Polykala’s Active Bystander training enables participants to take safe and constructive action against discriminatory and harmful behaviour in the workplace and beyond.  Our training promotes workplace cultures of decentralised social leadership. That means staff (irrespective of position) are supported to stand up for a just, diverse, fair and inclusive workplace and community.

Too often social leadership in the form of starting difficult conversations or holding people to account is left to people affected by the discrimination itself. We can do much better. If all of us take responsibility for upholding inclusive and respectful social standards, then more of us can develop a sense of belonging. It can also unlock enormous workplace gains in productivity. Being an active bystander requires reflectivity, emotional intelligence, courage and a sense of humour. Making a difference is all of our business.

The training begins by exploring diversity more generally an an expression of human variation subject to the intersecting dynamics of power, privilege and preference. We reflect on what behaviour participants perceive is ‘okay’ and what is ‘not okay’ within the organisation with a view to explore viewpoint diversity and build empathy. We offer a set of tools and behavioural frameworks to overcome those barriers and thus change workplace norms. We do this using small group work and dynamic role play where participants learn and apply concepts in real-time.