Applying a Trauma-Lens to Peace Projects

Who can register for this course?

The course is designed for people who have been working to understand the sources/causes/origins of trauma responses, the diverse impacts of trauma on individuals and collectively, and how those impacts - and responses to them - can sustain or interrupt cycles of harm. Building off this broad foundational understanding of these dynamics from prior learning, participants in this training will focus on the specific application of that knowledge to project planning, management and communications. This course invites participants to engage actively, bringing ideas and curiosity about their own practical scenarios to exchange with fellow participants.

As planners, designers, implementers, communicators and evaluators of projects and programs in traumagenic circumstances, we do well to ask different questions that emphasise the realities of trauma responses in our planning, implementation, and evaluation processes. Team leaders, individuals working independently, facilitators and trainers, project designers, implementers, communicators and evaluators can all benefit from this course that invites participants to focus trauma-responsiveness on project design and planning.

Depending on methods and topic of the training, we limit the number of available spaces to a manageable size (a maximum of 20 participants). Register early to reserve your place!

Content

Participants will enhance through an assessment framework and readings their lenses for applying trauma responsiveness to project planning. By looking at specific ways the group has experienced trauma-responsive or trauma-clueless project and program management, we will identify challenges, resources, and possibilities for applying a trauma lens. The training is designed in a way that allows participants to choose to focus on one area that is particularly helpful for their work. They may choose to focus on indicators, language and examples of messaging to use with donors and/or partners, or ways they might apply a trauma lens to conflict analysis or system analysis. Or they may choose to work with the assessment framework using instructor-provided case studies and/or bring resources and cases that have been part of their experience. Throughout the training, we will work on project ideas and acknowledge the possibilities, boundaries, and limitations for applying a trauma lens to peace projects. All sessions (and self-guided learning) will involve some self-care and collective care practice.

Objectives

By the end of the training, participants will have

• Deepened their understanding of the meaning of being “trauma-sensitive” and the implications for peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
• Generated ideas on how to apply a trauma lens to conflict analysis, project planning and implementation.
• Familiarized themselves with examples of how organizations create a trauma-sensitive working environment and enhance structures, processes and practices to address needs emerging from collective trauma.
• Considered possibilities, boundaries, and limitations – personally and professionally – for addressing the impacts of trauma.
• Identified and developed communication tools to use with donors and partners to convey the importance of including trauma-sensitive perspectives and approaches in projects.

Key Concepts

• Traumagenic circumstances
• trauma-responsiveness
• cycles of violence
• secondary trauma
• organizational dynamics
• project planning and implementation
• communication
• self-reflection and self-care

Methodology

The learning methodology centers participants’ experiences and questions they bring to the training and will adapt content to emergent questions. The trainer’s approach is grounded in about 20 years of theory and practice in multiple environments and centers the idea that a trauma-responsive learning community makes space to hold discomfort, with care and attentiveness to safety, dignity and belonging. The participants are invited to engage their own body-mind-spirit and experience in analytical, playful, and stress-relieving exercises; the approach makes space for unexpected learning and emergent themes, as well as the pre-planned content.

In the course, participants use a variety of tools, including a digital learning platform, a video conferencing tool, and an online whiteboard. Participants should therefore have a good internet connection (1 Mbit down/upload or better). A headset is highly recommended.

Workload

Deliverables:

Participants will be assigned 1-2 hours of readings, as well as questions to explore within a pair or triad, in between synchronous group learning sessions. As a final deliverable, participants may choose to work on one of the following: 

• Design a case study and accompanying questions that can help project team members sharpen their lenses toward trauma-responsive paths, practices and policies.
• Develop indicators for use in project planning and analysis that can be integrated with existing project planning tools.
• Create an organizational development action plan for enhancing trauma sensitivity within your team. 
• Evaluate a current or past project using the trauma-responsive organizational assessment questions. 
• Creative option: participants may propose another way of integrating the course learning.

After a successful participation, participants receive a certificate and become part of our alumni network.

Total expected weekly hours: 6 to 8 hours per week