Creating Safer Spaces for Community Engagement
Organizations increasingly recognize the importance of lived experience in quality improvement and systems change work — but many teams need guidance for facilitating conversations safely, ethically, and meaningfully.
This toolkit was developed to support trauma-informed listening sessions that prioritize psychological safety, respectful engagement, and actionable learning.
Included Resources
Listening Session Guide
Facilitation guidance for planning and leading trauma-informed listening sessions.
Planning Templates
Templates supporting logistics, outreach, facilitation, and follow-up planning.
Participant Support Resources
Suggested approaches for creating psychologically safer engagement experiences.
Implementation Guidance
This toolkit may support:
- hospital community engagement
- PQC outreach
- patient-family feedback initiatives
- focus groups
- systems improvement planning
Suggested users:
- facilitators
- quality improvement teams
- patient engagement leaders
- healthcare systems
- community organizations
Video Walkthroughs
Planning a Listening Session
Overview of toolkit structure and preparation recommendations.
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