Look After Yourself

RES-WELL Toolkit

The Researcher Wellbeing (RES-WELL) toolkit, developed by UCL's Institute for Global Health, offers resources to support the mental health of researchers tackling emotionally and ethically challenging topics. Recognising the potential for vicarious trauma in such work, the toolkit provides guidance for principal investigators and funders to foster a research culture that prioritizes wellbeing. It includes strategies for institutional support, supervision practices, and self-care, aiming to mitigate the emotional burdens associated with sensitive research areas. Access the toolkit here.

SVRI Dare to Care Module

The Dare to Care course by the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) is a self-paced online program designed to support professionals working in violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC). It promotes self-care and collective care to help manage stress, burnout, and vicarious trauma. Through interactive modules, participants explore wellbeing, resilience, and organisational support strategies, fostering a culture of care within their workplaces The course provides practical tools and reflective exercises to enhance both personal and collective wellness in emotionally demanding fields. For more information and enroll to the course click here.

Researcher Wellbeing Project

The Researcher Wellbeing Project (RWP) at the University of Bath investigates the effects of conducting emotionally challenging research on academics, focusing on issues like distress, secondary, and vicarious trauma. Through interviews and surveys, the project found that while researchers are passionate about their work, many experience symptoms linked to secondary trauma. Participants expressed a need for formal support mechanisms, such as funded Researcher Wellbeing Plans, clinical supervision, and counseling services. In response, the RWP developed resources and training to promote a supportive research culture and improve researcher wellbeing. For more information about RWP and its resources click here, and to download the Researcher Wellbeing Plan Template click here.

Planning with Care Toolkit 

The Planning with Care toolkit, developed by the VAMHN and Traumascapes, provides practical tools for organisers, chairs, facilitators, speakers and attendees to help make conferences on violence and abuse more trauma-informed. Through checklists, templates, prompts and other activities, this toolkit emphasises emotional wellbeing as a shared responsibility of all. With the understanding of emotional safety at its core, the toolkit is designed to guide readers to create environments that "recognise emotional labour, value embodied knowledge, and prioritise care". Access the editable toolkit here and the PDF version here. ​