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According to researchers at the University of Portsmouth, thousands of security guards are being left traumatised after facing a constant tirade of abuse and violence while on duty. The April 2020 Report comprised a large study of security personnel, with 750 workers interviewed – almost 40% demonstrated symptoms of PTSD.
The research also indicates that there is a lack of provision by security companies for employee mental health and wellbeing. Contact with the general public is a key factor in most roles, but research suggests that this is often the cause of conflict, leading to many challenges. Other key findings include:
65% of guards suffered verbal abuse at least once a month
43% have reported threats of violence at least once a month
More than 30% reported some kind of physical assault in the workplace once a year
In response to the additional pressures on staff from the COVID-19 pandemic, and with lockdown prohibiting training events, charity PTSD Resolution has launched an online interactive version of its TATE short course, Trauma Awareness Training for Employers.
The course is designed for security line managers, counter-terror operatives, resilience planners and HR and employee development and training teams, among other work roles.
TATE is designed to enable staff to:
Recognise post-traumatic symptoms amongst security guards and other staff
Understand the most common observable effects of trauma on behaviour
Know how to engage with traumatised staff, and when to signpost them to further support
Formulate, through discussion, clear routes to resolve specific workplace difficulties caused by trauma
Treatment options can include therapy delivered online by TATE organiser, PTSD Resolution, which operates a network of 200 therapists. The charity delivers free therapy to all veterans of the armed forces, reservists and their families, as well as members of ASIS and family members.
The TATE course trainer is an experienced PTSD Resolution therapist, Rosalind Townsend, Author of the book ‘PTSD Understanding and Recovery’.
PTSD Resolution Campaign Director Patrick Rea says: “This is a tough time for security personnel and other key workers during the pandemic. They are having to deal with unfamiliar, challenging situations such as managing queues of people at retail outlets, with worries for their own safety from infection. Too often line managers just don’t have the skills to identify staff who may be struggling mentally – and why should they? It requires training to know what to look out for and what to do to help a traumatised person.”
Online two-hour Zoom webinars cost £42 per person via online booking. Organisations can book private courses for staff groups, for from 10 to 20 delegates, which attract a 10 percent discount. During the lockdown, staff under furlough are allowed to train without jeopardising payments to the employer, according to Government guidelines.
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PTSD Resolution offers support to traumatised security staffPTSD Resolution is offering online training to support managers in responding to the worrying numbers of traumatised security staff in the industry.
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