Standing Strong: Skills for Navigating Bullying & Harassment at Work
Project Dates: May 16–17, 2026
Project Coordinator & Graphic Designer: Behavar Khansari
Artist Facilitator: Ingrid Broussillon; Storyteller & Founder of Gliottes Polyglottes Society
Supported by: Vancouver Foundation, Neighbourhood Small Grants, Association of Neighbourhood Houses BC, and South Vancouver Neighborhood House
Grant Stream: Artist Enhancement Grant
Project Summary
The Standing Strong workshop was delivered as a two-day community workshop to help participants understand workplace bullying and harassment, practice real-life responses, and build confidence to speak up or support others.
The workshop was promoted for only nine days before delivery and took place during the Victoria Day long weekend. Despite this short timeline, it received 18 registrations out of 30 available spaces. Nine participants attended Day 1, and six returned for Day 2. Three participants also informed the team that they could not attend due to illness or a funeral, demonstrating respect and commitment to the program.
Participant Background
Participants came from diverse professional fields, including social work, science, health care, occupational therapy, ethics and compliance, childcare management, social media, and corporate administration. This demonstrated that workplace bullying and harassment affect people across many sectors.
All participants reported experiencing some level of workplace bullying or harassment. This confirmed the need for practical, trauma-informed, and community-based workshops on this topic.
The workshop also promoted inclusion. One Farsi-speaking participant fully participated in the activities with support from the facilitation team and a digital interpretation tool. This underscored the value of accessible and culturally responsive workshop design.
Survey Results and Impact
Six participants completed the feedback survey. The results showed a strong impact. Learning outcomes were rated between 3.00 and 3.33 out of 4, and the physical space received a full score of 4.0 out of 4. All respondents said they would recommend the workshop to others.
The survey asked participants about their overall experience, safety and inclusion, learning outcomes, workshop activities, accessibility, key takeaways, and recommendations for future workshops.
The feedback shows that the workshop met its main goals. Participants gained useful tools, practiced responses through activities and role-play, learned from shared experiences, and built greater confidence in addressing workplace bullying and harassment.
Key Strengths
The workshop addressed a clear community need. Participants were engaged because the topic was relevant to their work experiences.
The format was practical. Rather than only providing information, the workshop used discussion, scenarios, activities, and shared learning.
The space was safe, respectful, and inclusive. This was important because the topic can be sensitive and personal.
The project also demonstrated strong partnership value. Support from the funders and South Vancouver Neighbourhood House helped with space, promotion, delivery, and flexibility under the Artist Enhancement Grant.
Areas for Improvement
Participants wanted more time. A two-hour session was useful but not long enough for deeper discussion and additional practice.
Future workshops should have a longer promotion period. More outreach time would likely increase registration and attendance.
Participants also expressed interest in a multi-session series and in targeted groups, including a possible men’s group.
Recommendations
The Standing Strong workshop should be expanded into a multi-session series. This would allow more time for learning, role-play, reflection, and confidence-building.
Future sessions should start promotion at least three to four weeks before the event.
The program should continue using trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally responsive methods.
The workshop can also be adapted for different groups, including newcomers, women, men, youth, and workers in vulnerable employment situations.
Conclusion
The Standing Strong workshop successfully met its goals. It created a safe and practical learning space, supported participants from diverse backgrounds, and gave people tools to respond to workplace bullying and harassment.
The survey results show strong satisfaction, clear learning impact, and demand for future programming. With continued support, this workshop can grow into a strong community-based series that helps participants build workplace confidence, safety, and connection.
