‘TRAFFIR’ is a 30-months Erasmus+ KA204 project (N. 2019-1-UK01-KA202-061447) aiming to develop a whole systems approach to improve key competences in dealing with emergency first response situations in order to mitigate the impact of repeated or singular exposure to a critical stress incident.

The TRAFFIR project ran from September 2019 to March 2022.

Many first responders in schools, colleges, and community settings (e.g. local sports teams; youth clubs; communuty centres) as well as emergency service workers do not always have access to training that can adequately prepare them for the traumatic and stressful incidents they could experience in their roles.. Emergency services personnel such as the police, ambulance workers, and fire and rescue officers are repeatedly exposed to traumatic episodes. This has led to rising levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severe depression that often results in attempted suicide.

This project has created a suite of non-formal learning resources to address gaps in knowledge and training in order to prevent the onset of PTSD and to equip key workers with the tools to stay mentally well despite the often stressful nature of their roles.

The partnership consisted of partners from 5 countries (UK; Romania; Bulgaria; Spain; Poland) who worked together to develop the TRAFFIR training programme. This programme consists of 6 modules of learning, with each module designed to increase the learner’s knowledge on a range of topics.

Two attendees from each partner participated in 6 transnational meetings with a purpose to plan, implement, pilot, deliver, evaluate and review a fit for purpose the TRAFFIR tool kit; each partner hosted a learning/transnational meeting and also sent 4 staff to a short-term staff training event to pilot the tool kit. This was delivered online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.