Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

[Stephanie Trilling <>]

Hi Molly,

We've had a lot of success (and fun!) with fidgets and coloring pages.  Play doh, modeling clay, legos, and pipe cleaners can be low cost options, although they are not as reusable as fidget cubes or spinners. If you want people to actually use them, it's important to encourage at the beginning and to explain what the objects are doing there, how they can be helpful, and to normalize the range of reactions that come up for folks participating in the workshops.  This is also a great time to encourage students to feel free to step out of the room or to check in with one of the facilitators if they need a break or become overwhelmed at any point during the workshop.  I usually have some at every desk beforehand if possible, or will pass around a bowl of fidgets at the beginning so that everyone has at least one thing available to them right from the start.

Good luck!

Steph

On Thu, Aug 3, 2017 at 3:30 PM, McLay, Molly Margaret <> wrote:

Hi all,

 

I run a mandatory first-year program that is peer-led and serves close to 10,000 undergrads each year. We are looking to find ways to better accommodate students in our workshops who are survivors, specifically during triggering moments. Some survivors ask to be excused from attending altogether, and we do this (although we don’t have a major advertisement of that). Others may want to attend (or remain) in the workshop but need ways to stay grounded, detach for a bit, or distract themselves in a moment of distress or during a triggering portion.

 

A student recently came to me explaining that going onto their phone was the only way they could make it through the workshop at times, but because so many students go on their phones because they do not wish to be there or pay attention for other reasons, we have a fairly strict no-phones policy that was enforced for that student. The experience did not go well for them because of that, and we were brainstorming alternatives to phone use for future participants.

 

Has anyone used something like a fidget cube, coloring sheets, or some other kind of activity or object for this purpose? I’m certain something like this could help a number of students with various learning styles, not just survivors. I’d love to hear what others have utilized!

 

Let me know what you think!

 

 

Molly M. McLay, LCSW

(pronouns: she/her/hers)

Assistant Director

University of Illinois Women's Resources Center

Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations

 

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If you need assistance related to sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking, please call the Women’s Resources Center at 217-333-3137 anytime Monday-Friday 9am-5pm to make an appointment. If you need support outside of these hours, please call the Rape Advocacy, Counseling, & Education Services (R.A.C.E.S.) hotline at (217) 384-4444 or the Emergency Dean at (217) 333-0050.

 

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Steph Trilling Director of Community Awareness and Prevention Pronouns: she, her, hers* Boston Area Rape Crisis Center 617-649-1267 | www.barcc.org | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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