Prevention and training
RASASH is committed to work towards the prevention and elimination of sexual violence in our community. We believe that greater awareness, understanding, and education are key to achieve this.
Our prevention and training programme can provide young people, educators, and professionals with the knowledge and skills to help end sexual violence and ensure survivors are supported.
If you are interested in finding out more about our prevention and training programme or would like to book a workshop or training, please get in touch with our prevention team at prevention@rasash.org.uk.
Young-person workshops
We provide free, educational workshops to young people (aged 11 – 25) in schools and youth settings across the whole of Highland. These workshops are part of Rape Crisis Scotland’s national sexual violence prevention programme funded by the Scottish Government.
Our prevention workshops cover topics such as power, consent, sexualisation, pornography, what is sexual violence, and how to help prevent it. Workshops aim to help young people to develop safe, healthy relationships and challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours that enable sexual violence to occur. They also provide information on where young people can access support if something happens.
Most workshops are usually delivered within schools’ timetabled PSE lessons. Our Prevention Worker will be happy to discuss and plan sessions that will best meet your needs. The workshops are tailored to the age and stage of participants and delivered with an emphasis on young people’s participation.
The national resource pack has been designed to complement the national curriculum and in line with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. The materials are evidence-based and have been externally evaluated.
“The prevention workshop was really powerful. It made me realise that what happened to me wasn’t okay, that it was normal to be struggling, and that support was available.”
PREVENTION WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT
Youth Campaigning
RASASH runs a youth-led activism group called StandUp! The group is open to young people aged 13 – 25 in the Highlands who are passionate about gender equality, feminism, and ending gender-based violence and want to use their voice to make a difference.
Our Prevention Worker supports and facilitates training, awareness raising initiatives, and campaigns that are led by our StandUp! Youth Ambassadors. Meetings are held both online and in-person, providing an opportunity for young people to connect with others across the Highlands who have a shared interest and commitment to feminism.
StandUp! Ambassadors are provided with the knowledge, confidence, and skills to lead on a range of projects and initiatives. This includes an annual field trip to connect with other youth-activists in Scotland. These are skills that have helped support young people in their pursuit of further education and work.
We recruit new ambassadors on a regular basis. Should you be interested or want to know more information, please get in touch with our prevention team.
Equally Safe at School: a whole school approach
RASASH works closely with schools to address gender-based violence and promote equality through the national Equally Safe at School (ESAS) programme.
The whole-school approach aims to positively influence the school culture and provide staff with the skills and confidence to best prevent and respond to incidents of gender-based violence.
The ESAS programme is available to all secondary schools in Scotland free-of-charge. Our Prevention Worker can support you to implement and embed the model within your school. This includes staff training, whole school assessments, policy development, curricular enhancement, and a pupil-led action group.
ESAS helps schools make progress towards the Curriculum for Excellence health and wellbeing outcomes, Getting It Right For Every Child, and the Scottish Government’s Equally Safe strategy to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls. It has been developed by Rape Crisis Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow.
For more information, please visit the Equally Safe at School website here. You can also get in touch with our prevention team.
Colleges & Universities
RASASH can offer a range of services to support further and higher education institutions to prevent gender-based violence, respond to disclosures and support students and staff affected by it, as part of the Equally Safe in Colleges and Universities (ESCU) national strategic work. The services that we offer in partnership with Rape Crisis Scotland include:
ESCU GBV First Responder Staff Training
Two tiered training, originally in the Equally Safe in Higher Education (ESHE) toolkit, that equips staff with the knowledge and skills to respond to disclosures of GBV, and improve students’ experiences of seeking help.
Further training is available which specifically looks at understanding the criminal justice system and responding to domestic abuse.
GBV eLearning Module
A free 45-minute interactive module for students that includes information on gender-based violence, consent, bystander approaches and how to access support. Universities and Colleges can easily embed the module as part of their prevention work.
Let’s Talk about Sexual Violence (Peer Education Program)
A peer education programme designed to equip students with the skills to deliver a workshop to their peers on issues related to sexual violence. This program requires someone within the college/university to coordinate and support students involved.
For more information, please get in touch with our prevention team.
Professional Training
Our team also deliver bespoke, specialist training to other agencies and professionals. This can include a range of topics, from understanding and identifying gender-based violence to building confidence and skills to respond to incidents and disclosures.
We offer training free-of-charge or on a donation basis for fellow charities and at competitive prices for businesses and private sector.
For more information, please get in touch with our prevention team by emailing prevention@rasash.org.uk.
