Things you should know about trauma Some knowledge of trauma can make it easier for you to work with sportspersons who have had traumatic experiences. A sport development worker should know what the impact of a traumatic experience on an individual can be. He or she must understand why someone responds in an unusual way to a given situation. It is important to know how you can recognize a sportsperson who may have been traumatised. A sports development worker must also know something about the process by which a trauma can be overcome. These and other topics that are of interest to a sport development worker in the field are dealt with in this section. >>> go to the section Children and trauma Working with children often differs from working with adolescents and adults. Because of this, we have included specific information on how to work with children who have had a traumatic experience. >>> go to the section Tips for the sport development worker in the field While there is no ready-to-use method for dealing with sportspersons who have gone through a traumatic experience there are a number of practical tips available for a sport development worker. In this section, experienced field workers and trauma experts share some hints and tips that can help a sport development worker's activities in the field. >>> go to the section Tips for the sending/posting agency: things your organisation can do The agency that recruits sport development workers and sends them to posts in the field is responsible for the entire process. It must ensure that the sport development worker can do his or her work. What are the conditions that must be met for a position overseas to be successful? Talks with trauma experts and experienced field hands have produced a list of essential conditions that should be fulfilled. These cover the entire process, from fact finding, through recruitment, preparation, field work and debriefing. >>> go to the section Ability to deal with the consequences The field is complex and a sport development worker must be able to deal with the stress that may be part of working with traumatised sportspersons. There is a vast difference between a former child soldier and recalcitrant teenager in a secondary school somewhere in a western country. This part of the toolkit pays attention to the ways in which you can protect yourself and manage stress. >>> go to the section | 