In universities, the phrase ‘trauma-informed’ is appearing increasingly in conversations about student safety and wellbeing, particularly around gender-based violence (GBV). You may have encountered the term recently in discussion or university communications. But what does it actually look like beyond policy language? Where does it fit into the existing systems and processes that shape staff and student experience at UTS, and how does it affects your work directly?
It’s tempting to think of trauma-informed practice as a milestone achievable through a policy update, a new strategy framework or hiring a specialist team to handle the trickiest cases. But it is, of course, much messier and more ongoing than that.
Strengthening systems, capacities and culture
When a person experiences harm, distress or unsafe behaviour, they don’t deal with ‘the university’ as a single entity. Instead, they encounter a series of systems, processes and people. Whether it’s a subject coordinator responding to an extension request, a staff member navigating a disclosure or an email exchange with support services, each interaction shapes how supported (or unsupported) someone feels. That’s why trauma-informed practice is about institutional design as much as it is about interpersonal care.
Working on communications in this space has reinforced this for me personally. Rewriting webpages and support information initially felt like a question of language: choosing the right tone, making information clearer, thinking carefully about wording. But the process quickly became much bigger than that. For every web page, StaffConnect update or student newsletter notification there is a web of interconnected systems, processes and responsibilities behind the scenes which determine what it feels like to be caught up in these processes.
Operating in a trauma-informed way is not about having all the answers, or using the ‘correct’ words or phrasing. It is about recognising vulnerability, responding appropriately, understanding the potential impacts of trauma, and avoiding systems or behaviours that unintentionally create additional harm.
What does trauma-informed practice look like?
Sometimes trauma-informed practice is visible in significant institutional reforms. But often, it appears in smaller operational decisions that collectively shape someone’s experience.
In practice, it might mean:
- reducing the need for students to repeat traumatic experiences multiple times to different areas of the university
- ensuring communications are clear, respectful and compassionate
- being aware of and reviewing processes that may unintentionally retraumatise people
- recognising the realities of trauma itself: that distress can affect memory, concentration, communication and decision-making
Universities must also balance procedural fairness, legal obligations, academic integrity and community safety. Trauma-informed practice does not remove those responsibilities. Rather, it asks institutions to consider how those processes are experienced by people under stress or harm, and whether they can be implemented in ways that avoid or minimise unnecessary distress.
Equally, trauma-informed practice depends on education and cultural capability. Policies and procedures matter, but so do everyday behaviours and assumptions that form institutional culture. Staff across all areas of the university influence that culture through the way they communicate, make decisions, respond to concerns and support one another.
For staff, this can feel daunting. But trauma-informed practice does not require everyone to become a specialist practitioner. Rather, it means understanding your role within a broader ecosystem of support: knowing how to respond respectfully, where to refer students and how everyday practices can either reduce or compound distress.
What changes are happening at UTS?
The introduction of the National Student Ombudsman and new National Code regulatory obligations reflect a growing recognition that all universities must improve how they prevent, respond to and manage GBV. We have been committed to implementing the NSO’s recommendations and work has been continuing to take shape through evolving systems and everyday practices, including:
- The expansion of specialist trauma-informed support at UTS through dedicated safety caseworkers, now embedded within the new Safe and Respectful Communities (SARC) Team. Alongside providing direct support to students and staff, the team also helps identify systemic barriers, strengthen institutional responses and build capability across the university.
- Student voice is also increasingly embedded in this work. This year, UTS established a paid Student GBV Consultation Group to ensure students contribute directly to how prevention, response and support systems are designed and improved.
- The mandatory training Consent Matters will soon be updated to Respect Matters, a more tailored, nuanced module. UTS has also been rolling out specialist capability-building and role-specific training across the university.
An ongoing commitment
Becoming trauma-informed is not a finish line. It is a continual process of reviewing systems, learning from experience, building capability and thinking carefully about how people experience the institution in moments of vulnerability.
Specialist teams play a critical role in building expertise and coordinating support, yet the effectiveness of that work ultimately depends on how systems operate across the wider university. Policies, reporting pathways, communications processes, learning environments, governance structures and everyday staff interactions all shape whether people feel safe and supported.
The work is never really finished, but it is a collective responsibility that belongs to all of us.
Find out more in the following resources:
- Learrn what support services are available for students and staff
- Be guided on how to respond when someone tells you about gender-based violence
- Reach out to the Safe and Respectful Communities Team for support, advice or information through the GBV portal