Summary and Recommendations for Future Research

The findings of this research suggest that the complex interplay between individual, organizational, and broader community level factors shape our community’s

understanding and response to trauma, violence, mental health, and other intersecting challenges. Therefore, future education efforts must aim to create TVIC-related

awareness and action at all of these levels in order to promote social change and system transformation, including among individuals accessing care and their loved ones, the general public, and service providers. Future research is needed to explore in depth the education needs of these different groups, as well as what these groups feel is important to include in TVIC public and psycho-education, with a focus on specific strategies to

share this kind of knowledge. Incorporating citizen engagement (CE) strategies in future research, such as those outlined in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR; 2012) Citizen Engagement Handbook, may be one way to actively and meaningfully involve various representatives from the community in developing TVIC public and psycho-education. Using this method of integrated knowledge translation can help foster an exchange between future research and the community, ensuring that the development and delivery of TVIC-related educational material is informed by community needs. TVIC public and psycho-education may help challenge the fear, stigma, and prejudice surrounding trauma, violence, mental health and many other intersecting factors. Future research would benefit from exploring community attitudes towards TVIC and

understanding how these attitudes could in turn impact education needs. A key finding of this research was the common perception of the world as a “scary place” which has resulted in people’s defensiveness, denial, and desensitization to a number of health and social issues and could negatively affect people’s reception of TVIC education. Research that further investigates this perception and how it influences community members’ attitudes towards trauma, violence, and mental health would be useful in ensuring the development of effective community-focused TVIC education. Additionally, there is a strong connection between TVIC public and psycho-education and service provider education and support. Future research that examines this relationship and how TVIC training can support staff wellbeing, reduce the impact of vicarious trauma and

compassion fatigue, and strengthen TVIC-service delivery could enhance efforts to create a trauma- and violence-informed community.

Continued research on the organizational implementation of TVIC public and psycho- education is also beneficial to in order to ensure that future efforts are effective and sustained at the organizational level. To address one of the limitations of the present study, future research should incorporate leadership perspectives, including human resources. This will provide a more comprehensive picture of the organization’s TVIC- related efforts, providing insight into the policies, practices, and culture of the agency, and where opportunities exist to strengthen and extend its TVIC-related work.

Collaboration is essential in ensuring the success of TVIC public and psycho-education. Research that explores the barriers and facilitators of TVIC-related inter-organizational collaboration may increase our understanding of how to create a safe and equitable healthcare system. Exploring where opportunities exist to strengthen partnerships and comparing and contrasting various organizational policies and practices may help identify points of convergence (and divergence) and aid in fostering greater alignment among service providers. More research in this area is important to advance systems-level change.

Given our inability to co-produce formal recommendations for action and knowledge mobilization strategies within the time allotted to complete this thesis, collaboration with the study liaisons will continue in order to do so. In response to our partners’ expressed needs and time constraints, these recommendations will be drafted by myself and Dr. Wathen, in consultation with the study liaisons. They will be based on the present findings and informed by what the liaisons feel is relevant and feasible for the

organization. The goal is to create actionable recommendations and messages that can produce real and meaningful change at the organizational and community level. The call for future research and action that supports the effective and sustained

integration of TVIC into education efforts for the whole community is especially relevant and necessary, given the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Our social, political, and economic realities have been disrupted, and what has been unearthed are the harmful, unjust, and inequitable systems and structures that have existed for so long and continue to negatively impact the health and wellbeing of marginalized, disadvantaged, and vulnerable communities. We are at a cross-roads as a community, country, and global society, with the opportunity to create something new, a different system and social structure that compassionately and equitably responds to the needs of everyone. Broader TVIC education and awareness may be one way to help transform public opinion and ultimately influence government policy to create the change that is needed to support the health and wellbeing of all. The global pandemic has revealed how fragile our society truly is, and future research and action regarding TVIC and other equity-oriented

initiatives is needed in order to enhance the capacity of our communities to confront and challenge the historical and ongoing inequities experienced by many.