Empowerment workshop: respectful debate & discussion through Active Bystander training

Not sure what active bystander means?

That's okay! There are three key words to keep in mind here: awareness, action, and safety. So someone being an active bystander notices a situation where someone might need help and chooses to take action in a safe and effective way. This could mean stepping in to stop harmful behaviour, offering support to someone in distress, or seeking help from others. The goal is to create a supportive and safe community where everyone feels empowered to make a positive difference.

Why should I think about it?

The Active Bystander Programme was developed by the Students' Union UCL to give students the knowledge and practical skills to take action in their community – that is, learning to be aware of others' behaviours and, when the behaviour is inappropriate, choosing to challenge it in a safe way. 

In our increasingly polarised world, with a prevalent cancel culture, discourse can get heated (at best) or illegal (at worst) and of course, anything in between. It's important to realise this can have different effects on the different people involved in any discourse. 

Think of all the times you work with people here at UCL - sitting on a Committee, taking part in your Club, Society, or Network, working with peers on class projects. We're proudly a global university and everyone here has their own backgrounds, lived experiences, and opinions. Discourse will not always flow well. 

By booking a ticket via this page, you are expressing interest to this event. We will ask you to confirm your space closer to the time. If the event becomes oversubscribed, we will email all ticket holders asking them to confirm their space.

I want to know more

This session will be particularly useful for student delegates at the Sustainability Leadership conference (9-11 June), where there may be strongly held views that might not align entirely with your own. Skills gained in this workshop will mean you can get the most out of the conference. We encourage this as part of the pre-conference package. 

This training has a strong focus on challenging inappropriate or hate speech in a debate or discussion setting. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the limits of free speech. Equip yourself in the best possible way to feel confident to question bad behaviour. 

Other ExtendED Learning opportunities at your Students' Union

The SU is excited to be hosting a variety of ExtendED Learning opportunities during Term 3. Why not take a look at all we have to offer via our ExtendED Learning webpage, where you can find further information about each event and book your space.