Training to help people

Published Thursday 16 May, 2024
Last updated on Thursday 16 May, 2024

People are being invited to learn how to safely intervene to prevent harmful and dangerous situations by signing up for free active bystander training.

Swale Borough Council has teamed up with Folkestone and Hythe District Council to fund an additional four free online training sessions as part of their Safer Streets projects.

The training equips people with the skills to recognise and react to dangerous situations, and how to offer support to others who are in difficult circumstances.

It also teaches people how to identify the early signs before there is any apparent danger and explores the psychology behind why people don’t intervene in situations, even when they want to.

Having active bystander training will give you the knowledge and tools to feel confident in how to act in negative situations, including:

1. Taking direct action: call out negative behaviour, tell the person to stop and ask the victim if they’re okay
2. Distracting: interrupt, start a conversation with the perpetrator, use an excuse like asking for the time
3. Delegating: if you don’t feel you can get involved, ask someone else to (e.g. bar staff or door staff)
4. Delaying: if it’s too dangerous, call the police and wait for the situation to pass, then check on the victim

Funding for the campaign came from the Government’s Safer Streets Fund, after Swale – through the Community Safety Partnership – worked with the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner to successfully bid for the additional resources.

The money is being invested into measures in Sittingbourne and Sheerness Town Centres that will help tackle the higher level of crime, antisocial behaviour and violence against women and girls.

Cllr Richard Palmer, chair of Swale Borough Council’s community committee, said:

“This training is a great opportunity to learn how to identify trouble brewing before it escalates into a dangerous situation.

“Of course, your safety should always come first, but having this knowledge can help you know how to react to keep yourself and those around you safe.

“I know it can be scary to intervene but if everyone stands together and calls out the negative behaviour we witness, we can all make a big difference.”

Cllr Elliott Jayes, vice chair of Swale Borough Council’s community committee, said:

“We have been working incredibly hard to make sure the funding we received from the government will have a long-lasting positive impact on Swale.

“We have already installed new CCTV cameras, funded youth services, improved lighting and much more, to help make Sheerness and Sittingbourne a safer place to live and visit.

“These sessions are an amazing free resource that will give you the knowledge to identify and report a harmful situation and what to do to keep yourself and those around you safe.”

Graham Goulden, founder of Cultivating Minds UK, said:

“In this training, I'm going to help you be more active in your communities, in your friendship groups and your workplaces, and give you tools that you can use to keep yourself safe.

“We will start to explore why we don't intervene in situations even when we really, really want to intervene, and then help motivate you to do what you want to do, do the right thing.

“I don't mean jumping into situations, that's scary, and that can really lead to people just not intervening in situations.

“I firmly believe that you have the power to make a difference - so please come along - I really believe that prevention of any issue starts in a community, and that’s you.”

The sessions have 50 spots and are open to the public on a first come first serve basis and is delivered by specialists from Cultivating Minds UK.

The next set of training will be on:

• 20 May 2024
• 21 May 2024
• 2 July 2024
• 3 July 2024