Participatory activities
Being an active bystander
Role play is a powerful tool for developing empathy, allowing individuals to step into different perspectives and experience situations from another's point of view. By simulating real-life scenarios and acting out different roles, participants can learn to understand and share the feelings of others.
Ensure you create a safe place for sharing and for disagreeing well
To get the best out of any participatory sessions you run with your employees, it’s important to have a good facilitator.
Role-play
Scenarios should reflect your workplace culture, choose one of the following scenarios to
work on in groups.
Each organisation will have its own social and demographic features and role-playing scenarios should be adapted/developed accordingly.
Ask for feedback from the other groups.
Consider the following questions
How would you intervene?
Is it safe to intervene?
What are the consequences of not intervening?
What are the best ways of communicating with people involved?
Would you use words or non-verbal communication?
Once you’ve considered these questions, role play two or three of the possible interventions you’ve discussed.
Scenario One
Every day in the staff room, you see Paul standing close to Maria and making suggestive comments. Maria frequently looks uncomfortable and appears to try and avoid Paul. Paul is Maria’s supervisor and you’re concerned that Maria is worried about saying that Paul’s behaviour is making her uncomfortable.
Scenario One
Every day in the staff room, you see Paul standing close to Maria and making suggestive comments. Maria frequently looks uncomfortable and appears to try and avoid Paul. Paul is Maria’s supervisor and you’re concerned that Maria is worried about saying that Paul’s behaviour is making her uncomfortable.
Scenario One
Every day in the staff room, you see Paul standing close to Maria and making suggestive comments. Maria frequently looks uncomfortable and appears to try and avoid Paul. Paul is Maria’s supervisor and you’re concerned that Maria is worried about saying that Paul’s behaviour is making her uncomfortable.
Scenario Two
You have shared an office with Omar and Richie for three years. They used to be close friends. Omar is of Arabic heritage and recently came out to Richie as being bisexual. Omar is not comfortable with being out publicly yet because of how his family may react. Both Omar and Richie applied for a promotion and Richie was unsuccessful. This has caused a rift in their friendship and Richie frequently makes passive aggressive jokes about what would happen if someone outed Omar to his family.
Scenario Two
You have shared an office with Omar and Richie for three years. They used to be close friends. Omar is of Arabic heritage and recently came out to Richie as being bisexual. Omar is not comfortable with being out publicly yet because of how his family may react. Both Omar and Richie applied for a promotion and Richie was unsuccessful. This has caused a rift in their friendship and Richie frequently makes passive aggressive jokes about what would happen if someone outed Omar to his family.
Scenario Two
You have shared an office with Omar and Richie for three years. They used to be close friends. Omar is of Arabic heritage and recently came out to Richie as being bisexual. Omar is not comfortable with being out publicly yet because of how his family may react. Both Omar and Richie applied for a promotion and Richie was unsuccessful. This has caused a rift in their friendship and Richie frequently makes passive aggressive jokes about what would happen if someone outed Omar to his family.
Scenario Three
You’ve come for a meeting with your line manager. As you arrive you let his PA know you’re here. She nips into his office and as she leaves his office, you see him smack her on the bottom. You have no prior knowledge regarding their relationship, but it makes you very uncomfortable having witnessed such behaviour.
Scenario Three
You’ve come for a meeting with your line manager. As you arrive you let his PA know you’re here. She nips into his office and as she leaves his office, you see him smack her on the bottom. You have no prior knowledge regarding their relationship, but it makes you very uncomfortable having witnessed such behaviour.
Scenario Three
You’ve come for a meeting with your line manager. As you arrive you let his PA know you’re here. She nips into his office and as she leaves his office, you see him smack her on the bottom. You have no prior knowledge regarding their relationship, but it makes you very uncomfortable having witnessed such behaviour.
Scenario Four
Your co-worker, Pete, has some problems with body odour. You have noticed it before, but haven’t commented. Recently, you’ve noticed your colleagues calling him ‘stinky Pete’ behind his back. When he walks into the break room, they hold their noses and move away in an exaggerated way. Pete looks embarrassed and doesn’t speak to or make eye contact with anyone.
Scenario Four
Your co-worker, Pete, has some problems with body odour. You have noticed it before, but haven’t commented. Recently, you’ve noticed your colleagues calling him ‘stinky Pete’ behind his back. When he walks into the break room, they hold their noses and move away in an exaggerated way. Pete looks embarrassed and doesn’t speak to or make eye contact with anyone.
Scenario Four
Your co-worker, Pete, has some problems with body odour. You have noticed it before, but haven’t commented. Recently, you’ve noticed your colleagues calling him ‘stinky Pete’ behind his back. When he walks into the break room, they hold their noses and move away in an exaggerated way. Pete looks embarrassed and doesn’t speak to or make eye contact with anyone.
Scenario Five
You are a wheelchair user and one of your colleagues repeatedly condescends you. If you’re ever reaching for something, she pushes your wheelchair forwards and says, ‘here you go’ or passes the item to you and says, ‘I’ll get it for you’. You think she might be trying to be helpful, but it makes you feel undermined.
Scenario Five
You are a wheelchair user and one of your colleagues repeatedly condescends you. If you’re ever reaching for something, she pushes your wheelchair forwards and says, ‘here you go’ or passes the item to you and says, ‘I’ll get it for you’. You think she might be trying to be helpful, but it makes you feel undermined.
Scenario Five
You are a wheelchair user and one of your colleagues repeatedly condescends you. If you’re ever reaching for something, she pushes your wheelchair forwards and says, ‘here you go’ or passes the item to you and says, ‘I’ll get it for you’. You think she might be trying to be helpful, but it makes you feel undermined.
The toolkit:
Active bystander culture
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards developing an active bystander culture.
The toolkit:
Active bystander culture
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards developing an active bystander culture.
The toolkit:
Active bystander culture
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards developing an active bystander culture.
Explore more toolkits
Explore more toolkits
Explore more toolkits
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726