Consent for Students
Consent and boundaries workshops for university students delivered by experienced professionals.
​​
​The Art of Consent supports universities to become safe, welcoming and accessible learning environments for all students, by helping to build a culture of consent for everybody, every day.
​
Statement by the Office for Students, Condition E6:
By August 2025, all student consent training should be "designed and delivered by persons with credible and demonstrable expertise."
​
Our experienced professionals specialise in:
-
Consent workshops for all students
engaging, interactive, going beyond the basics, and inclusive of different genders and sexualities.
​​
-
One-to-one consent training
we provide individual consent training for any students who need extra support around consent.
​
-
Mindful Relating
interactive, experiential workshops to support students' wellbeing, mental health and relating skills.
​​
-
Active bystander training
we are happy to include this in our sessions, as it helps build a culture of consent and is recommended in the latest E6 guidelines from the Office for Students​​​
Our trainings can be delivered online as well as in person.
​
​
Consent is rightly a hot topic in universities - especially sexual consent, which is crucial in preventing serious harm. But learning good consent skills also brings more clarity, authenticity and enjoyment to relationships in all areas of our lives. This in turn helps support students' wellbeing, resilience and mental health.
​
The Art of Consent is a team of professionals offering the highest standards of consent and boundaries education to university students. in 2024 we are proud to have supported Oxford University, Cambridge University, Manchester University and Norwich University of the Arts.
​
​
TESTIMONIALS
for the
Art of Consent
​​
Claire Thompson,Wellbeing Coordinator, Fitzwilliam College,
Cambridge University:
​
"I really appreciated the down-to-earth, engaging, open and fun approach to leading these sessions with our students. I believe that building a culture of consent in all areas of life – not just in our sexual lives - is vital if we are to build a world where relationships are respectful, creative and fulfilling.”
​​​​
_____
​​​​​
Tyra Amofah-Akardom, Graduate Student, Fitzwilliam College,
Cambridge University:
​
"Being able to experience these workshops was such a gift. The conversation surrounding boundaries and consent is often presented as black and white, lacking nuance, and only about sexual encounters. However, the Art of Consent workshop illuminated many complex areas and issues surrounding consent and how it affects our everyday lives.
​
Ever since this workshop, I've thought more deeply about how consent affects me every day, and it's already positively impacted my mental health. There is so much more we can learn, and this workshop is a brilliant contribution to our conversations about consent."
​​​
_____
​
What students say they learn:
"Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Don’t bow to peer pressure"
"It’s important to have those ‘awkward’ conversations if they help set clear boundaries"
"It’s okay to say no, and it’s okay that others say no to you"
​
___
​​​​​​​​​​​​
Curious to learn more about consent? We have a list of Consent Resources featuring insights by leading consent educators and organisations.
​
​
A word to universities...
Numerous studies have shown high rates of sexual assault and harassment on campus. Universities have a duty of care toward their students, yet are frequently criticised for failing to address these problems. It is widely accepted that, rather than being caused solely by a few bad actors, sexual assault and harassment are systemic, and can therefore only be effectively addressed by building a culture of consent within colleges and universities.
A parliamentary research briefing published in 2022 recommends that:
“Universities should offer consent classes to all students. These should set out what sexual violence is, how to seek and recognise consent before sexual encounters, how to identify situations in which consent cannot be given, and the sanctions for committing sexual misconduct.” It also describes the importance of “addressing the underlying issues of power and privilege in student sexual violence and misconduct that might be constructively challenged by educational interventions”.
​
Issues of power, coercion, privilege and consent are sensitive topics, and the best way to reduce systemic problems is through prevention. However, most universities offer at best just one short session on consent for freshers, which is often either completed alone online or facilitated by second year students with minimal training. To fulfill their duty of care, universities could - and many people feel should - be doing more to support the well-being of their students. At the Art of Consent we believe that professionally held, trauma-infomed, in-person workshops are a powerful and meaningful step in the right direction.
Central to our approach is the understanding that consent is not a one-off event – instead it must be ongoing. This is as true for a single sexual encounter as it is for a student’s three-year stay within a university community. We therefore offer workshops for 2nd/3rd years and postgrads, to deepen their understanding of sexual consent and help integrate consent into their lives more broadly. We also offer individual consent training one-to-one for any students who need additional support around consent.
​
Section 26 of the latest E6 guidelines from the Office for Students states that student consent training should be "designed and delivered by persons with credible and demonstrable expertise". The Art of Consent is a team of professionals with a wealth of experience in delivering consent workshops and related trainings.
​
If you are responsible for arranging consent training for students at your university, we can offer you a free 20-minute zoom call to talk through your options and see if the Art of Consent might be a good fit for your organisation.
​
​
​