Allyship and Active Bystander Training
At NFCC, we are committed to supporting the sector to create and embed safe and inclusive workplaces.
To coincide with the scheduled launch of two new toolkits in April 2025: a) Race Equality toolkit and b) final elements of the Sexual harassment toolkit – NFCC, we are piloting two training programmes in May 2025 on Allyship and becoming an Active Bystander. It’s important to note that whilst there will be a focus on race and sexual harassment in the training content, both opportunities cover content that is relevant to all protected characteristics.
Allyship Training
Course Overview
Understand and demonstrate allyship to ensure a more inclusive and supportive work environment for all.
An ally is someone who champions underrepresented groups whilst not being a member of the group that they are supporting. This four-week course (delivered as 4 x 45 minute weekly online workshops) explores how you can create an environment where being an ally is part of an organisation’s culture and where individuals can grow in confidence as allies.
What will the course cover?
Over the four weeks, you will learn what it means to be an effective ally and how the principles of allyship can disrupt discriminatory practices related to race and gender in the workplace.
The course aims to enable participants to:
- Understand the nature and impact of racism and sexism in the workplace
- Describe the contribution that allyship roles make in helping to dismantle prejudice
- Effectively enact the role of an ally and learn techniques for doing this
- Practise conversational tools and models for taking action
- Review a case study and identify opportunities to practically apply your learning
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for fire and rescue services that are keen to establish an approach to allyship in their organisation, and which have a strategic focus on eliminating racism, sexual harassment and any other forms of bullying and discrimination.
We are looking for applications for groups of staff (up to 15 delegates) from a whole organisation. We would particularly encourage colleagues who are working in the same department or working collaboratively on a project to do this together.
The benefits of a team or colleagues participating in a collective learning experience means that they can develop a common language, reflect on and safely practise the learning together outside of the workshops, and offer one another mutual support. In turn, this can help to create sustainable changes in their own area of work, which can influence the wider organisation.
A group should ideally include a mix of delegates, including:
- At least one strategic lead or senior officer who can lead the change and help to influence the wider organisation
- Other leaders and managers keen to promote and practice behaviour change within their team
- Staff who do not typically get the opportunity to engage in this kind of training and are keen to take on an active allyship role
- Individuals from underrepresented groups who are open to allyship
When will the course take place?
The course will run over four, 45-minute weekly Microsoft Teams sessions starting on Wednesday, 30 April 2025. Sessions dates are fixed, and participants must be available to attend all four session dates.
Course Schedule:
| Allyship Training | ||
|---|---|---|
| Session Number | Date | Time |
| Session 1 | Wednesday 30 April | 10:00 – 10:45 (45 minutes) |
| Session 2 | Wednesday 7 May | 10:00 – 10:45 (45 minutes) |
| Session 3 | Wednesday 14 May | 10:00 – 10:45 (45 minutes) |
| Session 4 | Wednesday 21 May | 10:00 – 10:45 (45 minutes) |
Who will be running the course?
The course will be run by In-Equilibrium and hosted by Carroll Howell. Carroll is an experienced organisational development consultant with specific expertise in delivering equity, diversity, and inclusion training to emergency services. Carroll is CQ certified by the Cultural Intelligence Centre and has a wealth of experience identifying and addressing cultural bias in employment and recruitment processes.
Active Bystander Training
Course Overview
Develop the confidence and skills to intervene when something isn’t right
An active bystander is someone who not only witnesses unacceptable behaviour, but who chooses to act and challenge that behaviour to disrupt a potentially problematic situation or keep it from escalating. A bystander can prevent harmful situations and deal with the potential outcomes.
This three-hour course is delivered in two virtual workshops: Session 1 is1 hour and session 2 is 2 hours long. The course explores the impact of harmful behaviours and provides participants with skills to intervene confidently and in ways that create lasting change.
What will the course cover?
This course aims to prevent workplace bullying, microaggressions and harmful institutional group norms which systematically disadvantage some groups over others. Crucially, it develops participants’ confidence to intervene skilfully in harmful situations and to create healthier workplace cultures.
The course aims to enable participants to:
- Notice, identify and reflect on harmful behaviours with a particular focus on sexism, sexual harassment and racism, and the relationship between seemingly low-level ‘banter’ behaviours and more serious harms
- Cultivate awareness of the impacts of harms at different levels
- Build collective responsibility and motivation to take action to respond to and prevent harmful behaviour
- Develop practical skills to intervene confidently and in ways that create lasting change
Who is the course for?
This course is designed for fire and rescue services that are keen to establish Active Bystanders in their organisation, and which have a strategic focus on eliminating racism, sexual harassment and any other forms of bullying and discrimination.
We are looking for applications for groups of staff (up to 15 delegates) from a whole organisation. In particular, we would encourage colleagues who are working in the same department or working together on a project to do this together.
The benefits of a team or colleagues participating in a collective learning experience means that they can develop a common language, reflect on and safely practise the learning together outside of the workshops and offer one another mutual support. In turn, this can help to create sustainable changes in their own area of work, which can influence the wider organisation.
A group should ideally include a mix of delegates, including:
- At least one strategic lead or senior officer who can lead the change and help to influence the wider organisation
- Other leaders and managers keen to promote and practice behaviour change within their team
- Staff who do not typically get the opportunity to engage in this kind of training and are keen to take on an active allyship role.
- Individuals from underrepresented groups who are open to allyship
When will the course take place?
The course will start on Thursday, 1 May 2025. Session 1 (length: 1 hour) is mandatory for all participants to attend.
This is followed by session 2 (length: 2 hours). Delegates can select from one of six options (note: spaces are limited and filled on a first-come-first-served basis).
Course Schedule:
| Active Bystander Training | ||
|---|---|---|
| Session Number | Date | Time |
| Session 1 (1/1) | Thursday 1 May | 09:30 – 10:30 (1 hour) |
| Participant selects one session | ||
| Session 2 (1/6) | Thursday 8 May | 09:30 – 11:30 (2 hours) |
| Session 2 (2/6) | Thursday 8 May | 13:00 – 15:00 (2 hours) |
| Session 2 (3/6) | Tuesday 13 May | 09:30 – 11:30 (2 hours) |
| Session 2 (4/6) | Tuesday 13 May | 13:00 – 15:00 (2 hours) |
| Session 2 (5/6) | Tuesday 20 May | 09:30 – 11:30 (2 hours) |
| Session 2 (6/6) | Thursday 22 May | 09:30 – 11:30 (2 hours) |
Who will be running the course?
The course will be run by Kindling Transformative Interventions. Kindling is a leading provider of bespoke, evidence-led bystander training for the prevention of gender-based violence and abuse through the cultivation of more equal and inclusive workplaces. The course leads include Dr Rachel Fenton (University of Exeter), a leading researcher and national expert in bystander programming, and Dr Nathan Eisenstadt (University of Bristol Medical School), a recognised researcher with expertise in violence prevention, facilitation skills, behaviour change, masculinity and working with perpetrators of domestic violence.
Additional information
How many training places are available?
This is a funded pilot training programme. The total number of training places available is limited to120 participants for the allyship training programme and 150 participants for the active bystander training programme. Places will be distributed according to the applications received from different organisations, with priority given to services that meet the criteria set out in the application survey, including:
- A lack of similar training courses currently available to staff members
- Cohort availability to attend fixed training date sessions
- A commitment from the organisation to address sexual harassment and/or racism identified within service
- Alignment to organisational strategic objectives around culture and EDI
- A commitment to participate in the evaluation process to measure the impact of the training in service
How do I apply?
Applications should be submitted by a Lead Applicant on behalf of your service for a cohort of up to 15 places. Applicants must complete the short application survey using the link below before the closing date of 28 March 2025.
Criteria specified within the application survey will be used to assess service suitability for the pilot, alongside a short statement outlining any additional factors that should be considered on behalf of the service.
To ensure the maximum number of services have an opportunity to participate in the programmes, you should select the training that most suits the needs of your service. If you would like to apply for both programmes, please specify your first and second choice within the application.
To apply, please click here and complete the application survey
What else do I need to know?
As a lead applicant, you will be notified if your service has been selected to participate in the programme, during the first week of April 2025. Once confirmed, you will need to coordinate and confirm the individuals who will participate in the training programme, who should be available on the session dates selected.
We will require all participants to complete short and long-term (3-6 months post course) feedback surveys so we can evaluate the usefulness and impact of the training.
