Vivedus values agency. We know that people cannot truly learn unless they feel safe, valued, cared for, and have agency over their lives. Sadly, this is a right that not everyone enjoys. So many young people fall victim to abuse which has a terrible impact on every aspect of their lives, including their education.
The Blue Knot Foundation is the National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma. That means that they advocate for and provide support to people who have experiences of complex trauma, and those who support them, personally and professionally.
Blue Knot’s vision is to reach the more than 1 in 4 adult Australians impacted by complex trauma. Their mission is to empower adults to recover and build resilience from complex trauma.
Complex trauma includes lots of different often damaging experiences. It also refers to the effects of those experiences. The experiences can occur at any age, in childhood, as a young person, in adulthood and into old age. Examples include violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation or growing up without a person who is able to care for, understand and protect you. Many people experience them repeatedly or over time. The good news is that people can and do recover from the impacts of complex trauma. Many people also develop remarkable resilience and grow beyond their trauma experiences.
Managing Director of Vivedus, Paul Browning was asked, “Why support Blue Knot?”
“The story of sexual abuse and trauma is part of my story. While I haven’t suffered from abuse, I have spent the last ten years working with, and supporting survivors of abuse, helping them walk towards healing. The Blue Knot Foundation has been a tremendous support to at least one of those men I have walked with, and they have made an enormous difference to him.”
The Blue Knot Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation and can only do the important work they do with the help of government funding and donations.
While Vivedus isn’t anticipated to return a profit for the first few years we have committed to donate money to Blue Knot anyway. This commitment formed part of the Heads of Agreement.
