Resident Services & Programs
The most impactful resident services emerge from the community itself.
Rather than creating programs based on what we think residents need, trauma-informed resident services start with listening—understanding the strengths, interests, and aspirations that already exist within the community.
Services can and should be as diverse as the residents who call our communities home. The resources below provide frameworks for developing responsive resident services that honor community wisdom and create pathways for residents to achieve their own definitions of success.
Trauma-Informed Guidelines
All resources in this section follow these key principles:
GO WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE
Build initiatives around residents’ existing interests rather than imposing predetermined agendas.
CENTER AND INCLUDE RESIDENTS
Gather feedback continuously and adapt our approaches accordingly.
START SMALL AND ITERATE
Test programming ideas in small pilots before full implementation to understand what works and what doesn’t.
NO FAILURES, JUST LEARNINGS
Approach challenges as opportunities to improve, not as signs of defeat.
FOSTER PEER-TO-PEER CONNECTIONS
Create opportunities for residents to learn from and support each other through resident-led programming.
SUPPORT INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE GOALS
Balance programming that helps individuals achieve personal objectives with initiatives that strengthen community connections.
Tools & Resources
Ready to revamp your services? These tools provide practical resources for integrating trauma-informed principles throughout resident services and programs:
COMMUNITY IMPACT PLANNING GUIDE
Develop responsive community plans using this structured process that combines survey data, focus groups, and ongoing feedback loops. This guide helps housing organizations move from data collection to collaborative action planning with clear resident involvement at every stage.
WEALTH BUILDING & ECONOMIC MOBILITY PROGRAMS
POAH’s POWER initiative reimagines what’s possible in rental housing by creating new pathways for residents to build wealth; by combining innovative financial tools with resident-driven supportive services, we ensure all residents have opportunities to achieve their personal and financial goals.
COMING SOON!
COACHING FOR SUCCESS
Help residents identify and achieve their personal goals through trauma-informed coaching approaches that build on individual strengths and honor different pathways to success. This resource provides training materials and conversation frameworks that transform traditional case management into empowering partnerships focused on resident-defined priorities.