Bridging the Systems through Training

• To help victims of trauma through victim-centered, victim empowering responses.
• To build collaboration and cooperation between agencies and individuals who deal with victims of trauma through the development of community teams.
• To expand knowledge and competence in dealing with victims of trauma.
• To distinguish between "normal" responses to trauma and mental illness.
• To build the framework for teams to return to their communities and implement positive victim-centered change on individual, organizational and systemic levels.

One of the desired outcomes of this training is to foster cooperation and collaboration between victim services and mental health providers. To accomplish this, the training is intentionally highly interactive with repeated opportunities to relate the information presented to each team's community.

This training is as much about a change in attitudes and perceptions as it is about expanded knowledge. Many of the teams will have the requisite knowledge scattered among its members. Team members will share with each other the skills and knowledge they bring to the table.

Publicity for the training should recommend that community teams be composed of 5-8 people representing community victim and mental health services. The individuals selected must be open to building collaboration and cooperation in their communities and able to transfer the concepts gathered at this training to others in their community who were unable to attend.

The training is recommended for 10-12 teams of 5-8 people. The training could be packaged with discounts for persons 6, 7, & 8 to entice a full team.

Set of water-based markers for each team plus one for the trainer
10 pages of newsprint for each team
Pencils/paper
TV/VCR
Recommended video - Understanding Psychological Trauma, Pt. 1 & 2
Masking tape
Overhead projector/transparencies/extension cord
Resource books/student manuals with name of participant on the back
Post-it tape flags
2 flip charts
2 easels
Table to hold supplies
Round tables set for 8; one table per team
Index cards; 3 per participant
Handouts copied for all participants (In some exercises additional copies may be needed for participants to record the finished product.)
A listing of acronyms used by participants for the Alphabet Soup exercise. Since some acronyms change from state to state, this list needs to be compiled by the host site.

"In training, it's not what you know but what you do with what you know that counts...If we want people to do things differently, we must provide them with many opportunities to be comfortable accepting new ideas in a non-threatening environment. It's one thing to know something intellectually; it's quite another to have the emotional conviction that comes from personal experience." Bob Pike, Creative Training Techniques Handbook

Early bird activities such as crossword puzzles, surveys or self assessment inventories should be on each table for individuals who arrive early. Seeing others already working sets the tone for the day and encourages people to take their seats quickly. For a multi-day training, it helps to get people there on time.

Icebreakers should involve fun and movement to break participants' preoccupation with what is waiting back at the office, a recent argument with spouse or the speeding ticket received while racing to the training. Effective icebreakers facilitate networking, are relevant to the content, enhance self-esteem and arouse curiosity.

Group learning promotes small group discussion, encourages participation by shy people, allows for consensus development, reduces the influence of negative people, promotes networking and provides opportunities for more people to participate.

Openers that get the audience's attention include profiling an incident or hypothetical situation, asking for a show of hands to express opinions, making a promise, using humor - but not jokes, making a provocative statement, quoting an unusual statistic, or using a visual aid or prop.

Allow time for participants to develop an action plan. Individuals who have time to plan for some carryover activities at the end of a training are more likely to incorporate what they learned into their lifestyle or work habits. Staff who had to squeeze time into their schedules to attend a training won't find time after returning from a training to develop or implement the new ideas or skills they learned.

Review, Review, Review. Effective review techniques include getting each group to list the five most important things covered, complete puzzles, do role plays, lead demonstrations, apply information to a case study or develop charts. People exposed to information once will forget 90% in 30 days; people exposed to information six times will retain 90%.

Keep it moving. In today's society we are conditioned to rapid change. Consider the influence of TV on our attention span. Early television was shot with just one camera. In the early 60's, programs were shot with six cameras; in the 80's the camera angle changed every 90 seconds on shows like Miami Vice; on MTV the camera angle can change as frequently as every frame. Television has conditioned us to expect a break every eight minutes. Plan training to include movement, audience participation or changes in presentation style at regularly spaced intervals.

Overhead transparencies are used for several exercises. There are "overhead masters" which should be used to make the overhead transparencies. The masters are numbered in sequence of use and the numbers do not correspond to page numbers in the instructor's manual. Overhead transparencies can be made on a photocopier using transparency material designed for photocopiers. Transparencies that are mounted on cardboard mounting frames are easier to handle, have greater protection against damage, and permit the instructor to write notes and transparency sequence number on the frames.

• When possible add a color with transparency markers.
• Use at least 14 point print.
• Six word limit per line.
• Use overlays when taking people through a step-by-step process.
• Use upper and lower case letters. All uppercase letters are harder to read.
• If a transparency is readable at six feet, it's readable for the entire audience.
• When doing lists, uncover the items one by one instead of permitting the audience to read ahead and not hear what you have to say about each point.
• Charts and illustrations are more easily remembered than words.

Have the overhead projector focused before the training begins. Make sure the overhead transparencies can be read by those seated at the back of the room. Keep the overhead turned off when not in use so the noise of the fan does not interfere with what is being said.

Use a variety of colors when recording information on the flip charts. Headings can be one color and lists another. Headings should be placed on the flip charts ahead of time. The trainer should check to see that the printing is large enough and clear enough to be read by participants at the back of the room. Since people can speak faster than they can write, use two volunteers with legible printing to record ideas during brainstorming sessions or team reports.

• Use water-based markers. They don't bleed through to the next page or the wall.
• Get a volunteer or two to write for you especially during brainstorming activities.
• Avoid vertical lettering.
• Use bullets, boxes, check marks, arrows, etc. but not numbers for lists - lists imply a priority or sequence.
• Write training notes in pencil at the top of the page. The audience won't be able to see it, but it will help you to remember what you want to cover.

Video clips will be shown throughout the training. The TV/VCR should be set up prior to the start of the training. The trainer should practice running the video and adjusting the sound before class. The video should be forwarded past the credits and copyright information to the opening segment. The trainer should preview the entire video prior to the class. This will help the trainer to introduce each segment and direct participants to key information.

Understanding Psychological Trauma, the video used in this training, can be borrowed from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape or rented from Baxley Media Group, 110 West Main Street, Urbana, IL 61801-2700. The phone number is 217-384-4838.

Even if you have a booming voice, a microphone may be needed because of the acoustics in the training room or competition from another speaker in an adjoining room. At least one additional microphone should be set up for the panel.

Repeat all questions or comments made by the audience. The trainer should not assume that everyone in the room was able to hear the comment. This also provides the speaker with an opportunity to correct the trainer or further explain the comment if it was not understood by the trainer.

There should be plenty of material to fill the two days of training. If there is too much time, use it to review the material to make sure participants have understood the concepts. If there is not enough time at the end of each segment to answer questions, have the participants put them on index cards for the panel discussion or the review period scheduled for day two.

There should be a round table for each group with 8 chairs to a table. At the front of the room there should be two flip charts and colored water-based markers on easels for brainstorming and group reporting, a clip-on microphone, overhead projector, pointer and screen, VCR and TV(s). If it is a large group, there should be several TVS linked to the VCR for better viewing.

It is extremely difficult to come to consensus about a comfortable room temperature. It is helpful to remind people to bring sweaters or jackets if they become easily chilled. If those attending the training are staying on site, the first break can be extended a few minutes to allow people to return to their rooms to make adjustments to their attire.

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