Equality and diversity is so much more than just “treating everyone the same” …
Equality and diversity enhances everyday life and simple changes to normal activities can ensure all individuals are included and given equal opportunities to achieve. Our newsletter offers updates on E&D, Safeguarding, Prevent Duty, Mental Health Awareness, and Health and Safety, as either found in the news or highlighted as our topic of the month.
In this issue:
- Equality and Diversity in the News
- Introducing Prevent Duty—What is it all about?
- Mental Health Awareness
- Health and Safety – Basic Life Saving Skills and Techniques
Equality and Diversity in the News
The nursing department at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh has been given an award for its commitment to equality and diversity among staff and students.
The university’s division of nursing was presented with the award after signing up to a charter to promote equality established by the higher education sector’s Equality Challenge Unit (ECU).
The Athena Swan charter scheme recognises best practice in creating equitable working environments, with bronze, silver and gold awards up for grabs. The nursing department at Queen Margaret undertook a self-assessment exercise in order to achieve a bronze award.
The Huffington Post Journalist Dawn-Maria France has written a blog this month focusing on gender equality and diversity within Politics. She questions, “More than half of the population are women. Why is only a third of our Parliament female?” An interesting question indeed! Read more about this topic on the Post’s website here: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dawn-maria-france/gender-equality_b_17201126.html.
Introducing the Prevent Duty
With extremism and radicalisation such a hot topic in the news at the moment, the Prevent Duty is more important than ever. But what is it? Over the next series of newsletters, we will feature different aspects of the Duty, or you can find out more from our website: https://www.globeustraining.co.uk/bespoke-courses/prevent-duty-training/.
The Prevent Duty is a set of regulations placed on certain bodies to have a “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. It relates to all education providers, including Nurseries, Pre-Schools, schools, colleges, and training providers, and it is important to learn individual responsibilities that must be maintained.
Prevent aims to work with sectors and institutions to reduce the risk of people being drawn into radicalisation and extremism. It looks to educate people to understand and recognise what might make someone vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism and what signs to look out for. It also gives individuals the knowledge of what to do and how to report any concerns.
The Duty asks for all professional to exemplify 4 main British Values, including Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty, and Mutual Respect and Tolerance of Different Faiths and Beliefs.
Part of the Prevent Duty is called Channel; this process is a “multi-agency approach” to identifying those at risk of radicalisation and to provide support to prevent them being drawn into terrorism.
Want to learn more? The Education and Training Foundation offer a free course on the Prevent Duty for anyone wishing to learn more about it. Find it here: http://www.foundationonline.org.uk/course/index.php?categoryid=14.
Alternatively, there is more information available on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance.
More next time, but remember:
- In an emergency, dial 999 or 101
- Anti-Terrorism Hotline: 0800 789 321
- Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111
Please contact any of the GlobeUs Team if you need any advice or support. We are here to help. We also have posters available with key information displayed – get in touch if you think these may be of help to you or your workplace.
Mental Health Awareness
Mental Health Awareness week was marked in May, and we are seeing more news stories appearing about Mental Health than ever before. This increase in awareness is such an improvement in not only being able to understand conditions more, but also in reassuring anyone concerned about their mental health that there is support available and that they are not alone.
We are huge advocates of mental health awareness, and one such App that has come to light for us this month is the free Headspace App available on Android and Apple devices. Providing “life-changing skills” of meditation and mindfulness, this app teaches the essentials in good mental health and wellbeing, and just requires 10 minutes of the day for their simple exercises. Why not give it a try?
Download it here: https://www.headspace.com/
Did you know, more students are dropping out of University because of mental health problems? The Independent published a story recently (Tuesday 20th June 2017) to highlight the concerns. Read more about this news story on the Independent website: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/more-students-are-dropping-out-of-university-because-of-mental-health-problems-a7788901.html.
A community in Stornoway have come together to speak more openly about Mental Health. The Western Isles Association for Mental Health (WIAMH) and the national anti-stigma programme See Me have joined forces to change the way people think about mental health, hosting a Big Lunch for Mental Health on the 17th June. Read more about this news story the Stornoway Gazette’s website here: http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/lifestyle/community-comes-together-to-show-it-s-ok-to-speak-about-mental-health-1-4480666.
In Newbury, Carl Johnstone is embarking on a 1200-mile bike ride from London to Rome to raise money for the Mental Health charity Mind. Riding for 10 hours a day, and sleeping on couches and in tents, Carl aims to raise over £1000 for Mind. Read more about Carl’s incredible efforts and how to support his fundraising here: http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/21665/carl-setting-off-on-1-200-mile-cycle-ride-to-boost-mental-health-charity.html.
Mind are an amazing organisation offering help to anyone with, or supporting loved ones with, Mental Health conditions. Their website is a huge resource of information, advice and guidance. Find it here: https://www.mind.org.uk/.
Remember, please contact any of the GlobeUs Team if you need any assistance.
Health and Safety
“If a friend or family member was having a heart attack or was choking, would you know how to help them?”
First Aid training is one of those “to do list” items that, unless it’s necessary to your job role, most people don’t get around to completing. But what if you needed it one day? We’ve seen terrible atrocities in London and Manchester recently, and so many stories have come to light of those assisting the wounded with First Aid – would you be able to help in a crisis?
Well fear not. As the old Apple saying goes, “there’s an app for that”.
The British Red Cross have a free to download mobile app available on Android, Apple devices, and Windows suitable for mobile phones and tablets. This fantastic resource guides you through simple steps of how to help a casualty, offering you training for when you have time to learn basic life-saving skills; there is a section dedicated to emergencies, with videos and instructions for techniques to apply; and it even have a button to dial 999 to save you having to exit the app, open your dialling screen and then dial – saving those precious seconds.
Download it here: http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/First-aid/Mobile-app
There are also websites available to locate your nearest AED device for those suffering from a heart attack: visit http://www.heartsafe.org.uk/AED-Locations. Why not add that to your bookmarks too while you’re at it.
Prefer some face-to-face training? Contact us any time.
That’s all for this month – see you in August!