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The Power of Trauma-Informed Education
Iniko* has long been thought of as the reserved, quiet child in his peer group. For as long as Back2Back staff have known him, they’ve believed he was simply an introverted young man who kept close to his siblings and himself.
Recently, weekly Trauma Competent Care trainings started, led by Back2Back staff to two different couples in the same area the ministry is located. A foster family couple and a missionary couple wanted to dive deeper into trauma-informed care and have a desire to share what they’re learning with others.
The area where the children live in Nigeria is known for its agriculture and an abundance of fruit, but strawberries are often very expensive and typically thought of as a rich person’s food.
What Lasts Longer Than a Program? How Communities of Belonging Change the Narrative
Pursuing educational equity, the Back2Back Cincinnati team created resources and relationships, and saw a difference within weeks. Children once projected to fail were now reading complete sentences.
Many of the mothers served through the Strong Families Program in Cancun never had days like this with their own mothers, and it is the staff team’s desire to create new traditions and memories alongside every family member in unique ways.
Four Hope Program students sat atop the high mountain peak and looked at their city below. One of the young men started pointing, calling out landmarks or locations he recognized as the sun shone brightly from a cloudless, blue sky.
Back2Back staff recently held a ceremony to officially welcome new students into the Transition Program. The program exists to help facilitate transition from living in Hope Homes or with their peers to independent living and planning.
In January, 2022, a remodeling project was underway at the former Hope Home, Casa Caleb, in Mexico. It was being updated to house incoming Transition Program students so they could learn the value and responsibilities of living on their own and managing their own time, finances, and work loads.
Staff across all Back2Back sites go through extensive trauma-informed care training. This allows everyone who interacts with children and who shares stories or videos on their behalf understand what vulnerable populations need most.
In 2021, Back2Back staff saw a pattern developing within the community of teens they served. There were young men getting in legal trouble with very few safe adults to speak positively on their behalf, and they knew something needed to be done.
Teachers and staff at the home all see transformation in each child, a growth in their confidence, in their identity in Jesus, and in their ability to articulate their hopes and desires.
This is a key reason, in some cases, Back2Back staff work as closely with biological families as they do the children – to empower the adults who care for the children to step into their own power and understand their role in the life of their child.
The goal of every moment and outing with Strong Families is to empower them and help them see they are capable and worthy to parent, lead their families, and use their voices.
Together, staff, children, and volunteers will celebrate in-person at the home’s Christmas party, and the children will experience just how fun it is to give to others.
Staff have been working with the home for about a year, and Blessing, the captain of the home and Back2Back staff, is seeing vast improvements among the seven children who call the space home.
“It was then I realized the one time I’ve seen our community even remotely regulated is when we’re creating, and I knew we needed to try to enhance and increase these moments,” shared Emma. Summer planning had started, and Emma knew exactly who she wanted to be part of art classes for the girls.
Children and teens part of Back2Back Cincinnati communities of belonging were on a field trip, and one young man stood on the edge of the zipline ledge, hesitant and fearful.
