Active Bystander Scenarios
SET #1
What impact will this scenario have on your colleague/team/community?
What potential impact would not disrupting the behaviour have?
How do you feel in the moment? What emotions might you feel in the scenario?
How might you be an active bystander in that moment?
(Group 1) You are attending a breakout session at a workshop. During introductions, one of the participants says he’s from Calgary. Your group facilitator seems unconvinced; “Yeah, but where are you really from?” Something about the comment feels wrong.
(Group 2) Your friend is the receptionist at a small organization. They received resumes for a new position; she is supposed to call the top three candidates to set up interview times. She says she isn’t going to call the first name on the list, “I’ll pretend I couldn’t get her and I’ll call someone else.” When you ask why, she states, “I don’t know how to pronounce her name. I don’t want to sound stupid. And even if I do call, she probably won’t understand what I’m saying.”
(Group 3) A newcomer shares stories to their women’s social group about why they came to live in Canada. She talks about the anti-homosexuality legislation in her country. Someone interrupts and says, “You don’t look gay.”
(Group 4) A member of the congregation makes comments that upset you, and when you tell them this, they say, “That’s not even what I meant. Besides, it’s your choice to be offended.”
SET #2
How do you feel in the moment? What emotions does the scenario trigger?
How might you be an active bystander in that moment?
(Group 1) Workers in a lunchroom are discussing a job posting on the church job board. One says, "My son keeps applying, he is a hard worker, but he doesn't stand a chance. They'll only hire Indians nowadays." Later, in the same lunchroom, another group talks about the income tax they pay and their frustration that they are supporting “lazy natives” that don't work, which gives them time to blockade and ruin jobs for those who 'want' to work.
(Group 2) You have new neighbours who just moved to Canada. Their 8-year-old son wears glasses and a hearing aid. On Saturday you invite the child to go with your 8-year-old to play soccer in the neighbourhood. Afterwards he says one of the parents told him to sit on the sidelines and just watch. He sobs and says he’s not good enough to play.
(Group 3) You are at a community church event. At the table behind you are some men you are acquainted with that work in the construction industry. One man is complaining about work – specifically about “Indians blocking the road”. Another responds that the “Indians should take their pow wow somewhere else”. Yet another says, “Maybe they should try getting a job rather than stopping people from getting their work done!”
(Group 4) You notice a member of the congregation talking to an Asian member, standing a few feet away from them to talk. They sanitize their hands immediately afterwards. They don’t do this to any of your other non-Asian members. After a sermon ends, this member says to you that they blame the Asian members for “starting the pandemic in the first place.”