A programme to educate staff in the Further Education and Training sector with the information, skills and support they need to promote positive, active consent among learners, has been launched by ETBI.
The new Active* Consent programme will be rolled out across its Further Education and Training (FET) schools and colleges in Cork.
The announcement coincides with International Consent Day, which highlights the importance of consent as a practice and a tool for changing lives.
All courses are now available online to staff across the FET sector and consist of a number of training options, including: Facilitator Training, First Point of Contact Training and a Continuing Professional Development module on Sexual Consent Promotion.
Commenting on the launch of the Active* Consent programme in the FET sector, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris said:
“It has been part of my mandate all year to highlight the importance of active consent programmes in further and higher education. After the stark findings of a survey on sexual harassment and sexual violence experienced by college students and staff last year, I’m delighted to see that the FET sector has come on board. It’s important that we start to embed cultural change around the topic of consent and staff and educators are at the frontline on this. Staff in further and higher education need to be trained in how to firstly, encourage open and honest conversations around consent, but also, how to deal with a disclosure of sexual assault or violence."
