Organization Type
Public-facing organization hosting an event for marginalized communities.
The Challenge
The organization was hosting a competition exclusively for trans, non-binary, intersex, and female identifying individuals and was concerned about experiencing harassment and violence from competitors and from outside the community. The staff felt uncertain on how to respond to varying levels of threat and harassment either directed towards them or towards patrons, and the leadership felt current policies and procedures didn’t fully cover the needs for this event.
Why a Custom Approach Was Needed
Safety Consultation was needed to ensure policies and procedures were applicable to the specific needs of the event and the staff that were to be present. Staff needed strategies that would be appropriate in the context of a large event so that they felt confident in their ability to navigate harassment and escalate if it came up with minimizing event disruption as much as possible.
Our Solution
We reviewed their existing harassment policies and event procedures and made recommendations on event specific policies and procedures to be implemented and disseminated to staff. We also designed a custom event safety training that focused on training staff and volunteers on the organization policies and procedures as well as strategies surrounding bystander intervention, boundary setting, de-escalation, and safety best-practices.
Implementation
We delivered a comprehensive report evaluating and making recommendations on policies and procedures to implement organizationally. We also provided a 1-hour in-person training that incorporated skill practice, discussion, and event implementation.
Results & Impact
- Staff reported increased confidence handling difficult interactions
- Improved clarity around what the organization policies and procedures are and how they apply to the event
- Participants described feeling more supported and prepared
- Leadership noted alignment with safety and inclusivity culture goals
- Leadership received scalable framework for future trainings
Client Feedback
“I had a wonderful experience working with We Are Safer Together for a safety and de-escalation training for both our management team and front desk staff. From the start, they were incredibly kind, approachable, and easy to collaborate with. They took the time to understand our existing procedures, team dynamics, and the specific challenges we face, and built a completely customized training that felt directly relevant to our workplace and upcoming event needs. The training itself was engaging, practical, and accessible for staff across different roles and experience levels.
Our team walked away with clear tools and greater confidence in handling difficult situations. One thing I especially appreciated was that they provided me with a summary of the training materials afterward, which allows me to continue reinforcing the concepts and onboard new staff using the same framework. I would absolutely recommend them to any organization looking for thoughtful, tailored safety and de-escalation training.” (Event Manager, The Spot)
Key Takeaway
Custom safety training and consultation helped this organization cultivate a foundation of safety that allowed them to engage and support their staff and patrons during their event.
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