Guides · Events · 5 min read
Awareness concept for events: building it in six steps
What an awareness concept includes, how many awareness staff make sense and how the awareness team, security and event medical services work together.
In short: An awareness concept sets out how an event deals with discrimination, boundary violations and sensory overload – from a code of conduct and contact persons to a quiet room.
Six steps to a concept
- Define your stance: A short code of conduct that applies to guests, staff and artists.
- Make it visible: Notices, information at ticket purchase and at the entrance, a clearly recognisable team.
- Create ways to reach the team: A fixed contact point, mobile teams, contact via bar and door staff.
- Set up a quiet room: Calm, protected, staffed – separate from the first aid post, but close to it.
- Clarify the interfaces: Who decides what? Awareness supports those affected, security enforces house rules, the event medical services provide medical care.
- Evaluate: Anonymised documentation and a short review for the next event.
Principles of awareness work
- Partiality: The experience of the person affected is not questioned.
- Self-determination: The person affected decides what happens next.
- Confidentiality: Information is only passed on with consent.
How many awareness staff?
At least two people per shift have proven effective, so that one team is out and about and the contact point is staffed. For large sites and long nights, correspondingly more.
What an awareness team is not
Awareness staff are neither security nor event medical services nor therapists. They do not enforce house rules, make diagnoses or investigate. Their job is to be approachable, support those affected and make the next steps possible. This clear distinction protects everyone involved – and it belongs in the concept.
What awareness teams deal with
- Boundary violations and sexualised assaults
- Discriminatory remarks and exclusion
- Overwhelm caused by crowding, noise or substance use
- Suspected spiking with knock-out drops
- People who have lost their companions or cannot get home safely
The quiet room
It does not need to be a large room, but it must be a protected one: out of sight, quiet, with seating, water and blankets. It is important that a team member is always there and nobody is left alone. The room is best located near the first aid post, so that someone can quickly join if there are medical problems.
Working together in an emergency
An example: A visitor reports at the bar that she was harassed. The bar staff notify the awareness team. The team takes her to the quiet room and asks what she needs. If she wants the other person to leave the site, security takes care of that. If she feels physically unwell, the event medical services join them. If she wants to report the incident to the police, she is accompanied. Every step happens only with her consent.
For this to work, three agreements are needed in advance: a shared radio channel or reporting route, a briefing for all staff, and a person in the event management who is allowed to make decisions.
Documentation and data protection
The time, type of incident and measures taken are recorded – without names. The evaluation shows at which times and in which places incidents cluster, and helps with planning the next event.
On request, we provide awareness teams together with the event medical services for clubs and nightlife – with one shared contact person.
Frequently asked questions
Is an awareness concept required by law?
There is no general obligation. However, more and more funding programmes, landlords and clients require a concept, and many guests expect one.
What training do awareness staff have?
There is no protected job title. What matters is thorough training in communication, de-escalation and the limits of one's own role, as well as experience in the events sector.
Is awareness worthwhile at company parties too?
Yes. Especially at parties with alcohol and hierarchies, a neutral point of contact lowers the barrier to asking for help.
Matching service: Awareness from Pandemedics – quote within 2 hours on working days.
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Tell us briefly what you are planning – on working days you will have a binding quote within 2 hours.