it is worth investing time into it.”
Working together
Expert guidance
Our team are experts in mental health and culture change. We can guide your organisation to create a workplace built on compassion.
Valuable learning
We can help train and inform your leadership team, offering a more complete understanding of mental health and wellbeing.
Greater Wellbeing
Our approach will equip your employees to support their own wellbeing and the people they work with.
Better business
Fostering a mentally healthy workplace environment leads to a greater sense of wellbeing in the organisation, helping boost retention and reduce sickness absence.
Social impact
Any surplus that we make is channelled back into the Platfform charity, helping us deliver a greater impact for mental health and social change.
"I found the training extremely useful and it was delivered in such a way that it was in depth and covered a lot but it was easy to follow and explained brilliantly"
"Mental Health & Wellbeing can be a sensitive topic but it was approached with respect, understanding & informative. I encourage more companies to have these workshops in general"
"I FELT THE DELIVERY OF THE COURSE WAS EXCELLENT. MY EXPERIENCE AND INPUT WAS VALUED WHICH MEANT I FELT A PART OF THE PROCESS. THE FACILITATOR WAS EXTREMELY ENGAGING AND DEMONSTRATED HIS KNOWLEDGE WELL. INITIALLY I WAS UNSURE THE COURSE WOULD ADD VALUE, BUT IT SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS"
"IT HELPED ME TO REFLECT ON MY WAYS OF WORKING AND WHAT CHANGES I CAN BRING TO THE WORKPLACE"
We are part of Platfform
The charity for mental health and social change.
Platfform works with people who are experiencing challenges with their mental health, and with communities who want to create a greater sense of connection, ownership and wellbeing in the places where they live.
Their strategy and values are based on their mission to be a platform for connection, transformation and social change.
Platfform runs 120 projects and services across crisis prevention and home; employment, volunteering and skills development; children, young people and families; and wellbeing, supporting over 9000 people a year.
COMPASSIONATE WORKPLACES
Our approach
Everything that happens to us has an impact on our wellbeing, and we each have unique experiences that affect our mental health differently. No two people or organisations are the same. Understanding this is the starting point for creating a workplace culture that fits your unique organisation, and supports your whole team.
Mentally healthy environments
How we work
We focus on relationships, humanising processes, and creating a compassionate workplace culture. Key to our work is understanding the mental health impact of our life experiences, relationships and the social contexts we live in. It’s the basis for the role organisations play in creating environments where people thrive.
SUPPORTED STAFF
What makes us different?
We want people to feel psychologically safe at work. It’s the starting point for connection, agency, trust and feeling that there is meaning to your work. We ensure that learners leave our tailored programme feeling confident that they can support others, know when to ask for specialist info, and nurture their own wellbeing.
Frequently asked questions
A trauma-informed approach is one which recognises the impact of trauma and peoples experiences in all areas of an individual’s life. Increasingly, trauma-informed is being seen as less of a list of ways to do things differently, but instead it is a way of being. In a service delivery context, it centres safety, reliability, trustworthiness, choice and agency.
Our training is designed for frontline workers, support staff, managers and leadership teams working in care, housing and homelessness sectors who want to adopt a more person-centered, trauma-informed approach in their work.
You can get in touch via our form or book a free 30 minute consultation where we can talk about the challenges you are facing and how Platfform Wellbeing can support you.
Start a conversation
Get in touch and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.