Partners in Change
From Trauma-informed to Trust-led practice
Over the past three years, Apex Scotland has been on a powerful journey of learning, reflection and change through the Partners in Change project. Funded by The Robertson Trust and delivered in collaboration with the University of Dundee, this work has helped us deepen our understanding of what it truly means to move beyond trauma-informed practice and towards an environment rooted in trust, wellbeing and empowerment.
With ‘trauma informed’ now firmly at the forefront of the social sector – and increasing pressure to evidence our methods – this funded learning journey enabled us to move beyond intention and establish a genuine, accountable approach.
Emma Wilson,
Director of Services and Programmes, Apex Scotland
Correlation is not the same as causation – past events cannot predict future behaviours.
Jan Montgomery,
Independent Accredited Psychotherapist
Listening, learning and reflecting
At the heart of Partners in Change has been a commitment to listening. We’ve listened carefully to colleagues across Apex Scotland and to the communities we serve, creating space for honest reflection about what is working well and where we still need to do better.
These insights have been invaluable. They highlight the real progress we’ve made in embedding our values into everyday practice, while also challenging us to address the gaps between intention and experience. This learning has reinforced the importance of being reflective, responsive and willing to change.
A bold and intentional response
Our response to this learning has been both bold and intentional. We’ve developed a unique conceptual framework and implemented changes across individual, community and practice levels. Rather than seeing trauma-informed practice as a static goal, we’ve treated it as an evolving process that requires ongoing commitment and action.
This work has shaped four strategic service outcomes that will guide our future development and impact reporting:
- Building Trust – creating safe, consistent and respectful relationships
- Widening the Window of Tolerance – supporting emotional regulation and resilience
- Establishing Autonomy – empowering people to have choice, voice and control
- Wellbeing – prioritising the wellbeing of both participants and staff
Together, these outcomes provide a clear and values-led framework for how we deliver services and measure our impact.
Collaboration and shared learning
The Partners in Change initiative was launched in 2021 by The Robertson Trust as part of its 10-year strategy to tackle poverty and trauma in Scotland. Central to the programme were ambitions to change how services are designed and delivered, prevent and mitigate the harms of poverty and trauma, and commit to shared learning across the sector.
As one of six funded Partners in Change projects, Apex Scotland worked closely with the University of Dundee as our monitoring, evaluation and systemisation partner. We also collaborated with the Resilience Learning Partnership as a lived experience organisation, and with Jan Montgomery, an independent accredited psychotherapist.
These partnerships brought diverse perspectives and expertise, allowing us to explore what genuinely trauma-informed – and increasingly trust-led – practice looks like in reality, not just in theory.
Looking ahead
Looking forward, we’re committed to sharing our learning widely and continuing to embed it across everything we do. Partners in Change is more than a time-limited project; it represents a cultural transformation within Apex Scotland.
By leading with compassion, innovation and integrity, we aim to ensure that trust, wellbeing and empowerment are not just values we speak about, but principles that are lived every day by our staff and experienced by everyone we work with.
You can read the Dundee University and Apex Scotland report below.
If used meaningfully by organisations such as Apex Scotland, the concept [beyond trauma] can serve as a powerful framework: one that integrates personal healing with social justice, honours complexity, and moves away from viewing people through a purely pathological lens
University of Dundee/AS report
I have never been shown kindness in my life until now.
Apex Scotland Participant