Mandurah's Calvary Youth brings trauma training to Peel's service providers

In a bid to equip the region’s community service providers with the necessary skills to deal with victims of trauma, the local organisation held a Trauma Informed Care and Practice training day at the Meadow Springs Sporting Facility on Thursday morning.

Support services workers from several organisations gathered at the complex for the one-day training session, facilitated by trauma support organisation Blue Knot Foundation.

Read more: 

The training hoped to provide the workers with the necessary skills and knowledge to support people who have experienced some sort of trauma, such as refugees or victims of violence and abuse.

“It is a way for services to develop their skills to support those they work with to deal with their pasts and assist them to move forward in a positive, healthy, healing and supportive way,” Calvary manager Lisa Dunne said.

Calvary Youth managed to secure a community grant from the City of Mandurah to provide the training, which is usually held in Perth or regional WA.

“By getting the grant it enabled us to keep the cost down of the much-needed training to the region, the training is usually very expensive and is offered in Perth or regional areas,” Ms Dunne said. 

“By bringing it to Mandurah it is a cost-effective way for a large number of people to access the training and take it back to their workplaces.”

Ms Dunne said Calvary would consider bringing the second stage of the training down to the Peel region if the session proved to be successful. 

According to the Blue Knot Foundation, childhood trauma affects 5 million Australians, with data showing that one in three girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.

Research by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) also highlights that 96 per cent of abusers are known to the child, with 72 per cent being the child’s natural parents. 

Experiences such as the ones above, can lead to mental health issues, suicidal behavious, substance abuse and poor physical health, the Blue Knot Foundation said. 

The Trauma Informed Care and Practice training hopes to promote positive strength-based practices among service providers, so that workers can follow a safe collaborative practice with their client to promote hope, recovery and wellbeing. 

For more information about the City of Mandurah community grants go to their website. 

Help is available by calling Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800,  Lifeline on 131 114, or beyondblue on 1300 22 46 36.