81% of UCC First Years Complete Online Bystander Intervention Programme

29 Nov 2021

Student registration for full Bystander Intervention training (securing a University Digital Badge) 2020-21 student sign up increased by 263%. The impact of the training demonstrates a very real capacity to effect behavioural and cultural change across the camps, empowering our student body to assert and effect a safer university experience for all.

As part of the UCC Implementation of the National Framework to End Sexual Harassment and Violence across all Irish HEIs, the UCC Bystander Intervention Programme is available to all staff and students. Since 2018 Bystander Intervention Orientation training has been included as part of the UCC Orientation programme for incoming students. Given the challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic, online Bystander Intervention training was included in first year Orientation in September 2021 with a voluntary take up rate of 81% (3337 students). Orientation training will be embedded as a compulsory feature of UCC Orientation in academic year 2022-2023.

Originally funded by seed money from the then Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor, the full Bystander Intervention training programme has been made available to all HEI’s in Ireland.  Additionally, launched in August 2021, a new Quick Guide to Bystander Intervention is being used across the sector during orientation and beyond.