As businesses, we strive to create an environment where employees can develop supportive and meaningful relationships with their colleagues; the trust they establish may result in a disclosure of sexual or domestic violence. It can be difficult to know what to do and what to say when an employee or colleague shares an experience of gender-based violence. This workshop will enable you to provide a trauma-informed response and to know the resources that can support you, your company, and your colleagues.

Every day, educators bear witness to the impacts of trauma in their classroom. Young people share their stories with us through behaviors (acting out, withdrawing, overachieving), attitudes (angry, distracted, anxious), and their own words. We care deeply about our students and creating a safe and supportive learning environment. As educators, we also have our own stories and our own pain- both past and present. The goal of this workshop is to create a space to acknowledge the cumulative toll bearing witness to trauma can have on us and develop strategies to care for ourselves and support one another in doing this important and impactful work.

Colleges and universities are required by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to attest that all student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administration staff receive annual sexual violence prevention training. In a session specific to coaches and athletic staff, participants will have the opportunity to explore the unique risk and protective factors of their school and teams’ cultures, and gain a better understanding of gender-based violence. Participants will receive specific strategies, including facilitation prompts and guidelines, to engage their students in ongoing dialogue about sexual violence prevention. The student-athlete training will support participants to deepen their understanding of sexual violence and its impact, build skills to support a friend who has experienced sexual violence, and learn strategies to hold one another accountable.