Andrew Walker, Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) CEO
The Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) has become the first organisation in Northern Ireland to be accredited with a Silver ‘Trauma-Informed: Working With Trauma Quality Mark’, offering formal recognition of its trauma-informed approach in identifying and responding to the needs of victims and survivors.
The initiative, supported by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland’s (SBNI) workforce development project (Trauma Informed Practice), involved working with ‘One Small Thing’, a specialist charity which provides assessment and accreditation to organisations who can evidence that they meet a robust, accessible, and supportive set of standards for working with trauma.
As the first organisation in Northern Ireland to receive this accreditation, VSS ensures that victims and survivors receive the measured, considerate, and tailored trauma-informed approach required in all interactions with its team and in the services and support provided.
Receiving this accreditation demonstrates the commitment of VSS and its team to delivering a trauma-informed approach in everything it does to support victims and survivors.
Responding to the announcement, the Safeguarding Board NI Trauma Informed Practice Team described the process as:
“A pleasure, which is a well-deserved recognition of their efforts. We are confident that VSS will serve as a model for other organisations to emulate, follow and collaborate with”.
VSS Chief Executive Andrew Walker commented:
“This important accreditation provides us with crucial assurance on how we work and deliver support and services for those who need them. Additionally, it ensures that everything we do is carried out in a way that is informed by the lived experiences of victims and survivors and their specific needs. I am grateful to the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland for their support, and to VSS staff and our partners for their dedication to trauma-informed practice.”