Co-design and community engagement must be trauma informed

Community consultation and co-design are important in ensuring that spaces and buildings work as intended for those who will use and be impacted by them. But as the list of questions a designer wants to ask local communities grows to enable co-design, careful reflection is vital to avoid inadvertently triggering painful memories or reinforcing power imbalances.

 

A trauma response is our normal response to a challenging situation. Trauma theory is underpinned by Bessel van der Kolk’s demonstration in 2014 that trauma lingers in the body and can be triggered by what people see, hear, feel and smell, as recorded in his bestselling book The Body Keeps the Score.

 

Behaviours rooted in trauma can impact on people’s ability to access and participate which has significant implications for anyone embarking on co-design and community consultation. Yet the participation of those with a history of trauma is fundamental because physical spaces have “tremendous power to make us feel one way or another,” as writes Dr Madeline Petrillo, Associate Professor at the University of Greenwich.

 

A trauma-informed built environment must be grounded in a trauma-informed co-design process that explores the interaction between a space and its users. This means identifying and reducing cues that may trigger a trauma reaction or re-traumatise people, practicing cultural competency and being gender responsive.

 

 

In trauma-informed design, “architects collaborate with trauma survivors to understand their specific needs, preferences, and the things that ‘trigger’ or ‘activate’ a trauma response. This ensures the resulting spaces are not only physically accommodating but also emotionally safe and supportive,” writes Petrillo in her evaluation of Hope Street, a trauma-informed building commissioned by our charity One Small Thing and designed by SNUG architects. 

 

As Mike Worthington from SNUG writes, “It was important to approach the design project informed by lived experience of justice-involved women. As part of the design process, we held four workshops with women in Southampton and Portsmouth that drew out thoughts on architecture, landscape and interiors. These consultations enabled the design response to have a genuine trauma informed and gender responsive perspective.” 

 

The first step in adopting a trauma-informed approach is to acknowledge the impact of trauma on people’s thinking, feelings, and behaviours. One Small Thing’s research suggests community engagement must incorporate the values identified in Harris and Fallot’s foundational 2001 research: Physical and emotional safety; trustworthiness, choice and control, collaboration and empowerment.

 

 

How does this apply to community engagement and co-design initiatives? A trauma-informed approach respects the emotional and psychological needs of the people you are consulting, creating an inclusive, empowering process from start to end. It can make all the difference to achieving meaningful communication if the designer anticipates, acknowledges and responds sensitively to trauma.

 

Before you start it can be helpful to reflect on your own feelings about the issues to be discussed, recognise any assumptions you might make, and be ready to learn and adapt. Identify any potential imagery or language that might be triggering, whether translation or interpreting services might be needed, and jargon or acronyms that

might confuse people.

 

In terms of logistics, the principles of good research apply here. Find a safe, comfortable, accessible environment, thinking about the neutrality of the location, privacy, the arrangement of seating. Allow flexibility in timings and make sure there is plenty of time for reflection and breaks. Be very clear about the purpose and process of the consultation. Explain how people can withdraw at any point and how you will use what people say. Being clear about this builds trust and reduces anxiety about the process.

 

 

Be alert to verbal and non-verbal signs of a trauma response such as restlessness, avoidance, shifts in tone, pace or engagement. Plan how to respond, for example by bringing forward a break, acknowledging that the topic seems difficult or having support on hand. Be sure to check in later to make sure that participant is OK and signpost to support, if needed.

 

Promote choice and empowerment by emphasising the voluntary nature of the engagement and offering alternative ways to contribute in a way that feels safe, such as drawing or writing rather than contributing to an oral focus group. Be consistent, follow up and share outcomes.

 

The design of Hope Street in Hampshire is based upon the application of trauma-informed principles; a sensitive codesign process created a space that fosters trust and safety through domestic-scale architecture and shared decision-making processes. In its first year of operation, Hope Street has seen the positive impact that thoughtful, trauma-informed design can have on a community.

 

Taking a trauma-informed approach to community consultation and co-design processes is foundational to underpin ethical, meaningful and effective engagement.

 

Find out more: For more sources on trauma-informed practice, visit One Small Thing

 

Katherine Lawrence is the Fundraising and Business Development Officer at One Small Thing, a charity with the vision of a justice system that can recognise, understand, and respond to trauma. For more support to think about a trauma-informed approach, please get in contact with us: training@onesmallthing.org.uk.