At FTA Leicester, support extends far beyond technical training, with sessions designed to build confidence, awareness and wellbeing. Recently, 24th March, learners took part in a powerful workshop on domestic abuse and bystander awareness, led by guest speaker Reshma Desai, UHUMANS. The session encouraged open discussion, helping students recognise the signs of abuse, understand its wider impact, and feel empowered to support themselves and others. Feedback highlighted how valuable these conversations are, reinforcing our commitment to developing not just skilled professionals, but informed and confident individuals.
Sanna Bux, Administrator at FTA Leicester commented:
“I found the session to be really interesting and helpful. The workshop was about domestic abuse, specifically the types of it and the how to spot the signs. The session also covered the impact that domestic abuse has on children. I found this particularly interesting and important as it is usually something that is brushed under the rug. This helped to show the importance of understanding what domestic abuse is and how it affects everyone, not just the one being abused.
“Reshma also raised awareness on Bystander Awareness, explaining that if we think something doesn’t look/feel right with someone else, and we choose to ignore it because we see it as something that is not our own personal issue, it is wrong. And that instead, we should ask the person if they are ok, rather than asking closed questions that can seem heavy to answer. Instead, by asking a simpler question that feels easier to discuss.
“One thing that I really appreciated about the speaker, Reshma Desai, was her ability to make the topic so open, where our students were able to listen to her with care. She was able to discuss the topic and help the students to understand why it is important to understand domestic abuse, whilst also caring for them by giving them advice if they or a friend are going through this.”
Learners commented:
“I really enjoyed the session as it allowed me to understand what to do in this kind of situation.”
Another said: “I enjoyed the session as it allowed me to understand more about the self-respect we have for ourselves as women.”