Desperados' F.R.E.E. Commits to Kick Inequality Off the Guest List This Party Season

Desperados has announced the launch of Desperados F.R.E.E. a programme of initiatives committed to fostering respect, equity and empowerment on the dance-floor, so that everyone feels safe to be themselves in the party space.

New research shows that half (50%) of partygoers do not feel safe on a night out,  Desperados is on a mission to make dance floors safer and more inclusive for all, so everyone can let go and enjoy the party. 

The first initiative under the platform is the Doorperson Diploma, a new training offering in partnership with global training organisation, the Good Night Out Campaign.  The partnership will bolster Good Night Out’s existing training programmes with a first of its kind course,  whilst supporting them to expand and offer more virtual training and accreditation across several European markets.  The Doorperson Diploma has been created by consulting with industry experts, legendary Berlin door person, Smiley Baldwin, and sociologist, Dr Phie van Rompu, bolstering its existing training programmes with a first of its kind course.

This new module aims to upskill and champion security staff in line with the current nightlife landscape, whilst advancing the softer skills required in the role. This is expected to help to reassure the 59% of party goers who said they’d feel safer on a night out knowing that security staff underwent more in-depth training.

Desperados has already started accrediting venues across the Netherlands and the UK and through this collaboration, will enable many more venues across key European markets to undergo the training. 

The Desperados F.R.E.E initiative was created with Amsterdam based creative innovation consultancy WE ARE Pi and PR agency The Romans and is just the start of Desperados' journey towards safer, more inclusive dancefloors for all.

Rutger van der Stegen, head of global Desperados at Heineken commented, “F.R.E.E. aims to address the many issues that contribute to people feeling unsafe and unwelcome on a night out and inspire positive change across dancefloors around Europe. The Doorperson Diploma has been designed to complement the existing training given to door staff across Europe. They play such an important role in allowing everyone to feel safe while getting into the party spirit, and we feel strongly that the honing of these softer skills will have a profound and positive impact on the relationship between security staff and party goers as this training is rolled out more widely.”

Smiley Baldwin, legendary Berlin doorperson, commented “It’s great to see a brand like Desperados shining a light on door staff in this way. I'm excited to help support F.R.E.E and help create a more positive nightlife culture and a safer future for partygoers in Europe and the world over.”

Rick Chant co-founder WE ARE Pi commented, "As the patron saint of the party Desperados has a duty to make everyone feel welcome and included. Desperados F.R.E.E. is a long term innovation platform committed to spreading peace, love and unity on the dance floor."

Bryony Beynon, founder of Good Night Out Campaign commented “The doorperson does one of the toughest jobs in nightlife. We salute them and are looking forward to training folks across the UK and Europe on the core skills needed to create safety and offer support when things aren’t right on a night out. 

“We’re really happy to be building our capacity to do more of what we do, supported by Desperados. We’ve been delivering training, education and advocacy for safer nightlife spaces for ten years, as an independent non-profit organization. This is already shaping up to be a transformational partnership and Desperados is helping us take things to the next level, when the industry, and all nightlife lovers, need it most.” 

The Doorperson Diploma will be found in venues across Europe from November 2023 and will be available to sign up via the Good Night Out Campaign Doorperson Diploma.