Does everyone feel as safe and comfortable as possible at our university, regardless of their background and characteristics? What if someone behaves or acts in an inappropriate, harassing, or discriminatory way?
The Safer Space approach is there to support every Haagahelian student and staff member. On the Safer Space website, you will find everything about our Safer Space approach and commitment, and also a reporting channel.
Haaga-Helia is committed to becoming a discrimination-free university
At Haaga-Helia, we are dedicated to becoming a discrimination-free university and systematically developing practices to identify and address discrimination, bullying, and harassment within our structures and interactions while promoting equality.
The principles of Haaga-Helia's Safer Space were developed in collaboration with students, student organizations, and staff last academic year through the SOLE project.
– A safe and thriving university community, meaning that all individuals feel safe to be, study and work here, is of utmost importance to us at Haaga-Helia. The idea behind the Safer Space approach is to be easily accessible and to promote a safe atmosphere and a good working environment. Now we have good wordings, clear policies, and a common channel for everyone to report inappropriate treatment, says chief mediator Rosa Weckman from Haaga-Helia’s Safer Space aka Turvaamo.
Mediation is our method for addressing inappropriate behavior
Sometimes you hurt another person, intentionally or unintentionally. At Haaga-Helia, we have agreed, that in such situations we apologize and engage in mediation. We do not underestimate the other person's experience.
If you find it hard to resolve the situation on your own, you should report inappropriate treatment at low threshold using the Safer Space notification form. A trained mediator from Haaga-Helia’s Safer Space will then come to your aid. Mediators are available on all campuses.
– I and the campus mediators are there to help and support students in conflict situations. We work in a confidential and impartial manner, listening to all parties. We use mediation methods, says Rosa.
We will tell you more about the Safer Space approach in the coming weeks.
