Article E.2 Harassment/Sexual Harassment - Training

Train-the-Trainer - Harassment Awareness Training

The provisions of Provincial Article E.2 require that harassment awareness training be provided to all new employees and contemplates that such training will be offered annually or as necessary to provide training to newly hired employees.

This is a one-day workshop which provides individuals with the knowledge and materials to present a Harassment Awareness Program of 1.5 to 2 hours in length. It is not necessary that the same individuals be trained for both awareness and harassment investigation, but many districts have found this to be a useful combination. As well, many districts have chosen to make this training a joint venture with their local teachers’ association and, in some cases, their support staff union. While we leave the selection of trainers to your discretion, we do suggest that you have two individuals who can deliver the awareness program together and that at least one of them be a management employee. You may wish to discuss the joint training option with your local teachers’ association president.

Online Awareness and Prevention of Harassment Training

Just a reminder that BCPSEA also offers an e-learning opportunity.

Developed in conjunction with Open School BC, Awareness and Prevention of Harassment will provide participants with a better understanding of what harassment is, what actions and behaviours might be considered harassment, and what employees can do if they believe they’ve been harassed. This one-hour program, available only to BC public school employees, covers key harassment legislation and policy; it also includes sample scenarios, as well as a simulated harassment case in video format.

<< Awareness and Prevention of Harassment online can be accessed here >>

Investigator Training -Initial Program

This program approaches the investigation of harassment complaints from a number of perspectives — the employer’s responsibilities under the collective agreement and Human Rights Act, the essential elements of a fair and thorough investigation, and the role of educational leaders in dealing with harassment matters.  There is a significant focus on report writing; we include direction on report structure, content and reasoning, and identify common mistakes made by investigators.  The program will also include an update on outstanding issues, recent decisions, and the Dorsey report disclosure process.

Many districts no longer have trained investigators. We have scheduled two sessions to enable districts to replace or add qualified individuals as necessary.  We recommend that districts have a minimum of one male and one female investigator.

Candidates selected should have good judgment, be seen as balanced in their thinking and have sufficient profile in the district to be able to make hard decisions. Moreover, as noted above, candidates must have attended either awareness training or a Train-the-Trainer program before attending this training. Those who have not should also register for a Train-the-Trainer workshop which precedes the Initial Investigator Training Session you wish to attend.

Investigator Training - Advanced Level

In concert with Learning Works, BCPSEA has developed a follow-up program to our initial investigator training package for individuals who wish to further develop their investigative skills. This workshop is very hands-on and will focus on skill development in the critical areas of assessing credibility, dealing with conflicting evidence or testimony, and finding ways to corroborate or refute allegations in the absence of witnesses and/or where the stories conflict. This program is intended for previously trained investigators who wish to enhance their investigative skills and who wish to be updated on the application and interpretation of the collective agreement arising from arbitration decisions, accepted practices, and other jurisprudence.