Oakgrove hosts Trauma Informed Compassionate Schools programme

Held in the school’s assembly hall on Wednesday last, the event saw over 100 members of staff take part in the programme delivered by a team from Ulster University led by Dr Karen Kirby, Senior Lecturer and Psychologist, Ulster University, in collaboration with Ms Marie Dunn, Director of Resilio and Mrs Katrina Crilly, Principal, Oakgrove Integrated College.

The workshop and research pilot introduced practical, individual and classroom strategies to staff to enable them to help students begin to feel safe, develop better relationships with teaching staff and support the increase of resilience and social and emotional wellbeing that would allow their students to develop their full academic potential.

Existing studies have shown that the model benefits student by improving grades, social and emotional skills, anxiety and so on. It has also been shown to benefit educators too as previous research indicates that teachers reported better job satisfaction, reduced stress and burnout after adopting these strategies in their classrooms and school.

Explaining the programme, Dr Karen Kirby, Ulster University said: “On behalf of the team involved in this innovative and novel school programme and delivered to staff at Oakgrove today, we believe that ‘Trauma Informed Compassionate Schools’ will help educators better understand how and why Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s), trauma and toxic stress can impact a child’s brain and neuro development, which ultimately affects their potential for learning and academic achievement.

”The training is aimed to help educators shift their attitudes towards children with ACE’s from questions like ‘ What’s wrong with you?’ to a more compassionate attitude of ‘What’s happened to you’; thereby adopting a more empathic and compassionate approach to children in their classrooms who are suffering with ACE’s.

“We hope that teachers and educators will view the child, who may be ‘acting out’ trauma in their classrooms, through a different lens.

“Rather than these children slipping out of reach, dropping out of school early, not thriving or reaching their full potential, they may have a better chance at being supported by compassionate, observing and skilled teaching staff; all of which can go a very long way in preventing the ill effects of ACE’s into their adult life.’

Praising Oakgrove College staff and their Principal, Mrs Katrina Crilly for being the first school to embrace the innovative programme, Ms Marie Dunne, Director of Resilio (a voluntary organisation established in 2018), and founder of Hopeful Minds N.I said: “We are delighted to be part of this innovative team from the Ulster University and the staff of Oakgrove College in delivering the Trauma Informed Compassionate Schools initiative in Northern Ireland.

“Oakgrove is the first school to embrace this concept and we hope the research findings will help to build a case for future development.

“This is more than a programme, it is a process and framework tailored to the strengths and needs of each student, family, school and community.

“You cannot play chess in a hurricane and our young people cannot learn if they are struggling with their mental and emotional health.

“This initiative equips educators to respond rather than react to student trauma related behaviours. A compassionate focus creates a shift in thinking for staff from ‘what’s wrong with you’ to ‘what is happening to you’.

“Together we can make a difference to the lives of all who have become involved in growing hope and compassion on this exciting and innovative journey.

“We look forward to sharing the outcomes of our research in the near future. Resilio will continue to support the training of this novel programme, as it fits very clearly within its vision which is to develop and grow hope and resilience at individual, community and organisational levels.

“Resilio prides itself on only using programmes which have an evidence based, and thus has forged strong links with our colleagues at Ulster University to demonstrate effectiveness.”

Delighted to have Oakgrove Integrated College host the first ever roll out of the new programme, Mrs. Katrina Crilly, Principal, stressed the importance of responding to the emotional well-being of children before it has a detrimental affect on their potential to achieve.

“In Oakgrove we have adopted a Trauma Informed approach because we firmly believe that whilst academia is so important, unless we understand and respond to the emotional well-being of children as a priority, many young people will fail to achieve their potential. It is like building a house on weak foundations, sooner or later the cracks will show, so many of our young people struggle to cope.

“Being part of this pilot as first school in Northern Ireland adds to our existing provision to support our students intellectual and emotional well being. We have developed a bespoke subject in year eight called MEE mental and emotional education.

“It is not a programme but a developed curriculum to address the needs of our students as soon as they enter Oakgrove.

“A small team from the school have spent the last two years researching best practice across many international educational systems and with support and advice of external professionals have designed a brand new subject that will appear on year eight timetables this year. 

“Again we are leading the way by developing a subject like this, but we could not stand back any longer and do nothing about this huge gap in our education system.

“At Oakgrove we are adamant that we have to change the way we educate young people.

“Equipping them with knowledge skills and coping mechanisms to promote positive mental and emotional wellbeing and build their resilience so that they can overcome the challenges of life, learn never to give up and achieve their personal best. The mind is a busy place for young people we need give them a helping hand to make sense of it.”