EDI Essentials Training Solution

This half-day workshop tackles how we treat each other at work. It’s about respect, the lines between banter and harm, and what to do when things go too far. We’ll use real examples, explore true-to-life scenarios (optionally brought to life by professional actors), and open discussion to explore how words and behaviour land, and what that means for the culture of the team.

This is not a lecture. It’s a chance to have real conversations about language, respect, and behaviour. The session challenges habits that feel “normal,” gives space to see things from different perspectives, builds confidence to make better choices in the moment, and sparks the kind of lightbulb moments that stick long after the training is over.

Learning outcomes:

Understand what respect looks like in practice, not just in theory.
Recognise how assumptions, stereotypes, and throwaway comments can have unintended impact.
Get clear on the line between banter, bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Build confidence to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, using simple tools to start those conversations.
Know the essentials of equality law and workplace responsibilities without the jargon.
Commit to practical changes that make the workplace fairer, safer, and more respectful for everyone

Workshop Outline...

Start Where You Are: We begin with a set of statements such as “It’s only banter if no one complains” or “You can’t say anything these days.” Participants move to show whether they agree, disagree, or are unsure. The activity makes visible how differently people see the same situation and opens the room for honest discussion.

The Assumption Trap: Why do we make assumptions? How do stereotypes take root? Through fast-thinking activities and reflective tools like the Proximity Radar, participants unpack who they instinctively trust, overlook, or second-guess. We’ll explore the ripple effect of comments and behaviour, and the responsibility we all share to understand the consequences.

The Legal Bit: An accessible overview of the Equality Act 2010, Worker Protection Act 2023 and Employment Rights Act 2025 in the UK. We’ll keep it practical, not a legal lecture, and connect it back to everyday workplace reality. Participants will be encouraged to think beyond legislation and consider the other things that contribute to us having different experiences and barriers to inclusion.

Fine Lines: Through a scenario (“Communication Breakdown”), we explore when intention and impact don’t match up. Participants discuss the fine lines between banter, bullying, discrimination, and harassment, and test their awareness in a short quiz.

How this looks with actors:
The group observe a scenario that highlights the impact of non-inclusive behaviour and explores the lines between intent and impact. The actors are put in the hot seat so participants can question them to get their views, assess their feelings, discover their back story, and fill in any gaps.

A Step Too Far: “A Step Too Far” emphasises the impact when banter strays beyond boundaries Participants reflect on what gets rewarded, whose voice carries weight, and what behaviours become invisible over time. Then we zoom back in to ask: What’s my part in this? Culture isn’t abstract – it’s shaped in meetings, emails, pauses, and choices. We encourage participants to notice what they reinforce and what they let slide. We’ll share practical strategies to become an active bystander, including “Wait a SEC”, a tool designed to spark courageous conversations.

How this looks with actors:
Participants will observe an interaction between two colleagues where lines are crossed, leading to tension and discomfort. Participants are tasked with identifying the attitudes and behaviours that could be causing things to go wrong and generating ideas to steer the situation to a better outcome. The facilitator and actors (still in character) encourage the discussion and throw in ideas as needed. Participants will share their strategies, creating space for peer learning and growth.

Real Commitments: We finish by bringing it back to personal action. Each participant defines one small shift they’ll try today, and one longer-term behaviour they want to develop. Sharing these commitments encourages a culture of accountability and collaboration, creating a supportive environment for growth and progress. Action plans will be collected and can be shared back with project sponsors to progress internally.

Let's Talk!

We’re advocates of crafting tailormade solutions that ensure you meet objectives and maximise budgets. Contact us to book a meeting to scope the right solution for your organisation, together.

What About Actors?

Through clever script writing, goosebump-inducing delivery and professional facilitation, we love to bring learning to life with actors…

We can select scripts from our library or write them specially for you, based on typical scenarios you see within in your organisation. For larger projects where budgets don’t allow for live acting, we can professionally film bespoke scenarios to create video content which can be used in the training as well as induction, toolkits, and beyond.

Using actors in workshop give delegates the opportunity to:

Test out alternative ways of approaching what can sometimes be difficult situations, without the pressure of role playing themselves!
Explore what is acceptable and what isn’t; intent versus impact; and both the subtle, and not so subtle, behaviours we see play out in the workplace
Be immersed in an interactive learning experience that engages hearts and minds, and sticks in the long-term memory

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Don't Just Take Our Word For It

Nina Darling

UoP SHCP Teaching Fellow, University of Portsmouth

“The course which Paula provided was really engaging and nicely presented. The use of the actors was particularly good and actually bought the whole thing to life and made it really valuable learning. Thank you very much – it was fantastic!”

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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Essentials

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