How to develop a trauma informed approach to social development
By Grant Stewart R-Cubed
The contextual reality of the past, present, and anticipated future, in South Africa, tells us that trauma is woven into the fabric of our society. Trauma can be defined as the subjective experience of loss, threat, powerlessness and exclusion that results in a negative change in how we view ourselves, our relationship to others, and our place in the world. This calls for a trauma- informed response that cuts across multi-layered systems. Being trauma-informed is not an intervention, neither is it counselling. It is a lens that foregrounds trauma as we look at people and the world, to make sense of what is happening. It is not only about individuals but also about transforming culture, creating environments that are safe, maintaining dignity and allowing people to flourish, whilst they talk about their trauma from their own perspective.
18 | Collective Action Magazine
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