SEAT AT THE TABLE

Do you think that lived experience is worthy to be taken seriously and can truley inform practice and has substance that holds value ? Do you have an unconcious bias and already made pre judgements because you’ve worked hard to get your qualifactions, paid a fortune, and think us and people like us are just ex drug users, criminals, sex workers and scum off the estate who need to mind there own buisness. “why are they coming in here telling us how we should do our job.” If thats you then please read on, we may be able to challange your belief system. If you have a problem with spelling and grammer then close the tab and exit, don your birkenstocks and go and make a triple chocka moka chino to calm your soul…..

Our reflections so far

We have been on a mission up and down the country trying our best to cause a trauma informed wave. All invitations from proffesionals have come through twitter or word of mouth  from organisations weve allready spoken to who have spoken to their collegues who have been on either our million pieces training or heard us speak at keynotes weve done at conferenances. Our message has been simple ” Trauma informed practice and professional curiosity saves lives ” we use a mix of lived experience of failures and succeses weve experienced being sat on the other side of the desk and link it in with ACES, attachment theory and behaviour. We believe peoples behaviour speaks a thousand words and when professionals label kids little shits or adults ungreatfull bastards who will never change we have a serious problem. We belive that the term hard to reach can be used as a get out clause for I cant be bothered, they are to much hard work, they dont want help, the list goes on. we are firm believers that if you are consistant, use the skills and knolage you may have been taught when gaining your qualifacations, combine that with being a human being, being authentic and showing a genuine intrest then you can help some one to achive change. Who wants to listen or speak to a tick box robot, there are many ways to be a proffesional and the most succesfull proffesionals ive seen are the ones that retain being a human being when engaging with people. Its  all about how you treat some one, first impressions, a smile a knowing look sharing a bit of your own experiences when youve been through struggle. show that you understand, combine being a human being with your wealth of knolage.

This shit isnt rocket science, but youd think it is. what stops poeple being human at work ? is it the burocracy, redtape, the system, burn out. Is it picking up sheilas case load because shes gone to teneriefey and youve no hollidays left ?

What happens to the person on the other side of the desk when you behave like this. You are dealing with people who chances are the have PTSD and are hyper vigillant. people who habe experienced trauma have the best bullshit radars on the planet, they will see straight through you. its not that they are hard to reach its because your not creating the write core conditions for someone to feel safe and open up.

We can blame the system till the cows come home and say its broken, what if it is broken what are you going to do moan about it or be the change in the system.

When you are doing your paperwork and have  to do the tick box stuff is there anything wrong with drawing a pettle round the box and drawing a stem and turning it into a flower ? humanise the system and you will get results, Im sure you got into the role you are into change lives.

you have the ability to pull people out of the revolving door that they are stuck in e.g. prison, probation, rehab, hostels, mental health units, detox, streets doctors surgerys, the list goes on. Some times these people are labled proffesional service users, what kind of bullshits that ? these are people who havent been helped yet no one is beyond hope or help who has experienced trauma.

Go out, be the best you can be for the people your working with and practice good self care, or your fit for nothing including your own families.

Easy dose it !

So far we have had conversations, gave keynote speeches to 18,000 professionals in coming up to 2 years. We have been evaluated by the NHS and National probation service which will be available soon. We’ve met some amazing professionals who have reflected on there own practice and changed the way they work with people and have seen results by taking on board what people with lived experience have brought to the table. The time for change is now it isn’t coming it’s all ready here. We have a plan to get around as many organisations as possible before 2030.

We have also met many practioners who have been banging on about a trauma informed approach for years and have been working that way but it’s not been recognised. It’s also just a shame that us with lived experience have had to wait so long to be listened to properly, not token gesture bull shit we’ve seen a few years ago, such as pats on the backs and rolled out in from of funders, like look what we’ve done we fixed them. We have had to wait for you to say talking about traumas sexy now you have permission to speak. How sad is that. Thing is though it’s here, and people are listening long, may it continue, and long may lived experience voices be part of the change!

What’s next ?

What’s next is an increase in our national foot print with million peices and direct work with young people ( emotional well being in school through peer support and work shops with CreActive club and 2b.Frank also we are supporting Liam with his suicide prevention work ) we’re not giving away the details for that but watch this space or follow us on X @ Lads_Like_Us for daily updates. Thanks for taking time to read from all at Lads Like Us.

A Trauma informed wave is building ! Be part of the change amd help us raise awareness.