Purpose
We believe that a trauma-informed approach can change society and gives people the opportunity to thrive. Rock Pool uses the key principles of a trauma-informed approach to guide its core values and ethos.
Our policy establishes a comprehensive framework for implementing trauma-informed principles across our organisation, ensuring that all interactions, services, and environments prioritise the healing and well-being of individuals who have experienced trauma.
Core Values and Principles
Safety (Physical and Emotional)
This policy establishes our organization's commitment to creating and maintaining an environment that prioritises emotional well-being, psychological safety, and mutual respect for all employees.
- Create physically and emotionally safe environments that feel secure, welcoming, and respectful
- Provide training spaces that reduce potential triggers and promote a sense of control
- Establish clear boundaries and predictable interactions
- Ensure personal privacy and confidentiality are maintained at all times
- Encourage honest and transparent dialogue
- Value empathy, understanding, and mutual support in all aspects of our work, and provide resources for emotional support
- Provide comprehensive conflict resolution protocols
Trustworthiness and Transparency
This policy supports a comprehensive approach that prioritises honest, open, and consistent communication, building trust both internally among employees and externally with stakeholders, clients, and the broader community.
- Communicate openly and honestly about all processes, decisions, and expectations
- Maintain consistent and clear communication
- Create multiple platforms for open dialogue
- Explain the purpose of each interaction or intervention
- Provide information in accessible and understandable formats
- Ensure that organisational practices are predictable and transparent
- Respond promptly and transparently to inquiries and concerns
- Provide transparent performance management systems and reporting
Collaboration & Connectedness
This policy supports an organisational culture that prioritises collaborative approaches, mutual respect, shared decision-making, and collective achievement across all aspect of Rock Pools work.
- Recognise that healing happens through meaningful relationships
- Promote shared decision-making processes
- Value input from all stakeholders, especially those with lived experience
- Create opportunities for peer support, mutual learning and transparent information sharing
- Break down traditional hierarchical structures
- Encourage new ideas, collaborative problem-solving and goal setting
- Actively involve individuals in designing and implementing services
- Encourage Reflective Practice and curiosity in everything we do
Choice
This policy is designed to ensure that every individual's right to make informed choices is respected, protected, and actively supported, recognising that the ability to make personal decisions is fundamental to healing and empowerment for those who have experienced trauma.
- Create supportive environments that encourage autonomous decision-making
- Understand that trauma often involves loss of control and autonomy
- Support individuals in making informed decisions about their wellbeing
- Provide clear, accessible, and comprehensive information about all options
- Allow sufficient time for reflection and decision-making
- Offer support in understanding complex information
- Obtain explicit, voluntary consent for all interactions and interventions
- Support individuals in identifying and communicating their boundaries
Empowerment
This policy supports an organisational culture that systematically supports, nurtures, and enables individuals to realise their full potential, make meaningful contributions, and drive personal achievement.
- Recognise and build upon individual strengths and resilience
- Trust people to make meaningful choices with the information they have
- Provide democratic access to information for all stakeholders
- Create opportunities for skill-building and personal growth
- Ensure that individuals/stakeholder organisations have meaningful ways to provide feedback
- Validate and amplify individual experiences and perspectives
- Respect individuals in identifying and communicating their boundaries
Inclusivity
This policy supports a comprehensive framework that actively creates, supports, and sustains an inclusive environment where every individual is valued, respected, and empowered to contribute fully, regardless of their background, identity, or lived experience
- Recognise diversity as multidimensional, including:
- Race and ethnicity
- Gender identity and expression
- Sexual orientation
- Age
- Disability status
- Socioeconomic background
- Religious beliefs
- Neurodiversity
- Cultural heritage
- Educational background
- Life experiences
- Acknowledge and respect views formed by different backgrounds and experiences
- Recognise the impact of historical and systemic trauma
- Provide culturally responsive and inclusive services
- Challenge and eliminate discriminatory practices
- Offer language support and culturally appropriate resources
- Understand how intersectionality influences trauma experiences and that individuals experience multiple, intersecting forms of privilege and marginalisation
- Continuously educate staff about cultural competence and sensitivity
- Ensure accessibility across all aspects of our work
- Protect individuals from:
- Microaggressions
- Unconscious bias
- Systemic marginalisation
- Develop inclusive recruitment practices