As a learning organisation, St Martins strives to develop and deliver the very best care and support for people experiencing homelessness or who are vulnerably housed.
Using the Psychologically Informed Environment (PIE) model, existing good practice will be enhanced, with a focus on person-led and strengths-based practices.
St Martins views the PIE framework as a tool to promote continuous development, and as a point of reflection.
The PIE framework is designed to be an operational framework which helps team members negotiate potentially complex and challenging workspaces.
There are five key areas – or elements – to the PIE framework. These are – psychological awareness; environment; evidence and evaluation; relationships; and staff support and training. As each of these areas are developed, the organisation will move further towards best practice.
Psychological Awareness
St Martins will use the trauma-informed lens to guide our delivery of support. The trauma-informed care (TIC) model recognises that negative experiences in people’s lives may have a deep impact on the way they process events and react to situations. Team members will adapt their work practice to promote TIC ideals of safety and acceptance. Teams may also use different lenses, such as attachment theory, to understand and support the people they support.
Environment
We create environments that promote safety and inclusivity for all. Recognising that the environment is more than simply the physical space we inhabit, but also defined by the complex social and emotional connections of its users. St Martins team members will use the environment to foster positive relationships between people we support, their peers, and team members.
Evidence and Evaluation
While accepting that evaluation is a necessary part of supporting people as they move through St Martins’ services, we recognise that evaluation can feel invasive and even harmful. We understand that asking people to repeat stories of trauma can itself be re-traumatising. We will minimise the impact of evaluation and assessment on the people we support by using a person-led approach, and endeavour to find creative ways to ensure the individual has ownership over their own story.
Relationships
We believe building relationships is central to the delivery of good support and care, and that consistent, well-boundaried, trustable relationships are key to enacting positive change. Building authentic relationships with the people we support is at the heart of St Martins’ ethos, and upholds our values of being open, progressive, nurturing, and tenacious.
Staff Support and Training
St Martins is a learning organisation. We promote continuous growth and development both for individual team members and as an organisation. Recognising that people who have experienced trauma will display complex social and emotional behaviour, our training and development programme will support team members to feel confident as they undertake their work. Using reflective practice will aid our evolution towards becoming a PIE.