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Become an active bystander by learning how to recognise harassment, discrimination and bullying and actively intervene.
Access All Areas: Active Bystander Training is a workshop designed to educate members of the music workforce on how to recognise harassment, discrimination and bullying and take safe and supportive steps to actively intervene.
Access All Areas was first developed by cohealth in collaboration with Music Victoria in response to research, reports and disclosures of sexual assault, harassment and harm in the music industry.
Why Access All Areas?
Incidents of sexual assault, harassment and bullying are being experienced disproportionately by people working in the music industry. Such incidents can have severe and enduring impacts on those that experience them, and more broadly, they set the tone for the types of behaviour that is tolerated across music-based workplaces, including in live music venues, on tour buses, in green rooms and recording studios.
The permissiveness and prevalence of such behaviours is likely due to deeper cultural and behavioural norms which have persisted in the music industry, and approaches taken to identify and eliminate abusive or oppressive behaviour towards others is a complex process, given that these norms are deeply entrenched, and take time to change. However, we can still play a part in contributing to positive cultural change and empower ourselves with the knowledge and confidence to act in ways informed by our broader values, which champion safety, inclusion, equity, and compassion.
What you’ll learn
- Through personal reflection, group discussion and engagement with realistic case studies, this training will help you:
- Define the actions and behaviours that constitute harassment, and bullying, and understand the impact of such behaviours.
- Explore and define what your individual responsibility might look like when you see sexual harassment, sexual assault, and bullying happening around you.
- Learn practical, accessible strategies to support you in speaking up and calling out abusive or oppressive behaviours.
- Take a small but significant step towards establishing more inclusive, compassionate, and supportive interpersonal practices within the music world.
How can I complete the workshop?
Access All Areas is available both online and in-person. Public access sessions will be announced via our socials and newsletter so keep an eye out for upcoming sessions.
If you’re part of an Australian music-based business or organisation, get in touch to see how we might facilitate an Access All Areas session for you and your team.
What can I expect?
Access All Areas is available in two formats depending on how deep you want to go:
- A 2-hour workshop, delving deeper into themes such as the culture of violence, imbalances of power, and a range of bystander intervention approaches
- A 4-hour extended workshop, which builds on the content of the shorter sessions, and includes greater opportunity for personal reflection exercises, group discussions and exploration of relevant industry-based case studies
We have a cap on participants, so that everyone has an opportunity to connect, contribute and ask questions. This is an active learning space, and we ask that you have your camera on (if online) and come ready to engage. The content and topics we explore can be challenging and emotional for some participants, so we encourage you to prioritise your wellbeing on the day.
If you’d like to keep up to date with upcoming events and programs, sign up to our mailing list here.
For workplaces
If you would like your workplace to take part in the training, please get in touch by emailing [email protected]. Here’s a couple of things to remember:
- To complete an online session you will need a group of 6-40 participants
- To complete a face-to-face session you will need a group of 6-24 participants, please note that an in-person session may incur a fee
- You can also register in one of the public access sessions
The serious stuff
Bullying, harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct impacts everyone who works in music and the creative industries, either directly or indirectly. While we offer direct interventions for people who have experienced psychological distress as a result of these behaviours, there are many, many more people across all the creative industries who have experienced or are at risk of such behaviours, and who experience vicarious trauma among other mental health conditions. This program provides a safe space for people with lived experience and those at risk to put aside the stigma associated with these issues and to be educated about the issues that can give rise to this behaviour, and interventions to prevent it.
Read more about our other training programs here.
