"Empowering Voices,
Strengthening Justice."
Audio voice is a translation of the information below and not the actual interviewee's voice.
Kailee Henson, Peer Support Coordinator - Colorado Bureau of Investigation
Today, meet Kailee Henson, Forensics Laboratory Manager and Peer Support Coordinator for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Hi Kailee, we'd love for you to tell us what inspired you to become a peer supporter, and what has kept you passionate about this work?
Working in forensics and responding to crime scenes, we really tend to see the not-so-great side of humanity. When I was approached to help form CBI's peer support team, I saw it as an opportunity to not only learn how to cope with some of that trauma myself, but to help my colleagues as they navigated some of their more challenging cases, as well. As we developed the program, I gained a better understanding of all the different stressors we face as first-responders/agents/scientists/etc, and I witnessed firsthand just how great the need for peer support truly is. The connections I've made with my colleagues and the ability to provide assistance in their times of need are what keep me passionate about this role.
Can you describe a typical day in your role as a victim advocate?
I was asked to take over as our team's coordinator a little over a year ago, so my role as a peer supporter has changed just a little bit. While I'm still supporting my colleagues and helping them manage day-to-day stress on a pretty regular basis, I'm also concentrating on learning how to lead our team. In my current role, I tend to be a bit more focused on making sure everyone has the resources they need to be effective peer supporters and giving them the support they need to be able to provide support to others.
What is one of the most rewarding aspects of your work, and what has been one of the greatest challenges?
The most rewarding part of being the CBI Peer Support Coordinator is having the opportunity to work with such an amazing team. They're truly the best! Running the team with a limited training budget has been a challenge, but I've gotten pretty good at finding all the free resources out there :)
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in victim advocacy or who wants to support victims in their community?
Victim advocacy is somewhat different from peer support, but I definitely think there are some similarities. The one thing I'd tell someone interested in becoming a VA or joining a peer support team is to remember to take care of yourself! Vicarious trauma is a real thing, and knowing how to identify its effect on you and how to get the help and support you need to work through that is really important. Also, be aware of your limitations, and know it's okay to step away/refer a person to someone else if an issue is outside your skill set or comfort level.
Why does the CBI Peer Support Team continue to use the Peer Support Care eCards to share Information?
We love how easy it is to navigate! Having an "app" makes it super simple for us to communicate who we are and what we do, so that a colleague in need can find someone to reach out to as effortlessly as possible.
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