Tissue Budgets and Loving the Job: Motivations and Barriers to Trauma-Informed Practices in Ontario University Writing Centres

This project examines the experiences of university-based writing centres staff in Ontario as they relate to student trauma. In this presentation, motivations and barriers to engaging in trauma-informed practices in writing centres will be explored based on semi-structured interviews with eight staff from across the province. Barriers include staffing challenges, lack of training and support, role strain and guilt, while staff remain motivated to provide trauma-informed support given their job's status as a 'helping profession' and the levels of student trauma and anxiety they encounter.