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2022 Training of Trainers: Overviews of Events with Communities of Color, Spanish Speakers, and a Large Health Care Provider
2022 Training of Trainers: Overviews of Events with Communities of Color, Spanish Speakers, and a Large Health Care Provider
In the fall, TIO completed 3 Trainings of Trainers. Two of these were designed specifically for Communities of Color and for Spanish Speaking populations. The third TOT was for a single organization to build internal training capacity. The three TIO staff facilitating these offerings agreed on learning objectives and content, but the implementation methods varied. For example, all TOT attendees had access to an online learning system that grounded the lessons in TIO’s foundational content; however one took place virtually on Saturdays, another over 2 days in person, and another over 4 days both in person and virtual. From the post-TOT evaluations, we are learning so much about what is most helpful to increase and diversify the voices who are available to teach about TIC. We will share these findings with you by highlighting each TOT from the perspective of the lead trainer. We start first with Steffannie Roache’s summary of the TOT for Communities of Color.
Trauma Informed Oregon Training of Trainers for Communities of Color
From Steffannie Roache, MS LPC, Professor of Practice, Trauma Informed Oregon
There was a great deal of anticipation and excitement walking into the university conference room that first day of our 2-day Culturally Specific Training of Trainers (CC TIC TOT) cohort. It was inspiring to see a new wave of trainers eager to learn together. Our team sought to create an environment that was welcoming and a curriculum that spoke to the specific needs and experiences of a brand-new cohort of trainers from a diversity of cultural backgrounds. Each of the 26 participants represented a variety of organizations and industries, from healthcare to governmental agencies, non-profits to private industry. Many traveled from coastal and rural regions in addition to those who came from the urban Portland Metro area and surrounding counties. One commonality across all participants was the self-identification of being a person of color and culture with a desire to share their knowledge of trauma informed care within their respective areas of influence.
What Was the Experience Like?
In one word, the experience was “engaging.” Participants were supplied with pre-requisite work to refresh their understanding of the foundations of TIC in advance. The course was held in-person; however, a hybrid online format was also used. This allowed more options to view supporting information, videos, and communicate in group chat. People were offered time to engage with one-another, create community, and explore concepts in more profound and in-depth ways. Participants were challenged to present at least 1 core concept in front of the full cohort, and certificates of attendance were provided to those who presented and completed the final course end questionnaire.
How Was Culture Centered?
While the foundations of TIC were the core and anchor of our time together, participants were also free to integrate, envision/re-envision, and explore how TIC can support their respective communities and their learning and teaching styles. Time for uplifting and centering the many strengths and modes of healing found within culture was built into the agenda. Participants were invited to bring their whole selves into the space without need for “code-switching,” assimilation, or parsing of words and sentiments. Tables were thoughtfully arranged with a mix of writing utensils, art supplies, workbooks, and fidgets for participants to help create a trauma informed meeting space that felt safe and welcoming.
Were There Things You Would Do Differently When This Is Repeated?
This course was completed in a total of 12 hours, which included 10 hours in class and at least 2 hours of pre-requisite work. In the future, this course will be held over 2 or more days for a total of 16 hours. The additional time will allow for more individual and co-facilitator practice.
Final Thoughts
Trauma Informed Oregon would like to thank Lines for Life for their generous contribution. Their gift supported the attendance of many participants from rural areas of Oregon.
We look forward to completing a second Culturally Centered TIC ToT in 2023. If you are interested in attending, please feel free to email regarding your interest to info@traumainformedoregon.org and one of our TIO staff will reach out when we begin accepting applications.
Conducting the Trauma Informed Care Training of Trainers Course (ToT) in Spanish
From Dalia Avello, Psy.M., MA, IMH-E, Professor of Practice, Trauma Informed Oregon
This version of the course was offered online over four Saturday sessions to meet the time and distance constraints of our 30 participants, who represented a variety of communities across Oregon.
What Was the Experience Like?
We received many applications to join the cohort. Those who were selected to participate received a complete set of materials at home/work and were connected to each other using our online training platform. Once the sessions started, it was fantastic to be able to connect and learn alongside so many Oregonians doing great work for their communities.
How Was Culture Centered?
The training team included Nancy Leon and Julio Galindo, graduates from our previous cohort, and guest speaker Ricardo Verdeguez, program director at NW Instituto Latino, who delivered content around the topics of cultural humility, acculturation and the Latinx experience in the context of trauma.
Some Initial Takeaways, Learnings, and Things We Would Change?
As with all the projects and trainings led by TIO, we were very interested in the reflections and suggestions made by those that make training possible, including participants, co-trainers and community leaders. This second version of the course included modifications based on feedback previously received, as well as new content. In the future, we would like to explore new ways of delivering the content with a hybrid or fully in-person version and providing more space for conversations and connections among participants.
Conducting the Training of Trainers (ToT) Course in Trauma Informed Care for a Large Healthcare System
From Danielle Grondin, Instructional Designer for Trauma Informed Care
Throughout 2022, Trauma Informed Oregon had been piloting our new Foundations of Trauma Informed Care (TIC) material within a large healthcare organization. To wrap up the year, we were asked to train two cohorts of trainers so they could teach the curriculum internally within their system moving forward. With 76 applicants, there was more interest than we had the capacity for, as cohorts were limited to 20 people.
In the end, 36 trainers completed the 40-hour Training of Trainers (ToT) course! They started training internally in January 2023. Examples of the trainers’ backgrounds include: Registered Nurse, Patient Relations, Director of Pharmacy, Clinical Dietitian, Academic Coordinator, Chaplain, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Quality Specialist, Behavioral Health Director, Physical Therapist, and many more! We are planning another ToT for their organization’s system in the Summer of 2023.
What Was the Experience Like?
The overall experience was rewarding and powerful to witness. Although the participants came from various backgrounds and positions, they all shared a desire to help their organization evolve and become more trauma informed. The cohorts took place back-to-back, with a couple of days combined together to observe the material being modeled.
Our time was intentionally designed to progressively ease into more vulnerable experiences together, starting on day one with trainers sharing why they feel called to train on TIC. We trained both in-person and online. By the end of our in-person training, each participant was asked to present a full 15–20-minute lesson in front of their cohort and then was given feedback from their peers. We finished each ToT with trainers co-presenting a full two-hour module online.
Outside of practicing the material with one another, we also had important discussions about how to give and receive feedback, adult learning styles, curriculum design, and facilitation techniques. In the end, it felt like we could have still used more time together! Perhaps most importantly, there was a sense of camaraderie, encouragement, and a shared renewal of hope for systemic change.
What Made This Unique?
This ToT was unique in many ways. While TIO has offered many amazing ToT opportunities in the past, the cohorts have typically been composed of people from different sectors and systems. This ToT included everyone from the same institution! This was so much fun because we still had a diversity of voices, experiences, and professions, but everyone shared in wanting to see their workplace improve.
We also co-created two additional modules for their system beyond what we considered the foundational material of TIC. These additions made for a mixture of tried and tested teaching experiences, combined with new and imperfect offerings that only feedback and time will help advance.
Lastly, we created a Trainer’s manual to accompany this ToT. Our goal was to provide a resource that could help deepen the learning and considerations of participants, while also allowing them to grow from and add to it as they begin offering the material within their system.
Some Initial Takeaways, Learnings, and Things We Would Change?
The expression “good things take time” comes to mind. While we are overwhelmingly pleased with the outcomes of these offerings, we often find ourselves pushing back against an unconscious culture of urgency and productivity that systems can perpetuate. My biggest takeaway from this offering is to remember that processes anchored in meaningful relationships are central to the work of TIC and the more we can model this in our partnerships, the better.