Bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, and active bystander eLearning
Building a respectful culture at UCD eLearning
The Learning Rooms worked with University College Dublin (UCD) to develop online building a respectful culture eLearning for employees and students. It focused on bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, and how to be an active bystander.
About UCD
UCD is Ireland’s largest university and has almost 38,000 students, including a large cohort of international students. Building a respectful UCD community is at the forefront of UCD’s values and vision. UCD’s mission is to contribute to a sustainable future and aims to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion amongst its staff and students.
The Challenge
UCD is committed to developing a culture that upholds the dignity and respect of everyone. Following an 18-month review into dignity and respect at UCD, a plan was developed to ensure all recommendations in the report were implemented. As part of the recommendations, staff and students needed awareness training in dignity and respect. UCD needed to make the training as accessible and engaging as possible.
Building a respectful culture training
The training for staff and students needed to enable them to recognise bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct. It also needed to communicate how everyone has a role to play in promoting a safe and inclusive environment, including their role as active bystanders. After completing the training, everyone should feel empowered and supported in reporting any incidents of inappropriate behaviour they experience or witness, and be made aware of the different supports that are available to them.
The Solution
eLearning for employees
The building a respectful culture eLearning for employees was a one hour training split across two modules:
- Part 1: Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct – Raising Awareness and Recognising Behaviours
- Part 2: Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct – Supports, Options and How to be an Active Bystander.
The modules help employees identify inappropriate behaviours, prevent and report incidents, and recognise supports available, including the Dignity and Respect Support Service. Formal and informal resolution options are explored, and employees learn how to intervene as active bystanders.
eLearning for students
An eLearning module for students was also developed: Active Bystanders – Challenging Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct. This module focused on what being a bystander means and how to be a bystander using intervention strategies. Students are also made aware of the confidential range of supports available to them if they experience or witness any incidents of inappropriate behaviour.
Working with The Learning Rooms has been fantastic. Our project was sensitive in topic and scope, with tight timelines and driven by ongoing consultation with our community. The Learning Rooms always showed willingness to work with us and to adapt to our requirements. I would not hesitate to recommend The Learning Rooms to any organisation and in particular would like to thank them for their flexibility and professionalism.
EDI Training and Awareness-Raising Coordinator
University College Dublin
