Introduction

Why Should We Use Trauma-Informed Practice and Care on Post-Secondary Campuses?

The transition to post-secondary education can create many challenges for students, but those with a history of trauma can face additional ones. Students are at a higher risk than the general population of experiencing new trauma, such as sexual assault, when they come to post-secondary institutes (Galatzer-Levy et al., 2012). In addition, students with traumatic experiences are more susceptible to developing issues with depression and substance use (Rytwinski et al., 2013). If the campus community works together with a shared sense of responsibility for students’ safety (physical, social, emotional, and academic) then trauma-affected students can thrive and be models of resilience and success (Davidson, 2017).

*Note about terminology: in this toolkit, we say trauma-informed practice & care as opposed to “trauma-informed care” or “trauma-informed practice.” Some studies and resources use these terms interchangeably as there is no globally agreed upon terminology for this modality. Trauma-informed practice & care is an umbrella term that encompasses both clinical and non-clinical interventions and supports for those impacted by trauma.

This shared sense of responsibility for students will be referred to as taking a whole campus approach. Taking a whole campus approach to trauma-informed practice & care means recognizing that it is integral to the wellbeing of students and staff alike that everyone on campus can be engaged in supporting the needs of the individuals that work and study in the environment.

Since trauma-informed practice & care is a broad topic, this toolkit specifically aims to address how implementing trauma-informed practice & care can affect students on campus. We wish to recognize that while we do not discuss it in-depth in this toolkit, this approach can also be utilized within the workplaces on campus – that is, using a trauma-informed lens with colleagues, supervisors, and everyone in between.

What is the purpose of this toolkit?

The purpose of this toolkit is to give those working and/or studying within the post-secondary space the context, knowledge, and skills to begin reflecting on and implementing trauma-informed practice & care into their work. This toolkit does not hope to create experts in this diverse range of practices, but to offer readers a space to consider how trauma not only impacts those they interact with, but also themselves. We invite the reader to use this toolkit to treat themselves and others with care and compassion.

Please note, as with all our toolkits, this is a living document. As we continue to learn about this subject, more will be added to reflect the emerging and promising practices within this framework.

Statement of Positionality

This toolkit was created in collaboration with individuals from community organizations, post- secondary institutions, and subject-matter experts. The lead on this project, Ella Wiseman, is a trained social worker with lived experience of trauma and mental health issues and brings that perspective into this toolkit. Every available effort was made to include information that speaks to the diverse experiences of trauma and mental health. Research and knowledge for this toolkit has been sourced with a critical Anti-Oppressive lens.

How did the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Trauma?

Young people and those with pre-existing mental health conditions experienced some of the most pronounced impacts of the pandemic (Mental Health Commission of Canada [MHCC], 2022). Many post-secondary students experienced food insecurity; unsafe housing; barriers to accessing technology to connect with others and to complete online classes and assignments; financial concerns like savings depletion, difficulty paying tuition and other bills; and limited future job prospects. International students in particular experienced increased isolation due to travel restrictions.

Since being around peers is a significant part of the post-secondary experience, feelings of fatigue, social isolation, and loneliness were more pronounced for students affected by COVID-19 (Statistics Canada, 2020). Isolation and loneliness were particularly felt by equity- deserving groups such as transgender, non- binary, and students of colour (Abdrasheva et al., 2022). Post-secondary students increasingly used alcohol, substances, and screen time as coping mechanisms; they also developed poor sleeping patterns (Sillcox, 2022).

While stringent social isolation has eased as of late, the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and continues to affect us in many ways. At the same time, there are many other global events that are negatively impacting the mental health of students and staff alike. New and ongoing wars, issues relating to climate change, and worsening financial pressures due to inflation are enormously influential and must be considered in the larger mental health conversation.

Recommendations:

• Embed a trauma-informed lens at all levels (applications and recruitment, classroom, support services) – take a whole-campus approach.