Trauma Informed Development and Education (TIDE) - Project Story


Developing a Trauma Informed Practice Culture
The Trauma Informed Development and Education (TIDE) project has been a four-year project designed to respond to a need for consistent and association-wide Trauma-Informed Practice training, resource development and shifting of the organizational culture through implementation of trauma-informed principles and practices within all programs and services across YWCA Toronto. The project received financial assistance from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Project Aim
The project aims to build capability around trauma informed support for women and children accessing YWCA Toronto programs and services. YWCA Toronto and project research partner, Centre of Excellence for Women's Health (CEWH) collaborated to launch the project and facilitated the necessary activities for meeting project objectives. This team created a brand identity, which included designing a logo and naming the project-Trauma Informed Development and Education (TIDE).

The importance of being Trauma Informed

Trauma informed practice (TIP) is being applied as a universal approach in many service systems and communities. TIP is possible by people within organizations, when the agencies they are embedded in are committed to trauma-informed principles and approaches.

Trauma-informed agencies have mechanisms for learning about trauma, preventing re-traumatization and supporting collaboration and resilience throughout the organization. Trauma-informed organizations need a commitment from leadership to involve and collaborate with all those who work to translate policies into practice. Often, becoming trauma informed is framed as an organizational culture change, a shift that is based in collective social learning and action (not simply another initiative to be implemented).

Throughout this site, you will find resources and video clips that support all levels of an organization to become trauma-informed, including:

  • Enhancing the capacity of staff to support program participants.
  • Program participants who want to be involved in organizational planning for TIP.
  • Organizational commitments to support staff health and wellness.
  • Implementing TIP with leadership teams and staff to create organizational cultural shifts to become trauma-informed.

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