In July, the Bounce Coalition hosted Bounce University, a “train the trainer” program that is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to teach the Bounce curriculum within their own communities and organizations.
This two-day training, led by Bounce’s Dr.Joe Bargione and Nikki Thornton, helps organizations become trauma-informed and sustain practices that help their clients and employees thrive.
The program kicked off with an introduction to the Bounce curriculum, covering key topics such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma-informed care, and resilience-building strategies. Participants then practiced presenting the material to their cohort to gain experience and confidence as a trainer. Participants traveled as far as 3 hours from Eastern and Western Kentucky and as close as a couple of minutes down the road in Louisville to attend the training.
Representing a wide range of professions, including medicine, emergency services, education, parenthood, and advocacy, the group brought diverse perspectives united by a shared commitment to building trauma-informed systems and communities.
As participants gained hands-on experience, they offered valuable feedback to enhance the Bounce curriculum and ensure that it remains responsive to the evolving needs of communities across the Commonwealth.
“It was a pleasure to meet and engage with this new cohort of trainers,” Nikki added. “Their level of engagement and interest provided a foundation for great input and feedback, as well as excitement about their facilitation of the curriculum throughout the state. I think a lot of people are going to be positively impacted by this cohort’s desire to share information that can help others.”
Congratulations to this incredible cohort for completing Bounce University! We’re excited to see how they continue to implement these practices and expand resilience-building efforts across Kentucky.
Special thanks to the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky for generously supporting this opportunity.
