SCF 2021 core group trainings: Trauma-informed care and research skills

Learning to listen deeper: Trauma, research, and why both matter Before SCF participants can tackle the issues they care about, they need the right tools to do it well. Two of the final skills-based training sessions, held on 21 August and 11 September 2021, gave them exactly that, covering Trauma-Informed Care and Research.

Understanding trauma and why it's not one-size-fits-all The first session was led by Mr Taha Mattar, a youth worker from VOX @ Children's Society, adapted from the "Introduction to Trauma-Informed Care" workshop by Safe Circle— a collaboration of seven agencies, including Singapore Children's Society, focused on community-based mental health support for children and youth.

Taha opened with something important: trauma isn't about weakness, and it's rarely a choice. Using the 3Es framework, he walked participants through what trauma actually is:

• Events: Things that happened beyond a person's control

• Experience: How those events are felt and processed, which can differ enormously from person to person

• Effects: The lasting impact trauma can leave on someone's life
  

To bring this to life, Taha shared a personal story: a drowning incident he and a friend witnessed when they were young and how differently each of them responded to it. The takeaway? Two people can go through the same thing and carry it completely differently. That's not unusual. That's human.

He also reframed something that often gets misunderstood: trauma is a normal response to an abnormal situation.

Because people who have experienced trauma are at higher risk of developing mental health challenges, community support is especially important. Taha introduced the 4Rs of Trauma-Informed Care as a practical guide for showing up well:

• Realise the widespread impact of trauma and what recovery can look like

• Recognise the signs and symptoms in the people around you

• Respond by weaving that understanding into how you act and engage

• Resist re-traumatisation — being mindful not to unintentionally cause more harm
  

Research: Asking better questions, finding better answers The second session introduced participants to research as a skill, not just an academic exercise, but a tool for understanding the world more clearly and making a stronger case for the things they care about. The research process is outlined in the chart below.

One of the session's most surprising moments came when participants discovered that even well-known, established sources can sometimes be unreliable. In a world where information is everywhere and easy to access, knowing how to critically evaluate what you're reading is essential.

Participants also got a practical introduction to the two main approaches researchers use:

• Quantitative methods: Surveys, questionnaires, and numerical data that help identify patterns across larger groups

• Qualitative methods: Interviews, focus group discussions, and narratives that help capture the human stories behind the numbers

Hear what our youths have to say about the skills-based workshops: