Training: Being an Active Bystander

Intended for postsecondary students, this training aims to empower young people to recognize situations of violence and intervene safely when they witness them. 

Learning Objectives 

By the end of this training, the participants should be able to: 

1. Recognize the different forms of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence. 

2. Understand the individual and collective consequences of inaction in the face of violence. 

3. Implement intervention strategies that are safe, realistic, and adapted to their context. 

4. Contribute to building a culture of prevention that fosters violence-free environments. 

This training is offered in French and in English, online and in-person. 

Section 1: What is Violence? 

The first part of the training provides participants with a better understanding of the different forms of violence and addresses in particular: 

• the definition of violence; 

• the different forms of violence; 

• the ecological model of violence; 

• microaggressions and their impacts. 

Section 2: How to React to Violence 

The second part presents different strategies for safely intervening if they witness violence, including 

• the actions people can take to be active bystanders, also known as the 5 Ds: distract, delegate, dialogue, denounce, and document; 

• scenarios that allow participants to effectively put these strategies into practice in different contexts. 

Section 3: Understanding the Culture of Violence  

The training concludes with a reflection on the influence of social norms and our reactions when faced with violence, notably: 

• the bystander effect; 

• group norms and social pressure; 

• gender norms and male socialization. 

Awareness-Raising Activities 

Each part of the training is accompanied by situational activities adapted to the participant’s context (sports teams, academic clubs, student residences, etc.). These exercises allow us to explore different perspectives on violence, including its impacts on the people involved (survivor, perpetrator, and group), and encourage participants to reflect collectively on concrete ways to act and create a culture of prevention and zero tolerance towards violence. 

Experience Details 

• Format: the training is offered online or facilitated directly in your institution. It is followed by a short survey to collect participant comments and provide an activity report. A key-takeaway sheet and educational materials are also provided to the institution. 

• Duration: 1 h 15 in total (flexible according to the needs of the establishment). 

• Audience: this experience is intended for post-secondary settings and institutions that serve youth aged 16 and over: 
  • Educational institutions: CEGEPs, universities, trade schools, etc. 
  • Training establishments: training centres, francization centres, etc. 
  • Non-Profit Organizations: community organizations, youth centers, specialized intervention centres, etc.  
  • Traditionally male-dominated spaces: sports teams, fraternities, predominantly male training programs and fields of study, etc.  

• Ideal for: 

• violence-prevention weeks; 
• welcome-week and orientation; 
• mental health awareness weeks; 
• student services, student life, or equity, diversity, and inclusion programs; 
• student residence activities, youth centers, or youth organizations. 
• awareness campaigns and activities addressing gender norms, masculine socialization, and masculinities.  

Tailored Support 

The YWCA Montreal supports youth-sector professionals and practitioners by offering turnkey, original, and innovative resources. 

To complement this training, we propose:  

• a training addressing workplace violence, the rights and responsibilities of each person involved, as well as available resources and solutions; 

• an immersive virtual reality experience on the helpful and harmful reactions to cyberviolence; 

• a bank of turnkey resources for your awareness campaigns and interventions. 

If you would like to learn more about our active bystander training, we will be happy to discuss it with you, adapt the training to your needs, and answer all your questions. 

Contact us at [email protected] or by phone at 514 866-9941, extension 490.