People and communities carry a wide range of life experiences. Some of these

experiences shape how people connect, participate, and engage in community life. As

community builders, the way we design processes, make decisions, and show up in

relationships matters.

This one-day training brings together Trauma-Informed Community

Building and Reflective practices as two complementary ways of strengthening ethical,

inclusive, and sustainable community building.

Rather than focusing on what is “wrong”, this workshop is grounded in strengths,

relationships, belonging, and self-determination, supporting practice that is attentive,

respectful, and responsive.

Trauma-Informed Community Building

Trauma-Informed Community Building offers a strengths-based framework for working

with awareness of lived experience while fostering safety, trust, and participation.

Participants will explore how TICB principles can guide community building activities and

broader community development processes, including:

· Do no harm

Designing processes that are transparent, predictable, and calming, and being

attentive to how decisions and actions are experienced differently by different

people.

· Acceptance

Meeting people and communities where they are, honouring local realities, and

creating welcoming pathways for participation.

· Community empowerment Supporting self-determination, shared leadership, and community stewardship so initiatives are shaped, sustained, and owned by the community. · Ongoing reflection Recognising community building as a long-term, evolving practice that benefits from learning, adaptation, and care over time. Reflective practice Reflective practice is a broad and transferable way of learning from experience. It supports practitioners and teams to pause, notice, and make sense of their work, strengthening clarity, accountability, and intentional action. In this workshop, participants will:

· Explore what reflective practice means for them and their role · Discover how reflective practice aligns with hosting ourselves and hosting others

· Practise reflective approaches individually and in small groups

· Explore how reflective practice supports wellbeing, learning, and effective collaboration Weaving the practices together Across the day, participants will explore how Trauma-Informed Community Building and reflective practice can be woven together to support thoughtful decision-making, respectful engagement, and strong relationships.

The workshop is interactive, reflective, and grounded in real community experience, with space for dialogue, learning, and shared insight.

This training is designed for people involved in:

· Community development and engagement

· Local government and place-based work

· Not-for-profit and grassroots initiatives

· Facilitating participation, connection, and collective action

Please contact us if cost is a barrier to your attendance

The CoBu team are listed below:

Fiona – ABCD Facilitator

Fiona is a creative and innovative facilitator with a passion for bringing people together around what’s local, possible, and already strong. Grounded in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), she believes conversations matter and that meaningful collaboration sparks change. Fiona works across facilitation, graphic harvesting, community consultation, and co-designing projects alongside communities and their partners. With experience across early years, adult education, and diverse community settings, she especially enjoys supporting 8–12-year-olds to recognise their strengths and voice. Now based in northern Tasmania, Fiona loves family, friends, alpacas, chooks, volunteering—and baking excellent scones.

Lee – ABCD Facilitator

Lee brings a lifelong passion for community to their work as an ABCD Facilitator, delivering training, workshops, and strategic planning. With over 14 years’ experience across local government and the not-for-profit sector in Australia and the UK, Lee has focused on creating the conditions for organisations and systems to work alongside community. Their work spans social housing, homelessness, mental health, family and domestic violence, and disability. A long-time volunteer and board member, Lee has helped establish organisations addressing health inequality and supporting LGBTQIA+ communities. At the heart of Lee’s work is a strong commitment to recognising and building on the strengths and assets communities already hold.

Dee – ABCD & Art of Hosting Practitioner | Intentional Nomad

Dee is a highly experienced ABCD and Art of Hosting practitioner with over 30 years’ experience in community development, facilitation, and co-design. Known for her grounded, down-to-earth style, she brings people together to tap into the collective wisdom of communities and strengthen what’s already there. Dee has worked across youth work, community-based research, and community–university partnerships, and has facilitated hundreds of workshops, conferences, and events internationally. An Intentional Nomad, Dee has lived and worked in more than 20 countries and continues to support communities, organisations, and networks to collaborate in meaningful and transformative ways.

Contact the host of December A blended workshop on Trauma-Informed Community Building and Reflective Practice