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Wednesday, October 03, 2018
Following Kevin Spacey Controversy, The Old Vic Announces The Guardians Network To Improve Workplace Culture
www.broadwayworld.com: Today, The Old Vic announces the Guardians Network - a collaboration between organisations committed to eliminating abuses of power in the workplace. The Guardians Programme, launched earlier this year, is designed to help any organisation go further in its commitment to creating a safe and secure working environment for all.
5 comments:
Iana D
said...
The Guardians are such a great resource to introduce in order to deal with the problems of bullying and harassment in the workplace being brought to public attention. And unlike a lot of other solutions that companies have tried to put in place in the past, I think this is actually a viable part of the solution. Emphasis on part. There are very obvious potential problems that could arise from this system, namely in how organizations choose/appoint their guardians. The requirements for a position like that seem like a grey area and could make for an odd dynamic. The idea is great in theory, and I’m curious to see how it works out in practice. The effort and desire to change is the important thing to focus on. The fact that a system is being implemented to deal with the problems being brought up is great, and the fact that it is being so widely accepted and implemented is even better.
The Guardian program sounds like a really wonderful and powerful concept turned reality. The "Guardians Programme, launched earlier this year, is designed to help any organisation go further in its commitment to creating a safe and secure working environment for all." Really and truly, in this current political climate, this sounds like something I would support with all my might. Kate Varah, the Executive Director for the Old Vic really seems to be in touch with the movement and the needs of her staff. She desires the program's role in the following statement: "We devised the Guardians Programme in dialogue with our staff to enshrine our values and workplace culture. The idea is simple and therefore easy for others to implement and benefit. It's heartening that so many have already done just that. And it is incredible to see the commitment in both the arts and other sectors in embracing a solution that helps reframe how our workforces share concerns, escalate issues, and enjoy working together respectfully.'" All of this sounds like the way this was created was really with consideration of those who makeup the workplace, which is a very important start. Asking your staff and creating a dialogue is crucial to any reform, and can't be handed down or created from the top down.
MD the Me Too, Times Up, and affiliates movements have done a fantastic job of putting sexual assault and harassment in the national spotlight and of taking down some powerful abusers, a consistent criticism has been that the movements have done little to ensure lasting change and improvement. The program at the Old Vic is a heartening piece of evidence to the contrary. I’m glad that the program is expanding so quickly, and I hope and expect that it will soon make the hop across the pond to the United States and it’s theatres. A lot of good work has been done bringing the scope of the problem of sexual abuse to light and beginning to dismantle the power structures when enables it. If new structures are not erected, what progress has been made will be lost. It is vitally important that theatres and employers in general enact policies like the Old Vic’s guardians program and that they enact them quickly.
This. Is. Powerful. The Old Vic is successfully doing what so many other organizations, theatres and movements have attempted to do up until this point. The Guardian program is exactly the solution that has been needed to help actually move forward lasting change within an organization from those in power who can make the biggest difference. It is so important to be able to find a way to communicate and as they have so eloquently said to enhance the workplace culture and practices in ways that are considerate of all who make up the community. I love how involved the staff was in the development of the program and is something I hope more organizations can follow suite in and try to create programs of their own which fully emulate the practices found within the guardian program. A program that does not just hear the concerns of its people but outlines actionable and achievable ways to move forward when problems arise is just what the current climate calls for.
In a movement overloaded with meaningful stories and not enough action, this expansion of the guardians program is a welcome change, although the lack of oversight could have detrimental effects on the program. As a group they are trying to avoid abuse due to the imbalance of power, but in a way they are simply giving themselves more power. Hopefully all with use this newfound power for good, but my hope is truly dwindling these days with the congress officially choosing the other side of the #meto movement. So I worry that so will use their newfound power for bad. I am curious to see if there is any screening process for a volunteering guardian or if the “lessons” provided by law firm Lewis Silkin and Safeguarding Consultant, Joanna Nicolas are substantial training or half-hearted lists of resources handed to an unscreed group of people. The intent is there, which is why I would still wholeheartedly support the organization, but I feel more clear accountability and oversight within the guardians could help the organization become more effective and safe tool.
5 comments:
The Guardians are such a great resource to introduce in order to deal with the problems of bullying and harassment in the workplace being brought to public attention. And unlike a lot of other solutions that companies have tried to put in place in the past, I think this is actually a viable part of the solution. Emphasis on part.
There are very obvious potential problems that could arise from this system, namely in how organizations choose/appoint their guardians. The requirements for a position like that seem like a grey area and could make for an odd dynamic. The idea is great in theory, and I’m curious to see how it works out in practice.
The effort and desire to change is the important thing to focus on. The fact that a system is being implemented to deal with the problems being brought up is great, and the fact that it is being so widely accepted and implemented is even better.
The Guardian program sounds like a really wonderful and powerful concept turned reality. The "Guardians Programme, launched earlier this year, is designed to help any organisation go further in its commitment to creating a safe and secure working environment for all." Really and truly, in this current political climate, this sounds like something I would support with all my might. Kate Varah, the Executive Director for the Old Vic really seems to be in touch with the movement and the needs of her staff. She desires the program's role in the following statement: "We devised the Guardians Programme in dialogue with our staff to enshrine our values and workplace culture. The idea is simple and therefore easy for others to implement and benefit. It's heartening that so many have already done just that. And it is incredible to see the commitment in both the arts and other sectors in embracing a solution that helps reframe how our workforces share concerns, escalate issues, and enjoy working together respectfully.'" All of this sounds like the way this was created was really with consideration of those who makeup the workplace, which is a very important start. Asking your staff and creating a dialogue is crucial to any reform, and can't be handed down or created from the top down.
MD the Me Too, Times Up, and affiliates movements have done a fantastic job of putting sexual assault and harassment in the national spotlight and of taking down some powerful abusers, a consistent criticism has been that the movements have done little to ensure lasting change and improvement. The program at the Old Vic is a heartening piece of evidence to the contrary. I’m glad that the program is expanding so quickly, and I hope and expect that it will soon make the hop across the pond to the United States and it’s theatres. A lot of good work has been done bringing the scope of the problem of sexual abuse to light and beginning to dismantle the power structures when enables it. If new structures are not erected, what progress has been made will be lost. It is vitally important that theatres and employers in general enact policies like the Old Vic’s guardians program and that they enact them quickly.
This. Is. Powerful. The Old Vic is successfully doing what so many other organizations, theatres and movements have attempted to do up until this point. The Guardian program is exactly the solution that has been needed to help actually move forward lasting change within an organization from those in power who can make the biggest difference. It is so important to be able to find a way to communicate and as they have so eloquently said to enhance the workplace culture and practices in ways that are considerate of all who make up the community. I love how involved the staff was in the development of the program and is something I hope more organizations can follow suite in and try to create programs of their own which fully emulate the practices found within the guardian program. A program that does not just hear the concerns of its people but outlines actionable and achievable ways to move forward when problems arise is just what the current climate calls for.
In a movement overloaded with meaningful stories and not enough action, this expansion of the guardians program is a welcome change, although the lack of oversight could have detrimental effects on the program. As a group they are trying to avoid abuse due to the imbalance of power, but in a way they are simply giving themselves more power. Hopefully all with use this newfound power for good, but my hope is truly dwindling these days with the congress officially choosing the other side of the #meto movement. So I worry that so will use their newfound power for bad. I am curious to see if there is any screening process for a volunteering guardian or if the “lessons” provided by law firm Lewis Silkin and Safeguarding Consultant, Joanna Nicolas are substantial training or half-hearted lists of resources handed to an unscreed group of people. The intent is there, which is why I would still wholeheartedly support the organization, but I feel more clear accountability and oversight within the guardians could help the organization become more effective and safe tool.
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