Supporting Amey’s frontline teams in recognising and managing trauma

The challenge:

Amey, a provider of transport infrastructure solutions and complex facilities, has employees working on the frontline of road and rail networks across the UK. These roles often place staff at the scene of traumatic incidents, from serious road traffic collisions to supporting vulnerable individuals in crisis.

Even with formal incident response training, exposure to traumatic incidents can take a significant emotional toll. Amey noticed a growing number of employees seeking guidance and support following distressing experiences. Managers were increasingly called upon to assist, but many felt unsure how to respond effectively.

While Amey already offered crisis management tools and 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme, they recognised the need for a more proactive, preventative approach that would also empower leaders to support their teams in real time.

The solution:

To help address this need, Amey partnered with Samaritans to co-develop a tailored, one-day course, ‘Recognising and Managing Trauma’.

Designed by Samaritans’ award-winning Learning & Development Team, the course was shaped in close collaboration with Amey frontline teams through a series of pilot sessions. It aimed to raise awareness of trauma and provide staff with practical strategies to support themselves and others following difficult experiences.

Training was interactive, based on real-life examples from Amey’s operational context, and delivered in a supportive learning environment by skilled Samaritans facilitators. The course prioritised care throughout with pre-session trigger warnings, post-training resources and signposting to ongoing support.

A key focus was on helping participants understand how trauma can affect emotional wellbeing, develop coping strategies, and encourage open conversations that reduce stigma around mental health.

The impact:

To date, nearly 1,000 Amey employees across the UK completed the in-person training, with further sessions ongoing. Feedback has been very positive, with staff reporting greater confidence in recognising trauma, supporting colleagues and looking after their own wellbeing.

The course has helped create a more compassionate workplace culture, where it’s easier for teams to speak openly about the emotional impact of their work.

Several employees have described how the training has changed the way they think about trauma — not just in the workplace, but in their wider lives.