Friday 09-10-2020 - 16:35

Over 550 freps trained as active bystanders!

Over the last two weeks, alongside an incredible team of Student Peer Facilitators, I’ve had the pleasure of being involved in the delivery of Active Bystander training to over 550 freps. Despite having to deliver the course online this year, I’m really pleased to say we saw excellent engagement with the course content and so many passionate, insightful and encouraging discussions take place around tackling sexual misconduct and violence.

The Active Bystander training course (which was designed by expert staff from Durham University and is currently jointly funded by the University and the SU) looks to develop an awareness of what sexual misconduct and violence is and how to identify potentially harmful behaviours. It also seeks to empower students to feel confident in using a variety of intervention methods when a potentially harmful situation presents itself. Our hope is that as more students are trained in being an active bystander, together we’ll send a strong message to those who believe sexual harassment and assault is acceptable – they are not welcome here. 

I fundamentally believe that training such as the Active Bystander course is vital in challenging and tackling the negative culture and toxic behaviours that so many of us have seen and experienced during our time in Durham. Notably, 97.9% of freps who received this training said that they would be more likely to intervene in some way when faced with a potentially harmful situation. This both highlights the importance of courses like these, and underpins my drive to push them to become a fundamental part of every Durham student’s education.

Making training and resources available to Durham students

Over the past three years, Durham SU Officers have worked tirelessly to ensure that training like this is available to Durham students, along with effective support structures and services. Their work has resulted in the introduction of the Welfare Training Residential (held online this year due to Covid-19), which involves sessions such as Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence, Mental Health First Aid and Boundaries and Signposting. Last year, Durham SU also launched online mental health training for all Durham students, with an additional module for student leaders, both of which you will find on duo under “My Organisations and Training”. 

All of this work is incredibly valuable and has helped to pave the way for further training, and funding for training, to be made available. Nonetheless, I recognise that there is much, much more that can and should be done in this space to ensure that support is available to students when they need it, and that student leaders who offer this support are trained and equipped to do so. By working together, we can and will begin to change Durham’s culture for the better – by empowering students to support each other, challenging toxic behaviours, acknowledging the lived experiences of others and actively listening to those who face injustice daily at the hands of oppression. 

You can help change Durham's culture too

If you’d like to arrange for your student group, sports team, household etc. to receive Active Bystander training, please contact the SU’s Policy Coordinator (Welfare) at nicola.a.frampton@durham.ac.uk. You can also contact either Nicola or myself if you have any questions or ideas regarding past or future training opportunities relating to welfare and liberation.