Green Dot to hold first training session of the year
Most know the feeling of being a helpless bystander — watching someone get hurt or harassed and feeling powerless to do anything about it. However, it’s possible to be an active bystander, thanks to Green Dot.
Green Dot logo
To wrap up Campus Safety Week, the first Green Dot Bystander Intervention training session of the year will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, in Room 101 of the Albertson Building.
The training session is to teach people how to successfully intervene in potentially dangerous situations. Only 35 people will be trained Saturday, but other training sessions are held throughout the year.
Coordinator of Violence Prevention Programs Virginia Solan described Green Dot as a way for people to check in with themselves and figure out what their personal barriers are to taking action when someone is being harassed or assaulted.
“It’s finding your comfort zone and your method of how you’re going to take action in the future,” Solan said. “And then it’s learning the skills to where you can do that safely and comfortably.”
Green Dot facilitators, such as Solan, understand that in potentially violent situations, it may be difficult for most people to step in and directly intervene Instead of pushing for a direct approach, Green Dot focuses on other methods of stopping a violent situation.
Many different methods and tactics will be covered in the training session, including the three ways a bystander can take immediate action — direct, distract or delegate.
Green Dot is a personal training program, focused on individual values and what each person is comfortable with, Solan said.
The ssistant Director for Programs of the Women’s Center and Green Dot facilitator, Bekah MillerMacPhee said she’s looking forward to Saturday’s training session, because it will train a new crop of individuals how to combat violence from the frontline, usually individual strategies.
“We’re going to help people figure out what their personality is, and then each technique is based on their personality, so it’s very realistic,” MillerMacPhee said. “We’re going to work with people to find individual solutions.”
Solan also said Green Dot is a special program because it trains bystanders what to do, as opposed to just a conceptual understanding of what violence and assault is.
“Green Dot is different than most violence prevention programs, because it’s not an awareness campaign. It’s not about ‘rape is bad’ or ‘don’t rape,’ because everybody knows that, including rapists,” Solan said.
Throughout the day, participants will learn through group discussion, listening to facilitators, and interactive programs. By the end of the day, all participants will be Green Dot trained and have the tools necessary to help out anyone in a potentially violent situation.
MillerMacPhee said she anticipates success, and that people will walk away with a stronger attitude when it comes to violence and assault.
“I want people to take away a sense of hope,” MillerMcPhee said. “After the training, I want students to walk out with a sense of empowerment and a knowledge that they can make a difference.”
To sign up for this program, email [email protected] or Virginia Solan at [email protected].
Kelsey Stevenson can be reached at [email protected]