VOICES Center for Resilience Training

Requester/Organization Supported: VOICES Center for Resilience

Type & Dates: Remote Customized Technical Assistance, April 29–May 27, 2021

Description: The VOICES Center for Resilience (formerly VOICES for 9/11) requested two consultants to deliver a series of weekly virtual customized trainings on resilience that began April 29 and ended May 27, 2021. The training series addressed the core elements of resilience, strategies for building resilience, and creating plans for cultivating individual and community resilience. Approximately 50–70 victims' family members, survivors, responders, and service providers participated in the virtual training series.

Implementation: Each week, the consultants used VOICES' carefully created goals and objectives to craft virtual workshops that directly met the organization's needs. Workshop topics included Introduction to Resilience, Self-Awareness and Mindfulness, Gratitude and Appreciation, Relationships, and Skills Review and Goal-Setting. VOICES remained in regular contact with the consultants over the course of the 5-week workshop series. This included multiple Zoom calls, emails, and phone conversations.

Results: Each virtual workshop was well received, and participants felt the series provided them with new ideas and strategies for building their personal resilience. During the training series, participants were able to make full use of the Zoom platform so that each virtual workshop felt engaging and personalized. They particularly appreciated polling, the chat feature, and the opportunity to process the material with others in breakout groups. Participants expressed their gratitude to the consultants weekly and felt the decision to alternate the role of primary instructor each week kept things fresh throughout the series. In addition, they felt that the consultants were consistently well prepared, timely, and receptive to feedback and questions.