Making Manchester Fairer Trauma Informed Short Films & Toolkit For Youth Workers
This project is a partnership between 42nd Street and Making Manchester Fairer (MMF) involving the delivery of a range of free trauma based training to the VCSFE youth and play sector working with 11 – 25 year olds as part of the wider MMF strategy to tackle health inequalities within Manchester, running for the past two years.
Delivering to 15 most deprived areas within Manchester, focussing on racialised and marginalised communities and involving the development of our three MMF young practitioners (18 – 25) to engage with VCSFE organisations and development of trauma informed resources.
The trainings developed by the team and currently being delivered ongoing are:
- Creative Training: Using Creative Approaches with a Trauma-Informed Lens
- Senior Leadership Trauma Training
- Social Media and A.I. and Young People training
Find out more here.
Our lived experience young practitioners have delivered these trauma-informed trainings to 460 Youth work staff and practitioners from 70 Manchester grassroots and VCSFE organisations.
Feedback from these trainings has informed the themes and content of their short film series produced, directed, and edited by young Manchester creatives and actors.
Watch the Short film Series here:
Generational Trauma – A short film exploring how Trauma is passed down, particularly in families, and the role of youth work interventions, with symbolism for healing awareness and practices.
Safeguarding – A short film speaking to the value of increasing knowledge and understanding of the contextual needs of Radical and Cultural Safeguarding in Youth Work Practice.
Self-Care and Burn Out – A short film discovering how Burn Out and Compassion Fatigue can build in youth work staff over time, with symbolisms for healing awareness and practices.
Alongside these short films is a digital resource toolkit that seeks to be helpful in integrating the training themes and supporting reflective practice and supervision.
As a lived experience young practitioner, being part of the creation of this toolkit has been a meaningful opportunity to bring together the experiences, challenges and strengths of youth workers across Manchester. Through the training sessions, we heard first-hand about the realities of supporting young people facing inequality, trauma and barriers to wellbeing, and we wanted to make sure those voices were reflected in a practical and accessible resource. Many of the youth workers we trained told us they wanted something they could return to after the sessions - something that captured the learning in a way that was relevant to their everyday practice.
At the heart of this toolkit is a trauma-informed approach. Working in a trauma-informed way means recognising how past and present experiences can shape a young person's behaviour, relationships and wellbeing. It encourages responding with curiosity, compassion and connection rather than judgement. This is especially important in youth work, where trusted relationships can play a vital role in helping young people feel safe, understood and supported.
This toolkit translates learning into everyday practice, offering practical tools, reflections and ideas to help youth workers build confidence in trauma-informed practice while recognising the valuable work they are already doing. We hope it creates space for curiosity, reflection and connection, supporting youth work practitioners to continue building trusting relationships with young people and communities across the city.
Why Making Manchester Fairer Matters
Making Manchester Fairer isn't just a policy - it's about creating real change in young people's lives. This five-year plan tackles the things that affect young people's mental health beyond the therapy room: poverty, housing, access to opportunities. By working together, we're addressing the root causes that impact wellbeing.
We believe every young person deserves the chance to thrive, regardless of where they live or what circumstances they're facing. That's why this partnership matters - it's about building a city that works for everyone.
