As part of our commitment to preventing and addressing incidents of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, we provide mandatory training to both staff and students, details of which are outlined below.
Student Mandatory Training
All new students at all levels of study are required to undertake online mandatory training as part of their new student induction. Once you have fully enrolled onto your programme, you will be automatically enrolled onto the training, which is hosted on Blackboard, the University’s e learning platform. The training will cover consent and bystander training:
Consent Training
Understanding consent means we're all able to have more safe, healthy and enjoyable sexual experiences.
The training supports you to understand the law as well as your ethical obligations. We will cover gender, stereotypes and cultural factors which may affect someone's ability to consent. It will also support you to communicate about consent with partners and provides advice on what to do if you or a friend experiences sexual harassment or violence.
Bystander Training
Our Bystander training teaches you how to identify and respond to harassment and sexual misconduct using the 5Ds model: Direct, Distract, Delegate, Delay, and Disapprove. Co-produced with a diverse range of young people, the training empowers students to intervene safely - especially in peer situations that may seem like ‘banter’, offering language to challenge early signs of misconduct, helping prevent escalation.
Designed for diverse student populations, the course explores how harassment intersects with identity. It encourages respectful expression while recognising the harm certain behaviours may cause. It balances free speech with the need to challenge discrimination, promoting empathy, inclusion, and proactive intervention.
Staff Mandatory Training
All staff are required to undertake online mandatory training which includes relevant information about harassment and sexual misconduct. Training about harassment is covered in EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) training, and training about sexual misconduct is covered in Safeguarding Training. Staff training is hosted on the NU People and Finance (NUPF) system, and you will receive a notification when you need to complete this training.
Staff who actively manage disclosures from students will be required to undertake additional, in-person training which includes the following:
- Evidence-based content on the impact of sexual misconduct and harassment on individuals, including the threat response and the effect of trauma on memory and recall.
- Barriers to reporting, including sexual violence myths and the impact of intersectional identities.
- How to manage disclosures of harassment and sexual misconduct safely and empathetically and in a trauma informed way.
- The boundaries of supporting people affected by harassment and sexual misconduct.
- How to support students with trauma-informed approaches.
- Self-care in supporting students impacted by sexual misconduct and harassment and avoiding vicarious trauma.
- When an incident should be escalated to safeguarding.
University staff who are required to undertake this additional training will be contacted and offered a range of dates from which to book a training session.
The University has also reviewed staff training arrangements with our key partners delivering to our students in the UK to ensure their staff training is appropriate.
Campaigns and Communications
As well as mandatory training, we also raise awareness of harassment and sexual misconduct, and the support and reporting mechanisms around it through various campaigns and communication tools.
Can't buy My Silence
Northumbria has signed the 'Can't Buy My Silence' pledge, which is a commitment to not using Non-Disclosure Agreements to silence people who come forward to raise complaints of sexual harassment, abuse or misconduct, or other forms of harassment and bullying. You can read more about the campaign here: Can't Buy My Silence.
