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Improving frontline crisis support

HELP THROUGH CRISIS

Help through Crisis (HtC) is a £33 million National Lottery funded programme set up by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK. Help through Crisis supports 69 partnerships across England which help people who are experiencing or at risk of hardship crisis to overcome the difficulties they are facing to plan for their futures.

The Help through Crisis learning, evaluation and support (LSE) team, including NEF Consulting, is a consortium of organisations commissioned by the National Lottery Community Fund to help build understanding and capture learning from the Help through Crisis programme.


POLICY COMMENTARIES

The Help through Crisis policy commentary series shares learning from the Help through Crisis programme with wider stakeholders and policymakers.

PROMOTING STAFF WELLBEING TO IMPROVE FRONTLINE CRISIS SUPPORT

The first in the series highlights evidence from the programme about the importance of staff wellbeing in frontline crisis support and the role senior managers, trustees and funders can play in ensuring staff are supported appropriately.

Organisations providing crisis support deal with people with increasingly complex needs. Frontline staff face considerable challenges as they work to deliver holistic support to people in crisis which can often be in a stressful environment that has a negative impact on staff wellbeing. Staff burnout is described as common in the sector. Evidence from the programme has identified the crucial role senior managers, trustees and funders can play in promoting staff wellbeing.

Download the policy commentary here


TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACHES TO IMPROVE FRONTLINE CRISIS SUPPORT

Many people experience trauma, including a significant proportion of those who access HtC services. Trauma and its impacts can affect how people perceive and respond to support. A lack of understanding about trauma can lead to re-traumatising people seeking support, as well as traumatising staff providing support (see ‘Promoting staff wellbeing’ commentary).

A TIA broadly describes an approach that is grounded in an understanding of, and responsiveness to, the impacts of trauma on both people seeking and providing support services. This policy commentary provides some suggestions for how a TIA can be implemented and supported by leaders in crisis support organisations and funders of these services.

Download the policy commentary here

Read our blog on trauma here


For full information visit The National Lottery Community Fund

If you would like to receive updates on this project as they are published, please contact Mary-Louise Nash.