Use these tools and tips to get started on your project plan. Clarify what you will do and who can help.
All projects and change initiatives need planning and dedicated resources.
A good first step is to develop a project plan outlining:
- the goal
- the scope
- strategic alignment with the organisation
- roles and responsibilities of team members
- timelines for major milestones.
The plan can be updated throughout the course of the project. It can be supported by an action plan and a timeline chart.
Multiple stakeholders may need to be identified to assist in planning, delivering and undertaking the trauma-informed care self-assessments. Consider the most appropriate action, including establishing a working group.
You may need to consider the following when determining stakeholders:
- executive sponsorship (PDF, 141.0 KB)
- who can help with the planning and distribution of the self-assessment and who can undertake the self-assessment, e.g. mental health clinicians, clinical nurse consultants, team managers, trauma-informed care champions, mental health governance committees.
- when to engage the stakeholders, e.g. engage with them early and explore if the project sponsor or executive can help with this process
- communicating with stakeholders (PDF, 125.2 KB), e.g. how will you keep stakeholders informed, get their feedback and manage this process
- ongoing engagement, e.g. how you will maintain stakeholders after the self-assessment is complete; how will stakeholders network and share knowledge, successes and learning across your local health district.
It is recommended to establish a working group before sending out the self-assessments. The working group members can champion the self-assessments and encourage participation.
The working group will lead the development, documentation and implementation of trauma-informed care actions and practices based on the self-assessment results.
Important considerations when setting up the working group
- Purpose
- Membership – consider including all mental health staff, such as senior clinicians, service managers, staff from specific units or wards, clinician governance unit members and people with lived experience
- Frequency of meetings
- Roles and functions
- Governance and reporting structure (PDF, 129.8 KB).
Terms of reference or ways of working
It is essential to establish the terms of reference or ways of working for the working group. These serve as a valuable reminder of the agreed parameters and scope of the working group. They keep individuals and the group accountable to the purpose and outcomes previously agreed.
It is useful to develop a work plan or a process map (PDF, 109.5 KB) with your working group to document the specific activities of the group.
You can build this workplan into your project plan.
At this stage of your project, the workplan should outline:
- overarching project goal and desired outcomes; refer to goals (PDF, 1.3 MB) and objectives and benefits (PDF, 113.3 KB)
- role of the working group
- plan for self-assessment release and gathering data and results
- evaluation plan (PDF, 109.5 KB).
The workplan can be changed and adapted over the lifecycle of the project. You can revisit the workplan after you receive the assessment reports and update as needed.
Ensure you have the correct sponsorship when undertaking a project.