Voicing up with Blue Knot’s campaign to build a Trauma-Informed Community Coffs Coast by News Of The Area - Modern Media - October 28, 2021 Blue Knot Day presented resources and experiences for healing. VOICEUP Australia, the Coffs Harbour founded volunteer group based on support between adult survivors of child abuse and their support people, has been sharing the work of Blue Knot Foundation in this week of Blue Knot Day (28 Oct). The Blue Knot Foundation is a specialist service that focuses on Complex Child Trauma (CCT). Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The theme of the day is Build a Trauma-Informed Community, which speaks to a key value of VoiceUp – to speak up and out and educate the community on what CCT is and where to get help. Chris Marks, VoiceUp founder, social worker and Coffs Harbour resident, told News Of The Area, “In the early years of VoiceUp Cathy Kezelman, the founder of Blue Knot Foundation supported us in a panel presenting at ANZ Mental Health Forum in Victoria about breaking the silence around child sexual abuse and the trauma created through silence and shame on survivors throughout their lives. “The ongoing lifetime impact of child sexual abuse creates fragmentation in the self of survivors and silence in the community, government and legal system. “There is ongoing injustice as survivors voice up, but alleged offenders are protected by the legal system to stay silent when accused, and in court do not have to be cross examined while the victim is ruthlessly challenged in the system. “Children who disclose to police are asked “do you know what a lie is?” yet an alleged offender can stay silent. “Blue Knot Day validates a trauma-informed response by community and all of government to address the silence and shame. “No more secrets, no more remaining silent – let’s call out child sexual abuse and demand that alleged offenders are made to answer the accusations.” Survivor Day Workshops have been organised by VoiceUp based on the Blue Knot model. Blue Knot’s Festival of Healing shared webinars reflecting the work the foundation does every day in creating community and disseminating trauma-informed understanding. The online events saw a number of people, including practitioners, speaking personally about their own healing journey, sharing what has helped them, as well as some of the barriers they faced when services were not as trauma-informed as they could be. The Blue Knot website provides numerous resources on Understanding Trauma and Abuse, Coping Strategies, Healing, Facts & Figures, Telephone Counselling, Helplines, further reading and online and Facebook communities. For more info visit https://blueknot.org.au. Helpful website for schools: https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/five-approaches-for-creating-trauma-informed-classrooms VoiceUp Australia meets monthly all year round on the third Wednesday of the month from 6-8pm. Phone Chris 0423 133191 for more information or Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre 02 6648 3694 who auspice VoiceUp. By Andrea FERRARI The tangled knot in Blue Knot’s logo symbolises the tangle of complex trauma while the blue in the logo represents a clear blue sky opening up the space for new possibilities for healing and recovery.
