RISE brings specialist expertise to landmark justice sector trauma training

RISE was selected by the Ministry of Justice as one of two national providers to deliver trauma-informed training for New Zealand’s frontline justice workforce, reflecting more than 40 years of specialist clinical expertise supporting people affected by family violence and sexual violence.

‍Practice Lead Joelene Whitfield says RISE has helped train (kaimahi) staff from the Department of Corrections, the Ministry of Justice and the Police under Te Aorerekura - New Zealand's 25-year National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence.

RISE delivered nine trainings in locations around New Zealand as part of a first tranche of training in 2026. The training focused on all victims of crime and was not family violence specific.

"People engaging with the justice sector as victims, although not guaranteed, have a high likelihood of experiencing some trauma," Joelene says. "It's about avoiding any further traumatisation through their engagement with the services and systems that are trying to create justice for them."

‍Joelene says training participants found value in coming together to understand the different roles across the justice sector, and how they can support each other working with people affected by trauma.

“It created a space to start working towards developing those collaborative relationships and best practice models.

‍“But overall, people who attending the trainings consistently came away feeling more able to be responsive to the needs of victims of crime engaging with their services.”

The programme was co-delivered with male and female RISE trainers – eg Joelene worked with Development Lead Aaron Agnew in a male/female and Māori/Tauiwi combination. Joelene designed the training, with various RISE staff leading different sessions. Other RISE staff, including Family Violence Prevention Representative Jaron Steffens, Clinicians Victor Macgill and Jeanette Jensen, also took part.

RISE will continue to advise and offer support to the Ministry of Justice with their own ongoing internal training delivery of trauma informed practice to support better outcomes for victims of crime.

‍The training RISE led was funded by the Justice sector and is based on the Te Aorerekura framework to ensure that staff have the skills to be safe and effective with those that connect with their services in the very early stages.

‍"It is really that recognise and respond – what would you be looking out for, how would you respond. What are the signs and symptoms, and then the next part is how to respond safely to minimise the risk of further harm," Joelene says. "But part of that is also how do we look after ourselves in order to have the capacity to be responsive to their needs. So, it includes secondary vicarious trauma."

RISE Chief Executive Maud Molloy says the fact RISE was awarded the contract to led this training is reflective of the respected skills and knowledge RISE clinicians hold.

‍ "Being selected as one of only two national providers to deliver this training alongside the Ministry of Justice reflects what RISE brings to this mahi: specialist clinical expertise built over 40 years of working with people affected by family violence and sexual violence in Aotearoa. This was a genuine partnership with the justice sector, and we were proud to bring our clinical knowledge to an initiative that Ministry of Justice identified as essential to building a more trauma-informed frontline.‍

“The results tell us the impact is real and lasting. Across the sessions we have delivered, 98% of participants chose the trauma-informed response in the post-training scenario check, 95% left intending to change at least one aspect of their practice, and confidence in key competencies rose by up to 41 percentage points within a single training day. The most consistent commitment participants made, across Dunedin, Christchurch, and Wellington, was to ask 'what has happened to this person?' rather than 'what is wrong with this person?' That is not a small shift. That is the difference between a system that re-traumatises and one that supports healing.

“Every police officer, corrections staff member, or court worker who leaves one of these sessions more able to recognise trauma and respond safely is a better experience for every victim who comes through their door. That is the concrete, lasting change this training is designed to create and it is exactly the kind of system-level impact that Te Aorerekura calls for."

RISE was selected by the Ministry of Justice as one of two national providers to deliver trauma-informed training for New Zealand’s frontline justice workforce, reflecting more than 40 years of specialist clinical expertise supporting people affected by family violence and sexual violence. Photo: Pexels.

The Minister of Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour said during 2025 and 2026, more than 10,000 workers – within NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki, Department of Corrections, Ministry of Justice and ACC – have completed training aligned to the family violence workforce capability frameworks. 

‍“This training is critical for our agencies’ frontline workforces to have the skills and knowledge they need to recognise, respond and refer when people are experiencing family violence or sexual violence,” she says.

‍“I am proud of our progress against the second Te Aorerekura Action Plan, it shows the benefits of a multi-agency response and the dedication of government departments to best supporting victim/survivors.”

RISE Practice Lead Joelene Whitfield says participants who attended the trainings consistently came away feeling more able to be responsive to the needs of victims of crime engaging with their services.”