Campusnews EDITOR JASON GILDER | Langara marketing management instructor Stephanie Koonar teaches an integrated marketing communications class on Tuesday. Koonar has been training as a sexual respect ambassador since August. TREVOR NAULT PHOTO Staff trained on policy Workshops aimed to increase misconduct awareness = By TREVOR NAULT n ongoing workshop for Langara College teachers and faculty is in place to increase staff awareness of sexual misconduct on campus. The college recently implement- ed Sexual Violence and Miscon- duct Policy is producing measur- able results, said Maggie Ross, the college’s manager of student con- duct and judicial affairs. “What I've seen so far is that we have had a slight increase in the number of issues that have been re- ported to us,” Ross said. Ross attributes this increase in part to Langara Sexual Respect Ambassador program, a pilot proj- ect designed to train teachers and faculty to be more knowledgable of sexual misconduct on campus. Since August, approximately 35 Langara staff and faculty members have been meeting once a month to train as Sexual Respect Ambas- sadors, equipping them with skills and knowledge to turn them into critical resources for student survi- vors of sexual violence. Ross said the goal wasn't neces- sarily to help employees, but to help students come forward by making staff and faculty as approachable and informed as possible. Stephanie Koonar, a volunteer program participant and marketing management instructor at Langara, attends training workshops and re- ports back to her department. In doing so, she said she acts as a re- source for her colleagues and shares her training, elevating everyone’s level of knowledge and ability to act as ambassadors themselves. “Our role as Sexual Respect Am- bassadors is kind of three things: lis- ten, respect and refer,” said Koonar. Ross says they're working with VOLT, Langara’s student volunteer program, and the Langara Stu- dents’ Union to recruit students for a modified student version of the program. Jennifer Cheddie, a stu- dent conduct officer, is helping to make that happen. “It’s important, especially now with how rape culture is so per- vasive,” said Cheddie. “It’s a great opportunity to spread the word and get people talking.” Koonar is hopeful the program will continue for the foreseeable future. “T applaud the college for taking this one,” said Koonar. “P’m proud that we're doing it.” STUDENTS OPTIONS » Disclosure Tell someone at the college of incident for support and referral >» Informal report Ask to have incident recorded without filing formal complaint. » Third party Have trusted third party report incident. » Investigation Have trusted third party report incident. SOURCE: LANGARA SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND MISCONDUCT POLICY Naloxone kits scarce on campus UBC and BCIT currently advertise the avaliablity and easy-access to kits = By LINDSEY LLOYD s a result of B.C.’s opioid epidemic, postsecondary institutions have created_ accessible and transparent take- home naloxone kit programs tar- geting students, but Langara Col- lege only possesses a small number school’s health centre only has four kits. Kensett says they are for stu- dents at risk of an opioid overdose, not for the general public. “I'm just concerned that we're going to get dozens of people ar- riving here, worried about their friends and wanting to have a nal- oxone kit,” said Kensett. of kits that are __ In compar- not as acces- au ison, BCIT’s sible. If they were here, health — ser- In Septem- it would be a lot vices have ber, Health . advertised a Canada issued more convenient for greater avail- a warning to all ” ability. Ac- post-second- students. cording to ary students, | —CcHELSEARIVA, SOCIAL SCIENCES STUDENT Glen Magel, which stated — Director of that students should be equipping themselves with Naloxone kits, es- pecially during the first week of the school year. Naloxone is a medica- tion that quickly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and is usually injected into a muscle. According to Langara Health Services nurse Susan Kensett, the Safety, Security and Emergency Management at BCIT, anyone in the student community is able to pick one up. “Anyone in the community can go and pick one up after a brief training,” Magel said. UBC’s student health services website states, “naloxone kits and overdose training are available for free for students and friends and family of stu- dents.” Both Vancouver Coastal Health and Kensett refer people seeking naloxone kits to the VCH website, To- wards the Heart, which specifies registered clinics that offer take-home kits. But in South Vancouver there’s only one site indicated on their website that offers this program. Some Langara students are tak- ing measures into their own hands, such as first year social sciences stu- dent Chelsea Riva, who was able to obtain a kit at a youth clinic. Riva believes it would be convenient if there were more kits available on campus. “If they were here it, would be a lot more convenient for students,” . . ita , said Riva. “There’s so many young people all in one place.” Langara Health Services only has four sets of Naloxone kits that are available for students to pick up. However, the kits are not for the general public. Nalox- one is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opi- oid overdose. RS