Carlow College is committed to fostering a campus culture that is safe, respectful, supportive and positive for all members of our community. We are committed to actively addressing and preventing all forms of sexual harassment and violence.
In line with national efforts, the College is implementing the National Framework for Consent in Higher Education Institutions: Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive – Ending Sexual Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions. We are also progressing the recommendations outlined in THEA’s Promoting Consent and Preventing Sexual Violence report through our institutional action plan.
To support this work, Carlow College has established a Working Group for the Implementation of the Consent Framework. This group is focused on tackling sexual violence and harassment, while also ensuring that appropriate supports and reporting mechanisms are available to those affected.
Training and awareness
Active* Consent Training
Carlow College is committed to ensuring that all of our students engage in Active* Consent training to support a consent culture on campus. All incoming first year undergraduate students since 2020-21 have undertaken Active* Consent training as part of their Student Orientation.
Students can also take the full Active* Consent E-Learning Module.
Staff play a critical role in fostering a consent culture on-campus, therefore it is important that staff in Carlow College are aware of key definitions in relation to consent, sexual violence and harassment as well as their role in supporting disclosures, and the wide-spread roll out of training for staff in this area began in 2024/25.
Active* Consent Training for Staff
The following video developed by Active* Consent provides important information in relation to concepts, statistics and basic language for staff to help them support students or colleagues who disclose sexual violence to them.
Active* Consent Staff Awareness Raising Video – YouTube
Staff can also take the full Active* Consent E-Learning Module.
Bystander Intervention Training
Carlow College commenced rolling out Bystander Intervention training for staff in 2024/25. The aim of the Bystander Intervention training is to highlight the danger of normalising and accepting abusive behaviour and through education, inform and empower programme participants to better understand their capacity to intervene as pro-social bystanders. The Bystander Intervention Programme provides participants with an understanding of key issues related to consent and the boundaries surrounding sexual assault, rape and abusive relationships. It also enables them to develop key intervention skills which can be utilised in any setting. The programme is led by Professor Louise Crowley of the School of Law, UCC.
A short introductory Bystander video, which outlines key elements of the training is available here.
Offering support in the aftermath of rape and sexual assault
Training for designated contact persons and other staff members on offering support in the aftermath of rape and sexual assault was rolled out from April 2025.
Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Working Group
Carlow College’s Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Working Group oversees the implementation of the Framework for Consent through the College’s Action Plan to Tackle Sexual Violence and Harassment.
Membership comprises key stakeholders including Senior Management, academics, EDI, student support services, the Student’s Union and the President’s Office. The vision of the Framework is to ensure an institutional campus culture which is safe, respectful and supportive.
