HMU Academy: Universal Guardian Training

Have you ever wanted to be a guardian at a Hit Me Up event? Are you interested in learning how to be a supportive member of the community?

Completing this training will qualify you to be a guardian at Hit Me Up events if you do not have other prior experience. Experienced guardians or those who are simply interested in learning more are also welcome to attend.

What you will learn:

This Universal Guardian Training includes information on the role of a guardian, bystander intervention, communication tools, providing crisis support to patrons, responding to people who aren't following behavioral guidelines, and a brief outline/orientation to transformative justice. Participants will have the opportunity to role play scenarios, collaboratively troubleshoot challenging situations, ask questions, and share learning.

Pricing

The pricing of this event reflects the cost of compensating both facilitators for their labour. We also understand that training to be a guardian is also a service to the community and so want to provide as accessible pricing as possible. If you have the finanical means to purchase a full price ticket ($30), please do so. That helps offset the sliding scale ($10-25) tickets. All attendees will recieve the same training regardless of ticket type.

Level/Who Should Attend

This class is for everyone and anyone who would like to be a guardian at events in the community, or for those that would just like to learn more about being a supportive member of the community.

What to bring

Bring whatever you need to learn -- just your brain is fine, but if you like to take notes please bring what you need. We will not be circulating print materials. Also you're invited to bring a fidget or whatever you need to concentrate and regulate!

What to wear

You can wear whatever you want -- we will be sitting and doing some practice work moving around, so cozy clothes are great but if you want to dress up no one will stop you!

Instructor Bios

Emma Kaywin, EdD (they/them) is a consent educator, trauma-informed researcher and training developer and t4t freak. Emma is the manager and trainer for House of Yes's Consenticorn program and designs and directs safer space protocols for various initiatives. Their research explores and defines sexual safety needs in queer nightlife spaces.

Rebecca-Emma Kaplan aka Pink (he/she/all) Social Worker, psychotherapist, play party producer, program development and evaluation nerd, and a slutty, kinky pervert. Pink has produced events in the kink community since 2012, including Temple VI, As Above | So Below, Party with No Name and more. Pink's kink identity and professional identity collide as he works to support the needs kink, sex-positive, consensually non-monogamous, LGBTQIA+, sex worker populations through her Social Work.

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💜 Volunteers: Volunteers needed for door/set up/tidy up. Email [email protected] to join the team. Volunteers receive a free ticket.

💜Location: Lower Manhattan. Exact address will be emailed to the person who purchases the tickets.

💜Accessibility: The space has an elevator and an ADA compliant bathroom. Please email [email protected] if you need any accessibility accommodations or have questions.

💜Full vaccination is required. While we recommend getting the booster shots, we are not verifying them at this time.

💜Consent Policy: This event is for ropes and other general kink play. Please keep your bottoms on during your scenes. This is an ASK FIRST event and the rules of respectful and consensual behavior WILL be enforced. You will be responsible for reading the policy and behaving appropriately. Please click here to read our consent policy in full.

💜Membership: This event is open to the public. We reserve the right to refuse entry if needed. Hit Me Up also hosts private events which are invite only, and anyone new to Hit Me Up must apply and be approved to attend—no guests or plus ones. If you’d like to apply or invite a new member, please see our website for more information. You are welcome to inquire as to your status or that of your friends, but please do not act as if you have an entitlement to access our space or members. Building special spaces is hard, and while we are inclusive and welcoming, we reserve the right to curate our membership as needed to maintain our flourishing community.

💜Please stay home if you are feeling ill or if you have had recent close contact with someone who tested Covid positive (within the past 5 days). You could be incubating and still test negative. Any requests for refunds for any reason will be honored up to the day of the party. Remember: safe, sane, and sanitary Just email [email protected] and we will give you a full refund, no questions asked.

HMU’s public events are 18+. Our vetted & private lists are 21+ only.

Event Venue

Lower Manhattan, Address Given to Ticket Holders, New York, United States