In all cases, participants felt that they had more to offer to people in their programs who had experienced violence. They were aware of how their increased knowledge and skills could be implemented to strengthen their practice and felt an increased confidence about applying their learning. Not all of the learning could be implemented during the course of the Project but participants were able to speak to an increased capacity to make changes in their practice and an intent to take action. Beyond an individual capacity to make change, some participants felt that, thanks to VALTA, they had an increased appreciation of their power to influence change in their field.

I feel that I have something to offer now. The strategies may seem small but they're important. Just having someone not turn away is important.

Seeing ourselves as having the power to influence change is hugely important.

I had been so scared before that someone would disclose violence to me. I found out in this course that it wasn't so scary. Things that were scary are not scary any more. It gives me hope that learners can be supported in such a healing way...that will in turn improve their chance at succeeding at learning.

When I first came into VALTA I was terrified that I'd have to talk about my own experience. For me to go from that fear to doing a whole workshop on it is huge.

Once the VALTA Project was underway, participants very quickly began to integrate their learning and insights into their practice. The changes that they have made in practice have been numerous and diverse, ranging from changing physical environments to working differently within the community. Research in practice projects afforded an important opportunity to implement learning. However, substantial changes were also made prior to these projects as participants applied their learning to many aspects of their work and their personal lives. Space prevents us from illuminating all of the changes that participants have made in their practice but we offer the following glimpses of how learning has been implemented.

• Connecting/interacting with program participants and tutors in new ways: with increased sensitivity and sharing of control—being more sensitive to a diversity of experiences and backgrounds.