 Create an organisational culture where staff can express what they need to enable them to manage the stresses of their work, and where creative solutions can be explored. Addressing work-related stress: Bolivia case study Recently ITEI (Institute of Therapy and Research about Sequelae of Torture and State Violence) had an internal crisis in the organisation due to a traumatic incidence in the country where there had been a massacre in a community. As a result, all staff dealt with people presenting as severely traumatised as well as confronting the number of persons who had died. This work took place within a very compressed period of time. After the incident and their work in response, the staff at ITEI suffered in many ways, including feeling de-motivated and experiencing trauma symptoms. The staff asked that in order to overcome this experience and their stress, it would be helpful to have someone come and “clean” the organisation from the bad spirits and emotions, through the use of cultural rituals. The management at ITEI was not at all sure that this would make a difference, but since it was a wish from staff, they implemented it in the hope that it could help and in order to demonstrate that they valued the well-being of staff and took their concerns very seriously. In addition, ITEI had exchanges with staff from EATIP in Argentina in the after-math of the crisis. The exchange between the two organisations was found to be very useful for ITEI in order to help staff to reflect on and manage their responses and experiences with colleagues external to the organisation, thereby enabling them to continue with their work. Source: Translated Excerpts of IRCT Regional Meeting in Mexico, IRCT Mission Report, December 2012 Addressing the risk of threats or harm to staff and their families To minimise and address the risk of threats or harm to staff and their families, it is good practice for centres to:    Develop a prevention approach to prevent the risk of harm to staff and their families Develop a protocol on security of staff and their families, firstly identifying threats, vulnerability and capacity for your Centre/service Ensure contact with international presence locally and internationally, such as with the EU or UN bodies. Suggested reading Pross, C. (2011) Manual for Good Practice and Management in Trauma Centres, Structural Aspects of Work Related Stress Care for Caregivers 50