Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

154. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the uptake levels and the progress of efforts to address issues involving consent and sexual harassment as referenced in his remarks to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality on 5 May 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25001/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The programme to which the Deputy refers is a research-based, social impact initiative based at NUI Galway. It provides student-facing educational resources to nearly all Irish HEIs and staff training. Beginning in 2013, the programme scaled up between 2019/2023 with philanthropic donor support, to provide the HE sector with a robust, research-informed portfolio of interactive workshops, theatre and drama resources, social media campaigns, and staff training initiatives. This is provided free of charge to the sector.

The programme supports HEI consent programme implementation, particularly First Year orientation programmes. Additional supports are provided on sexual violence and harassment (awareness raising, disclosure training, etc.), with partners including Galway Rape Crisis Centre. Other programmes and agencies work in the sector as well e.g. UCC Bystander Programme, TCD’s consent programme, etc.

The programme bases its work on an ecological model of campus culture change, creating baseline and evaluative research, awareness, education, and training resources, policy maker engagement, and national dissemination of findings. Its goals are to:

Empower young people to have positive, confident sexual health and wellbeing;

Enable stakeholders such as professionals, parents, and policy makers to engage in development through capacity building; and

Support sustainable systems by addressing consent, sexual violence and harassment through research, prevention, and education.

Some of the programme’s key outreach statistics include:

Over 250 staff members and students are trained annually in facilitating consent workshops. Since 2016, over 1,000 staff and students have taken part.

In the year before the pandemic (Academic Year 2019/20), almost 10,000 college students took part in face-to-face consent workshops or consent dramas.

During the pandemic, the 3-part online student consent programme comprised: (a) An online consent workshop, (b) Self-directed brief eLearning resource (key definitions, peer support through signposting/interpersonal communication skills, bystander intervention, knowledge of supports/services, etc.), and (c) Ongoing messaging, delivered through campus campaigns and paid social media.

Over 250,000 students were targeted in the paid social media ‘Start Here’ campaign (Q1, 2021).

In Academic Year 2020/21, 17,010 First Year students took part in online workshops. The comparable 2021/22 figure is 16,075 so far (May 2022).

Positive feedback includes 84% of students recommending the workshop to peers.

Student leader / staff training initiatives include education briefings, seminars, and Consent Ambassador training.

A schools programmes was launched in 2021/22 and works with the Further Education sector, promoting an integrated societal approach.

The live drama performance will recommence on campuses in Academic Year 2022/23.

Additional outreach development crucially depends on enhanced support and resourcing at all levels in HEIs.

I hope the above is of assistance in terms of providing an overview of the ongoing activities of the programme to which the Deputy refers and its engagement with my Department.