How to Step Up!

Five Steps and 3Ds

Step Up! is an award-winning (NASPA Gold) bystander intervention program that teaches students how to intervene in problematic situations including alcohol abuse, hazing, depression, sexual assault, discrimination, anger, eating disorders, academic misconduct, and more.

Have you witnessed one of these situations, but were not sure what to do?

Here are five easy steps:

  1. NOTICE THE EVENT.
    Be aware of what’s going on around you.
  2. INTERPRET THE EVENT AS A PROBLEM.
    Is what you noticed a problem? If yes, is it an urgent issue you must address right away? If you aren’t sure, assume it is a problem and investigate further.
  3. ASSUME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
    How can you assume personal responsibility? Acknowledge that if you don’t Step Up! no one else might.
  4. KNOW HOW TO HELP.
    The key to intervening effectively is knowing how and when to help, and more importantly, knowing how to help safely. The Step Up program uses the S.E.E.K. Model: SAFE, EARLY, EFFECTIVE, KIND.

Safe Responding
-Choose a course of action that best ensures the safety of those involved, including you!
Early Intervention
-Intervene before a situation becomes a problem.
Effective Helping
-Check with experts on the best way to talk with a friend.
Kind Helping
-What would the person in distress want? When in doubt, ask them!

  1. STEP UP! DIRECT. DISTRACT. DELEGATE.
         *  Direct – Directly addressing the situation.
         Distract – Making a simple (or elaborate) distraction to diffuse the situation.
         *  Delegate – Finding someone else to address the concern.