This graphic is titled “Safer Hosting Checklist” and includes a description below the title that reads “The way an event is set up or hosted can have a significant influence on the experience and outcomes of the event. As part of the UVA community, it is important to create and support a community of care in which everyone looks out for each other. As a party/event host, you can help create a safer event by utilizing the strategies below !”
The first section is titled “Before the Event,” and includes a series of checklist items. The first is “Participate in Alcohol 1 and/or Alcohol 2 (Peer Health Educators) and Hoos Got Your Back (Office of Health Promotion) trainings.” Next, “Know the signs of intoxication and when you need to cut off service, get someone home with a friend, or call 911 (if any PUBS signs are present). Get a PUBS magnet and/or mirror cling from OHP and post it in a visible place.” The next item is “Set expectations as a house or organization at the start of the semester/year regarding how events will reflect your values, ensure these expectations are shared by all in the house or organization, and determine how they will be enforced. Address issues such as where guests can park, what to do if a guest feels uncomfortable or unsafe, what spaces are off limits, who to contact in case of an emergency, etc.” After that, the checklist says “Ensure sufficient lighting throughout house, being especially aware of hallways and corridors (think about where the bathrooms are located).” The next point is to “Designate sober hosts (at entrance, exits, drink service areas, etc.), and ensure these sober hosts are easily identifiable (sober pins/shirts/name tags, etc.). Designate both senior and younger members as sober hosts (as power differences can make this role difficult for younger students).” Then, the list says to “Consider the potential impact of the event theme on others, if applicable.” and after that to “Register the event with appropriate authorities/offices.” Finally, the last checklist item in this section is to “Familiarize yourself with local and state laws regarding alcohol and other drugs, noise and gathering restrictions, and good Samaritan policies.”
The second main section of this handout is called During the Event. The first checklist item in this section is “Prohibit public access to private spaces, such as bedrooms, and keep guests off of rooftops and balconies.” Then, “Provide clear signage throughout the party, including labeling the locations of the bathrooms, water/food, exits, and sober host(s).” After that, you should “Make sure there is soap, toilet paper, and a trash can in the bathroom.” The next item is to “Provide gender-neutral/universal bathrooms for guests, if possible.” Then, “Keep music at a reasonable level so people can communicate verbally.” The next thing on the list says to “Monitor access to the event (do you know who guests are, if they are underage, etc.).” After that is “Respect people's decisions to drink or not.” Then “Be sure to provide non-alcohol drink options, like water and soda.” The next item is “For people who are choosing to drink” and includes a series of sub-bullets that say “Serve single-serve, standardized drinks; avoid having a communal open ‘bucket’; If you do have a communal container, know what constitutes a standard drink and how to measure it (ex. lines on solo cups, shot glasses, etc.). Provide clean cups for each person; Limit or avoid drinking games that encourage fast and high-volume drinking; Ensure food is available and accessible to help slow the absorption of alcohol.” The next and final item in the During the Event section is “Make sure departing guests do not have alcohol with them and have a safe method of getting home; if not, help them call a rideshare, charge-a-ride, or another sober ride.”
The last section is titled After the Event, and includes one checklist item: “Reflect on the event.” This item also has sub-bullets including: “How did you provide a safer event for those who were not drinking? How did you provide a safer event for those who were drinking? What did you do at this event that you will do again in the future that made it safer? What would you do different next time to create a safer event?”
The footer of this handout includes a note to “Check out the Peer Health Educators website for additional resources: https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu/peer-health-educators.”