When we run events, we need to look after the people that come along. Do organisers of writers events do enough to keep people safe after the event?
I have been thinking a great deal about the safety of people coming to events. It is too easy for new people to come to events only to slip away at the end. It is very easy to get so caught up in our own stuff that we fail to look after the people around us.
Especially when events have younger people showing up, do we do enough to keep them safe? I feel we event organisers have a duty of care to make sure that the group looks after its members and makes sure everyone travels in relative safety.
Travelling safely: look after each other
This Thanet Star article drives home the fact that the streets are not always as safe as they might be. At the end of the night, when people are going home don’t let anyone walk away alone if at all possible. This is why a lot of group organisers try to bring things to a prompt close. That way everyone is going home at about the same time.
If some attendees are getting the bus, try to arrange to have them walk to the bus stop together. As a group gets to know each other this is likely to be something that happens organically but there’s nothing stopping an event facilitator from suggesting attendees travel as a group. Just a quick “look after each other and make sure you all get to the bus stop safely” and you are on tot he next item.
Check-in before and after
Check everyone got home safely. Most modern events are organised via social media. It does not take much to post a message to an event or chat group saying, “Thanks for a great evening. Let me know that you all got home safely.”
Of course, it is not just going home but arriving too. It never hurts to ask how people are getting to the event. If you know, for example, that several people are coming by bus, you could suggest they coordinate and travel together.
There is only so much we can do but it would be nice to think that after a successful event everyone will be alive, well, and able to come along again. When drink is involved it becomes even more important for us to watch out for each other.
Stay safe out there.
You make a very good point here, Matthew. I am slightly perturbed by the spelling errors and lack of grammar on some sentences though.
I assumed that common sense prevailed where there is a mixed group of people all at the same event. It appears that there are organisers who don’t have common sense, or even care about others. Speaking as a woman who attends evening events alone, I am concerned about this lack of care towards attendees.
It is a shame that there’s no way to know which events are run by these types of people, so I know what to avoid in the future.
Is my dyslexia showing again? I’ll have another read through and see if I can catch the errors. Let me know if I miss any.
If I saw a lack of basic minimum care at an event that might put me off of going back again. I cannot stand the idea that an innocent person might be hurt. The very idea really bothers me. Which is why I have been thinking about it.