From 2 to 4 October 2026, Children and War Foundation held an online training on the newly revised Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) manual. With 33 participants completing all three days, it was our largest TRT training so far.
The training brought together psychologists, counsellors and social workers from NGOs, universities, UNICEF and child protection services, including Dignité International, Plan International and the Psychological and Developmental Relief Society. Among them was a group of 17 practitioners from Iran, who joined through UNICEF Iran. Half of the participants who answered our evaluation have worked with children for more than ten years.
Over three days on Zoom, trainers Helen Christie and Alba Banoun, supported by Elisa Cervi and Silvia Torres, guided participants through every part of the new manual: understanding traumatic stress, tools for intrusive memories, arousal and relaxation, facing trauma memories and reminders, and the sessions for parents and carers. Participants practised the techniques in roleplays and small groups, following the story of Michael, the case example used throughout the manual.
The response was excellent. Of the participants who completed the evaluation, 97% said the training met their expectations, and 90% gave the highest possible score when asked whether they would recommend it to colleagues. The manual and the trainers’ explanations were the highest rated parts of the training, both scoring 4.8 out of 5.
Most importantly, the training will reach children. Nine out of ten respondents plan to use TRT in their work, and more than half of them expect to start within the next six months.
Participants told us that support after the training matters to them, so the learning does not stop here. Children and War Foundation will offer follow-up supervision sessions to help the new group leaders as they start running TRT groups.
We warmly thank all the participants for their commitment and energy, and our trainers for three inspiring days. We look forward to hearing how TRT reaches children in their communities.
Interested in TRT training? Contact us!
