Andy Burnham's words at the Labour conference yesterday are powerful: “When we pull as one, there is nothing we can’t achieve.” For me, these words capture something fundamental about the purpose of my ASOne active bystandership programme with Policing, Fire & Rescue and military settings. They speak to the potential of people who look out … Continue reading When We Pull ASOne, There Is Nothing We Can’t Achieve – Why cultures of support bring out the best in all of us
Permission to Act: The Missing Ingredient in Bystander Training
A lot of bystander training fails to create the social conditions where people feel able to act. Whilst training teaches people how to act It's culture that determines whether they will. Across workplaces, police services, schools, universities and community organisations, there has been a growing investment in bystander training. The logic is straightforward: if people … Continue reading Permission to Act: The Missing Ingredient in Bystander Training
Beyond Awareness: Why Training Alone Will Not Break a Culture of Silence in Policing
In recent years, policing organisations across the UK have invested significant time and resources into awareness training on bullying, sexual harassment, discrimination, racism, and professional standards. Such training is important. It helps establish expectations, clarifies unacceptable behaviour, and demonstrates organisational commitment to ethical policing. Yet despite this investment, inquiries, misconduct investigations, whistleblowing reports, and media … Continue reading Beyond Awareness: Why Training Alone Will Not Break a Culture of Silence in Policing
The ‘Hidden Power’ in the room – Henry Nowak and the Importance of Peer Intervention in Policing
The tragic case of Henry Nowak has prompted significant discussion about police decision-making, assumptions, and accountability. Much of that discussion has focused on the actions of individual officers. Yet one of the most important lessons may lie elsewhere: the role of peer intervention. Reports from the incident suggest that while officers were dealing with Henry, … Continue reading The ‘Hidden Power’ in the room – Henry Nowak and the Importance of Peer Intervention in Policing
To Ban or Not To Ban, that is the question….
Calls to ban social media in UK schools are growing louder. Concerns about bullying, distraction, mental health, and exposure to harmful content are real and serious. But banning something so embedded in young people’s lives risks offering a simple answer to a complex problem. It may create the appearance of action, without addressing the deeper … Continue reading To Ban or Not To Ban, that is the question….
