Trusted Person Training

Lesson 1 • Organisational Context and Positioning

Examines how the trusted person role fits within organisational structures and reporting lines. Enables practitioners to navigate institutional dynamics effectively.

Lesson 2 • Role Boundaries and Limitations

Defines what a trusted person can and cannot do, preventing role overreach. Helps practitioners set clear expectations with those who seek their support.

Lesson 3 • Ethical Principles and Values

Covers the ethical obligations that govern trusted person conduct, including impartiality and integrity. Anchors all practical skills in a values-based foundation.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Confidentiality

Establishes why confidentiality is central to the trusted person role and how it builds psychological safety. Provides the conceptual grounding for all information-handling decisions.

Lesson 2 • Handling Sensitive Information Securely

Covers practical methods for storing, sharing, and disposing of sensitive information responsibly. Connects information security practices to the ethical obligations of the role.

Lesson 3 • Navigating Disclosure Conversations

Teaches how to respond when someone discloses sensitive information, balancing empathy with procedural accuracy. Builds skill in managing the emotional and procedural dimensions simultaneously.

Lesson 1 • Effective Questioning Techniques

Covers open, closed, and probing questions and when to use each type in a support conversation. Helps practitioners gather necessary information without making individuals feel interrogated.

Lesson 2 • Empathy in Practice

Distinguishes empathy from sympathy and teaches how to express genuine understanding without projection. Enables practitioners to validate emotions while maintaining professional composure.

Lesson 3 • Nonverbal Communication Awareness

Examines how body language, tone, and environment affect the quality of a support conversation. Trains practitioners to align verbal and nonverbal signals to reinforce safety and trust.

Lesson 4 • Communicating Across Difference

Addresses how identity, culture, and power dynamics influence communication in support conversations. Prepares practitioners to adapt their approach for diverse individuals and contexts.

Lesson 1 • Assessing Risk and Urgency

Provides a structured approach to evaluating the severity and immediacy of a person's situation. Enables practitioners to make sound decisions about escalation and referral timing.

Lesson 2 • Initial Response and Stabilisation

Teaches how to respond in the first moments of a distress disclosure to stabilise the individual. Connects immediate response skills to longer-term support planning.

Lesson 3 • Signs and Signals of Distress

Identifies behavioural, emotional, and physical indicators that someone may be experiencing distress. Builds observational skills that enable early and accurate recognition.

Lesson 1 • Avoiding Re-Traumatisation

Identifies common practices that inadvertently cause harm and teaches how to replace them. Builds the practitioner's ability to recognise and interrupt potentially harmful patterns.

Lesson 2 • Supporting Trauma Survivors Effectively

Provides practical strategies for working with individuals who have experienced trauma in the past. Equips practitioners to offer meaningful support while respecting survivor autonomy.

Lesson 3 • Understanding Trauma and Its Effects

Explains what trauma is, how it manifests, and why it affects the way people communicate and behave. Provides the neurological and psychological grounding for trauma-informed practice.

Lesson 1 • Escalation and Handover Procedures

Defines when and how to escalate a concern beyond the trusted person role to appropriate authorities. Ensures smooth handover without loss of information or trust.

Lesson 2 • Types of Workplace Concerns

Categorises the range of issues a trusted person may encounter, from interpersonal conflict to misconduct. Provides a taxonomy that guides appropriate response selection.

Lesson 3 • Maintaining Neutrality Under Pressure

Addresses the challenge of staying impartial when facing emotional pressure or organisational influence. Builds the professional resilience needed to uphold role integrity in difficult situations.

Lesson 4 • Presenting Options to the Individual

Teaches how to explain available formal and informal resolution pathways without directing the outcome. Empowers individuals to make informed decisions about how to proceed.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Vicarious Trauma

Defines vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress and explains how they develop in helping roles. Normalises the emotional impact of the work and reduces stigma around seeking support.

Lesson 2 • Personal Resilience Strategies

Introduces evidence-based strategies for building and maintaining personal resilience in demanding roles. Provides practical tools practitioners can integrate into daily and weekly routines.

Lesson 3 • Recognising and Addressing Burnout

Covers the stages of burnout, how to identify them early, and what actions to take. Enables practitioners to intervene in their own wellbeing before performance is compromised.

Lesson 1 • Reflective Practice Methods

Introduces structured reflection models that help practitioners analyse their own performance after interactions. Builds the habit of continuous learning as a core professional discipline.

Lesson 2 • Contributing to Organisational Culture

Positions the trusted person as an active contributor to a healthy, speak-up organisational culture. Teaches how to advocate for systemic improvements based on aggregated insights.

Lesson 3 • Measuring Effectiveness and Impact

Covers methods for evaluating the quality and impact of trusted person support at individual and organisational levels. Connects measurement to evidence-based improvement of practice.

Lesson 4 • Mentoring and Developing Others

Equips experienced practitioners to support the development of newer trusted persons in their organisation. Extends individual competence into organisational capacity building.