Charity helping people to understand and recover from trauma

 

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Our vision

is a world free of trauma.

Our Theory of Change

is to prepare traumatised people for a healthier and happier future and to assist partners in trauma-informed strategy and practice.

Our strategic purpose

is to improve trauma understanding, resources and recovery.

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The Crysalys Foundation is 1 of only circa 100 charities in England & Wales registered under the Charity Commission for England & Wales RR14 Promoting the efficiency and effectiveness of charities, section B5 activities. Essentially, we are both an infrastructure organisation and a direct delivery organisation. We help other charities (and cross sector partners) to research and innovate for public benefit as well as offering direct charitable activities ourselves. Our charitable purpose reflects both these actions towards reducing disadvantage.

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What?

The Crysalys Foundation is currently focused on preventing, reducing, mitigating and treating trauma.

Currently Billions is spent on public and community services which are mainly working in silos focused on specific isolated themes and services. Most of this work is reactive, crisis managed and symptom focused. This model is failing to address trauma as an underlying cause.  With a better model, a trauma-informed model, and joining forces through collaboration, we can achieve critical and sustainable positive impacts for generations.

We want to tackle causes and symptoms by connecting all themes and services, transforming approaches into early, proactive and preventative pathways which will be trauma led.

The Crysalys Foundation’s strategy and ambitions are based on insights and learning.

Whilst The Crysalys Foundation has gained some insights from Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) research, we recognise that this is a stepping stone to a deeper understanding of childhood trauma. Traditional ACEs research and interpretations have been criticised for being pejorative, dated, limited and not taking into account the devastating impacts of structural inequalities and the huge diversity of traumatic experiences.

The Crysalys Foundation demonstrates a holistic, structural, strengths-based and agile approach to tackling trauma.

We recognise that experiencing trauma does not automatically mean that an individual will go onto experience reduced social and economic outcomes. However, various research studies suggest that there is a correlation between traumatic experiences and social and economic life challenges amongst others.

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Why?

In the UK:

• 1 in 3 people in the UK have experienced at least one traumatic event (Mental Health Foundation, 2022)

• 4.3 Million (30%) of children in the UK are living in poverty (Save The Children, 2023-24)

• 1 in 5 children have a probable mental health disorder (NHS Digital 2023)

• 1 in 5 adults have experienced at least one form of child abuse (Office National Statistics, 2020)

• The number of people in destitution in the UK increased by 148% from 2017 to 2022 with six million people living in very deep poverty’ (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2022)

 

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How?

We will innovate projects and partnerships towards preventing, reducing, mitigating and treating trauma. We already have some good examples:

• Tackling Trauma

www.tackling-trauma.com

Launched in April 2021 this is the UK’s 1st free digital resource for trauma understanding and recovery.

The project evolved to include, Tackling Trauma Together, to join cross-sector forces against trauma in the UK.

• Taclo Trawmag Cymru – www.taclo-trawmag-cymru.com

Tackling Trauma Wales – www.tackling-trauma-wales.com

Y prosiect, a lansiwyd yn 2022, yw adnodd digidol rhad ac am ddim 1af Cymru ar gyfer deall trawma ac adferiad.

Launched in 2022 the project is Wales’ 1st free digital resource for trauma understanding and recovery.

The project evolved again in 2023 to include Tackling Trauma Ukraine

 

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• Youth Court Solutions

Launched in February 2021 and started in October 2021 in Northamptonshire, YCS is the UK’s 1st independent at-youth court generic and specialist service for defendants, witnesses, victims, family and friends. The project ambition is to replicate and scale the project across the UK. In the first two years of the project, 2021-2023, beneficiaries exhibited a 36% reduction in youth re-offending.

 

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• The People Project

Instigated in September 2022 by the late, Mr David Laing CBE (L-L Ret’d) and launched in January 2023, the pilot project strives to tackle the causes of crime, substance misuse and mental illness in high deprivation areas by focusing on the impacts of trauma, poverty and inequality.

 

The project harnesses a cross-sector and multi-disciplined partnership of over 30 hyper-local members working with and for the Queensway, Kingsway and Hemmingwell communities in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

 

The People Project Wellingborough demonstrates a co-produced 15-year Strategy and Action Plan led by a working group drawn directly from the wider partnership and based on consultation with 100’s of residents. Initial approved activities for 2023-2025 include adding value to existing effective services, filling identified needs and gaps with innovation, communicating the offer to all and continuing consultation activities collated in a Voices Report.

 

• Trauma Response Northamptonshire

Instigated in April 2021 by The Crysalys Foundation and launched in November 2023, the 18-month pilot project strives to reduce offending and violent crime whilst increasing health, well-being and family support of 25 children (and their families) who are in care who are also at risk of involvement or are involved in the criminal justice system. At any one time children in need or care represent between 60 and 70% of county youth defendants.

 

The project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund Partnerships Fund UK. The Crysalys Foundation will be working closely with the Lottery, the county target cohort and five organisation partners to deliver the activities, outcomes and impacts: University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Children’s Trust / Youth Offending Service, Stand Out Northamptonshire, Service Six and The Chrysalis Foundation.

 

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• Star – Cuddle Cushion/Toy and ‘Star’s Journey to Earth’ book

Launched in March 2022, the Star Cuddle Cushion is a colourful and soft physical comforter for children (and adults), particularly trauma experienced children. Star features on our Tackling Trauma children’s web page. Children and grown-ups can use the digital info and self-help resources alongside a Star cuddle cushion that enhances positive health and well-being outcomes.

 

In 2022 we received grants from, Blueberry Wellbeing, to create a sustainable Star cushion offer and create a new storybook about, ‘Star’s Journey to Earth’ to help children. The book was printed in October 2023 and is available on our Tackling Trauma website – here

 

For every three cushions or books we sell, we are able to sustain our stock and gift one free to a disadvantaged child in the UK. You can buy your Star cushion or book here

 

• Holistic Well-being

Coming soon. We will launching a holistic well-being project that recognises the wide diversity of health and well-being aids and treatments including music, sports, alternative therapies and nature.

 

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Where?

The Crysalys Foundation is currently a UK charity.

Our registered office is in Northamptonshire, England.

We do not have a head-quarters or building. We operate on a lean and agile model, working flexibly, remotely and digitally to reduce core running costs and our carbon footprint.

We started our work in England in 2017 and extended into Wales in 2022. We plan to reach into Scotland and Northern Ireland in the future.

Our free resources, such as Tackling Trauma, have been accessed globally.

We are open to working in partnership outside the UK if this furthers our charitable objectives and meets public benefit.

 

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