Monthly Essential Themes Blogg November 2022
British Values - Public Institutions and Voluntary Groups
Public institutions relate to government offices, universities, colleges, and schools, it is the entity controlled by the government. Voluntary groups are non-profit organisations that provide special services to a select group of individuals. As a whole, voluntary organisations engage with a large number of issues, from youth clubs to environmental issues like climate change. They exist to fulfil a social service, rather than generating profit like private sector companies.
If you find this interesting and would like to learn more, use the link below to find local voluntary groups.
Join a local volunteer group Greenpeace UK
Health & Safety - Skin at Work
Work related skin diseases can affect people in a wide range of occupations; regardless of where you work, the site should show how the APC approach (avoid, project, check) reduces the chance of suffering painful and sometimes debilitating skin conditions.
HSE: Skin at work
Over 17,000 have suffered with work related skin conditions, like dermatitis, it is essential that you always wear the correct PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and protect yourself against workplace hazards.
Preventing work related skin diseases:
➢ Keep covered up if you are in the sunshine.
➢ Pay attention to your body, regularly check your skin for moles.
➢ Wash your hands as much as you can and keep a sanitizer handy.
➢ Ensure your workstation is neat and tidy.
For more information, use the link below as a step-by-step guide.
How to Avoid Skin Problems at Work: 16 Best Hygiene Tips - Wise step
We also advise that you visit your GP if anything abnormal has appeared on your skin
Safeguarding - Sexual Health
Maintaining your sexual health is important for an individual’s overall emotional and physical wellbeing; it is essential that we spread awareness of this as it encourages people to learn about their bodies and helps them make informed decisions on how to stay safe.
Services
Sexual health services are free and available to everyone, regardless of sex, age, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.
Depending on where you live, services and advice can be available from places like:
➢ Pharmacies
➢ Young people’s services
➢ GPs ➢ Sexual Health Clinics
It is always best to check in advance as not every service provider offers the full range of sexual health services and if you are unsure what services is right for you, contact NHS 111 and they will advise you (the link is given below).
Use the link below for more detailed information.
Get help for your symptoms - NHS 111 Sexual health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Equality & Diversity - Sexual Orientation
Sexual orientation is,
a person's identity in relation to the gender or genders to which they are sexually attracted; the fact of being heterosexual, homosexual, etc. Discovering your sexual orientation effects everybody differently, it is important that you allow yourself to take the time to find out exactly what your sexual preference is. What to do?
1. Give yourself time to get used to it, some take longer than others, not for a specific reason, it can be down to multiple things.
2. Talk to somebody you trust, think of friends, family, and colleagues. And if you have people around you, use the links below to find support.
Sexuality (supportline.org.uk)
Sexual Orientation Support - Help to Heal Sexuality and mental health
Understanding Your Sexuality
Young Minds
What is sexual orientation discrimination?
Sexual orientation discrimination happens when an employer makes a decision based solely on a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation. This is illegal in all aspects of employment such as; recruitment, promotion, training, pay and pensions.
➢ The Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 was put in place to work against this issue as it states you must not be discriminated against because you are gay, lesbian, bisexual or heterosexual. Noncompliance of the Equality Act 2010 leaves organisations liable to disciplinary action like licence revocations and financial losses. If you believe somebody you know is being or has been subject to discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 use the link below to find out more information.
Equality Act 2010: guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
PREVENT - Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews.
The Nazi holocaust is history’s most extreme example of antisemitism, the holocaust was the mass murder of Jewish people under the German Nazi regime. Although this was the largest scale of this issue, it still happens today.
For example, Kanye West has only recently had a controversy regarding antisemitism. The rapper has been widely condemned for his recent slew of discriminating comments, you can find the exact remarks on the article provided below. In result of this, he has lost multiple partnerships with companies like Adidas and Balenciaga; his ex-wife Kim Kardashian also tweeted her response to the controversy stating ‘Hate speech is never OK or excusable. I stand together with the Jewish community and call on the terrible violence and hateful rhetoric towards them to come to an immediate end
What are your thoughts on Kanye’s political platform ?
Monthly Essential Themes Blog Oct 2022
Operation of Parliament, Voting, Elections & Role of Political Parties
Parliament is made of three elements, these being the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Monarchy.
The main operations of UK parliament are to:
Ø Check and challenge the work of the Government
Ø Make and change laws
Ø Debate the important issues of the day
Ø Check and approve Government spending
Voting-
Voting is a system that is developed to make a decision or express an opinion. Democracies elect holders of a high office by voting.
Make sure you have your voice heard, register to vote! To encourage a large number of people to vote, they make it accessible by offering a few options to place your vote, being by vote or visiting a polling station.
Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Elections & the role of political parties-
The two main types of elections in the UK:
Ø General Election
Ø Local Election
A peer is a politician who sits in the House of Lords, the majority of peers are not paid a salary.
‘Peers take on ministerial responsibilities, they must hold forth on government policy at the question sessions that mark the start of each day's business in the chamber. They also face the daunting task of piloting government legislation through the upper chamber, opening or wrapping up the debate on each stage of government bills and defending their content’.
Winter Car Check & Road Safety
A winter car check is essential, in that it ensures your car has the best chance to making it safely through winter.
A winter car check list:
1. Check your tyre tread. Well-maintained tyres are vital to give you traction and grip on icy, wet surfaces.
2. Consider snow tyres.
3. Inspect your battery.
4. Change your oil and antifreeze.
5. Inspect your battery.
Roads are vital in our everyday lives, we all utilize them in some way. Keeping safe on the roads is especially important, we want you to keep safe!
About 1.3 million people die on the world's roads and 20 - 50 million are injured every year.
Tips on keep safe on the roads:
· DON’T text and drive.
· DO NOT drive under the influence of alcohol or anything of that sort.
· ALWAYS wear a seatbelt.
· ALWAYS comply with traffic rules and regulations.
· Maintain your vehicle at optimum performance.
6 simple checks to prepare your vehicle for winter - Met Office
Workplace Bullying and Harassment
‘Workplace bulling is a pattern of mistreatment from others in the workplace that causes either physical or emotional harm’.
Some examples of bulling include:
Ø behaving aggressively towards others.
Ø teasing or playing practical jokes.
Ø pressuring someone to behave inappropriately.
Ø excluding someone from work-related events.
Workplace bullying happens more that it is thought to, it’s a major and unnecessary problem. If you think somebody in the workplace is being bullied, please step up and act.
Who to contact in the case of bullying or harassment in the workplace:
1. Your manager
2. A health and safety representative
3. Human resources department
4. Immediate supervisor
Think before you speak.
If you need somebody to speak to or further help, use the given contacts below. At Alchemist, we’re always here to help.
Alchemist office mobile number (in confidence)- 0191 5007898
National Bullying Helpline- 0300 323 0169
Stop Bullying Now- 1-800-799-4889
British Values- Understanding Autism
‘Autism is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world. One in 100 people are on the autism spectrum and there are around 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK’.
Traits in Autism:
Ø Doing or thinking the same things over and over
Ø Finding it hard to communicate and interact with other people
Ø Finding it hard to understand how other people think or feel
Ø Finding things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable
Autism is a spectrum condition that effects people in different ways.
Generally, autistic people have difficulty reading other people and have a hard time expressing their emotions which challenges social interaction and communication.
Working with autistic adults:
Adults in the autism spectrum can have specific qualities which make tasks and responsibilities in daily life challenging. Some individuals may not have the best communication skills, others may need training and reinforcing to learn how to do daily life tasks independently. Not all adults with ASD have a job or career path, but many do; and those who have awareness of these individuals can prepare them for job responsibilities and encourage a great work ethic.
Some of the positives-
Ø Individuals with autism cause neurotypical individuals to broaden their perspectives, encouraging communication within the workplace.
Ø Everything done by an adult or child on the spectrum is done with great passion, demonstrating hard work and resilience for peers.
Some tips-
Understand and respect boundaries- Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience sensory overload. It is essential to understand some people on the autism spectrum do not enjoy common physical gestures such as:
- hugs
- pats on the back
- being physically close in proximity
Keep things consistent- It is common for adults with ASD to struggle with a change in routine, especially if it is unexpected so try always stick to a regular schedule.
To get a better understanding, use the links below:
Autism Awareness Course | Oplex Careers - Course Deals
Autism Awareness Training Course | Online Certification (highspeedtraining.co.uk)
Employer policy and procedures- Slave Trade/Victims
The Modern Slavery Act 2015- This act is designed to combat modern slavery in the UK; it introduced tougher penalties on the perpetrators of modern slavery.
· The main aim of this law is to prevent labour exploitation. This act’s new focus is to incorporate an order which strives to provide victims compensation, as well as extra attention to prevention and victim identification.
· This law has made it an obligation on certain businesses to publish an annual modern slavery and human trafficking statement, this statement encourages businesses to tackle issues of forced labour within their business as well as supply chains.
Having a policy to work against modern slavery has multiple benefits for your employer! For example:
Ø It provides opportunities for industry collaboration.
Ø It promotes the values of your business.
Ø It protects vulnerable workers.
Does your employer have a modern slavery policy? Use the link below for more information.
The Modern Slavery Act: what is required of employers? (growthbusiness.co.uk)
Monthly Hot Topic-
Modern Slavery Is Still Happening In The UK – Here's One Woman's Story | Glamour UK (glamourmagazine.co.uk) - ‘I worked from 6am to midnight and wasn’t allowed to leave. It was like a prison’.
The article above tells the story of a woman who was trafficked to the UK and then exploited by her employer for 6 years. Modern Slavery is a real issue, not just in the UK but worldwide, yet it is a hidden crime. Maria, the victim, is a mother of two and her families only breadwinner. She says it began when she was facilitated by an agency and began a two-year contract as a housekeeper, sending money back to her family at home.
Around 50 million people worldwide are forced into modern slavery, the global statistics revealing that they have increased by 10 million from just 5 years ago.
If you have a concern that somebody could be subject to modern slavery, you need to act, use the link below. Don’t dismiss it, we can work against this together.
Report modern slavery – GOV.UK
Modern Slavery Helpline 08000 121 700