To be visible throughout the whole event, first thing you should do is to put on either one of the pink sashes that have "Awareness" written over them or one of the pink sports shirts in your preferred size. If you wear the sports shirt, please make sure to wash it after and bring it back within two weeks.

The Cornerstones

(from the Awareness Concept)

Boundaries and the Power to Define: Not all contact is acceptable, whether physical or emotional.
Clear Consent (“Only yes means yes”): Interactions take place only with mutual consent.
Dance-specific Mindfulness: Dance only as close as both of you feel comfortable.
Solidarity and Partiality: We stand by the person affected.
Non-Discriminatory Spaces (Zero Tolerance): The joy of dancing requires a setting free from violence and discrimination.

Initial Contact and Conversation

When someone approaches you or you approach someone:

Check in with yourself: Am I currently the best person to handle this situation (e.g., gender, personal triggers)?
Anonymity and Confidentiality: Make it clear that the conversation will remain confidential, and be sure to stick to that.
Validation: "It’s good that you came to us”. All feelings (anger, sadness, shock) are okay.
No detective work: Don’t ask about the details of the incident (“What exactly happened?”), but rather about their needs (“What can we do for you right now?”)
Physical distance: Do not touch the person affected, not even to comfort them.

Acute Crisis Intervention

If a person is having a panic attack or is in shock:

Project calm: Stay present and speak calmly.
Breathing: Breathe in and out deeply together.
5-4-3-2-1 Method: Ask the person to name 5 things they see, 4 they hear, 3 they feel, 2 they smell, and 1 they taste.
Safe space: Accompany the person to a low-stimulus room or outside.

Dealing with a Violent Person

Safety first: Only intervene if you feel safe yourself. Call for backup if the person becomes aggressive.
Use the person’s own words: In conversation, use the terms the person used to describe the incident.
Consequences: As a TQ team member, you can exclude someone from Open Dancing at any time. If the person refuses to leave the room on their own despite being asked to do so, activate the alarm system.

Documentation

Logbook: Record any incidents briefly, objectively, and anonymously. This information will be used to evaluate future events.
Feedback to the Awareness Board: Please also briefly check in with the Awareness Board member and report any incidents or unusual atmospheres or individuals.

Self-Care (Mindfulness for Yourself)

Awareness work is emotional care work and can be emotionally taxing.

Know your limits: Say no if a situation gets too personal for you. Reach out to a board member, preferably from the Awareness team, if one is present.
Buddy System: At every event, there is someone responsible for the music (DJ). If in doubt, you can also turn to this person and ask for help.
Follow-up: Discuss any distressing cases after the event with your team or with the Awareness Board member.

Active/Passive Role of the Awareness Person

In principle, the role of the Awareness Person is largely passive. However, there are some smaller To-Do’s and there may be situations where the Awareness Person should actively intervene. For example:

Putting up Awareness Posters: Please put up the Awareness Posters at visible places, ideally hung up at eye level or some surfaces that people might stand around at.
Dangerous Figures on the dance floor: If you see dangerous dips, moves, or aerials that are too wide for the size of the dance floor, actively approach the person(s) dancing and politely ask them to refrain from performing them.
Disruptive behaviour: If one or more people repeatedly exhibit dangerous, inappropriate, or offensive behavior that makes others feel uncomfortable, and do not correct their behavior after being spoken to, you are free to ask the person to leave the event. If the person continues to refuse, you may also contact the ETH Emergency Call Center (888 via internal phone or +41 44 342 11 88 via cell phone).

Supplies at Open Dancings

The following items should be available at the Alumni Pavilion and at the HXE (if they are not, please report it to an Awareness Board member):

Basic first-aid kit (band-aids, disinfectant)
Dextrose
Cooling pads

First Aid and Emergencies:

Although first aid is not one of Awareness’s direct responsibilities, it might still happen that you are the first to notice an emergency or that someone with an emergency or injury might come to you. The following pages provide a brief refresher on emergency responses.
DRS ABCD Action Plan
First Aid for Sprains & Strains
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