Community Member Training Introduction

The purpose of this training is to provide you with tools to prevent violence in your own community or communities you serve.  This training will help you learn to identify concerning behaviors and provide information on how to respond. The overall goals of the training are to enhance your confidence in being an engaged bystander and help you identify the resources available in your community to assist those in need.  

The training is designed specifically for persons 18 years and older who are community residents or who may interact with other community members in their professional lives, such as school personnel, social service personnel, religious leaders, and coaches.  

Training Structure and Workload

The training includes four online modules and should take you 2 to 3 hours to complete. If you plan to attend an in-person or remote training session, please complete these modules, along with any pre/post assessments, prior to attending a scheduled training event.   

Module 1: Promoting Healthy Communities

This module provides information about violence in general and targeted violence specifically and its impact on communities and individuals. The module also covers the roles community members have in supporting the health and well-being of others, what it means to be an engaged bystander, and common barriers to intervention.    

Module 2: Notice and Identify

This module outlines what behaviors may be concerning or are signs of distress, the opportunities bystanders have to intervene, and one’s responsibility to act in such instances. The model provides information to help you determine when something you may have noticed is a concern worth acting on.   

Module 3: Taking Action

This module provides potential actions to take if you notice a behavior and identify it as a concern. The module gives an overview of incidents that involve imminent dangers or threats, including how to decide whether and when to contact law enforcement agencies. This module also discusses how to determine when there are no imminent dangers or risks to public safety and how to decide to act in these situations. 

Module 4: Community Resources

This module outlines the resources available in your community.