Reach roundup September 28, 2012
Posted by Tina Lannin in : News , add a commentMaternity leave and redundancy
The Equality Human Rights Commission and Acas have published a new guide to help employers understand the rights of women who are pregnant or on maternity leave when facing redundancy.
Hate crime on the increase
The number of disability hate crimes reported to police has reached a record high. A total of 1,942 disability hate crimes were recorded by police forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year. The Independent comments on the statistics. Despite these record figures, research by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign recently found that only four out of every ten disability hate crimes ever go reported. For information about how to report a hate crime visit this link.
Changing Attitudes to Equality
In August 2012, the Government Equalities Office (GEO) published ‘Changing Attitudes to Equality. Key findings;
- UK society values equality as a concept
- People are likely to feel there is more prejudice than there actually is
- Different people hold different levels of prejudice to various groups
- Prejudice is not permanent and can be changed
- Why people feel discriminated against is changing
- We often do not say what we really feelIt is unclear whether government is driving, or responding to change in attitudes
A better deal for disabled students : EU policy paper urges more action
A recently published European Commission policy paper calls for European Union member states to work harder at helping disabled students to gain university places and good degrees, with the target of equal proportions of disabled people as non-disabled in EU higher education. Education and disability/special needs – policies and practices in education, training and employment for students with disabilities and special educational needs in the EU outlines how the life chances of disabled people improve considerably with higher education. The report calls on the European Commission to encourage EU countries to be more proactive in ensuring disabled people succeed in higher education and ‘receive the necessary support to gain educational qualifications, since this is likely to improve their labour market position’.
Government guidance on age discrimination ban
The Government Equalities Office published guidance to support the implementation of the age discrimination ban (commencement date of 1 October 2012).
There are four guides on age discrimination:
- An overview for service users and customers
- A guide for private clubs
- A guide for small businesses
- A guide for holiday providers, hotels and those letting holiday properties
Reach roundup September 14, 2012
Posted by Tina Lannin in : News , add a commentAccess to Work extended to work experience placements
Access to Work funding has been extended to cover disabled people on work experience placements to provide specially adapted equipment to help with daily tasks, support workers and interpreters. An extra £15 million will also be added to the Access to Work scheme, with the aim of helping around 8,000 additional disabled people in paid employment. Access to Work
Equality Act 2010: Positive action through bursaries, scholarships and prizes : Avoid unlawful discrimination
Higher education institutions award bursaries, scholarships and prizes in many forms, and based on a wide variety of selection criteria. Whether based on a student’s means, subject or background; funded by a donor or directly by the HEI; in the form of money, discounted fees or accommodation, it is vital that these awards avoid unlawful discrimination. This briefing provides an outline of the legal issues involved, identifying the key risks faced by HEIs and steps that can be taken to ensure they can legally provide bursaries, scholarships and prizes. It has been developed in response to queries received by ECU (Equality Challenge Unit) from the sector on the legality and appropriateness of schemes. Positive action through bursaries, scholarships and prizes
Student services: supporting LGB students – Leaflets for frontline staff
Student services, including advice, welfare and counselling services, play an important part in creating an accessible and inclusive environment where all students feel that their needs are understood and supported. High quality support for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) stud nts leads to improved retention of talent, increased sense of community on campus and improved academic results. Support services that do not recognise the particular needs of LGB students can reinforce feelings of isolation, invisibility and have a detrimental effect on health, welfare and attainment. With top tips, advice and information, these leaflets will help ensure that your frontline services fully support LGB students. There are two leaflets – one for student services in HE, and one for colleges. Student services: supporting LGB students
Can mature students get internships?
Internships are increasingly seen as a crucial step to getting a job. But how do bosses feel about taking on older graduates?
Homophobic bullying of young people continues : Stonewall school report 2012
Stonewall’s latest report on homophobia in schools has found that 55% of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) pupils in secondary schools and colleges experience homophobic bullying, 99% hear homophobic language and a quarter of young gay people report that this language isn’t challenged by teachers. Stonewall school report 2012
Higher education institutions have a role to play in ensuring that new students are aware that homophobic behaviour is not allowed on campus, and that LGB students feel safe and supported, especially in student accommodation. ECU has produced guidance and information leaflets for staff providing frontline services explaining the issues and suggesting top tips for an inclusive service. ECU sexual orientation guidance
Flexible working to support mental health : Initiative to encourage employers
The Department of Health has launched an initiative to encourage employers to offer flexible working to employees affected by mental health conditions. The aim is to support employees in their jobs, ease their return to work and to reduce sickness absences.
The Responsibility Deal pledge includes taking a flexible approach to start and finish times, allowing paid or unpaid leave for medical appointments, creating a better working environment by providing a quiet space for breaks, and supporting a phased return to work.
Male students don’t engage with support services
Men are less likely to start an undergraduate course, more likely to drop-out and more likely to get a 2:2 or a third class degree than women. Recent research by ECU has also found that male students are less likely to access pastoral or academic support services that have been found to make a positive contribution to student’s experience, retention and success, particularly for minority ethnic students. The report demonstrates that male students are less likely to be aware of, use or positively rate academic and pastoral support services. The research shows that diversifying the nature and delivery of the services provided can encourage men to make greater use of services. It also highlights the importance of the role of personal and academic tutors in referral to support services.
Public service: Equal Opportunities?
Some people can face double or triple jeopardy by being discriminated on the grounds of gender, race, age, sexuality and disability. So why does the public sector struggle to recognise this?
National Diversity Awards 2012
The nominees for the National Diversity Awards were announced on August 11th. Taking place on September 21st 2012, the Awards will celebrate the achievements of individuals and organisations who advance diversity, equality and social inclusion.
Paralympics London 2012
And finally, back to the Paralympics. LOCOG ‘has let disabled people down’ on accessible information. London 2012 organisers have repeatedly refused to provide information for disabled visitors to the Olympic Park in accessible formats.
Reach Roundup August 31, 2012
Posted by Tina Lannin in : News , add a commentReach Roundup is a summary of the news, blog posts and careers information we’ve come across in the last fortnight that we thought may be of interest to you.
Ashleigh Gonzales is blind yet is pursuing a STEM degree. She uses 3-D tactile images to look at things in a different way.
The Guardian asks if social enterpreneurship offers young people a path into work. UnLtd demonstrate that young people can lead initiatives to create social change, as long as they are given the right tools, structure and support to do so. You can access their report at The Confidence Curve.
The PRECIOUS Awards are an opportunity to recognise and celebrate those women of colour in business and leadership, who demonstrate exceptional determination, innovation and entrepreneurial skills and talent. One of the categories is ‘Women in Public Life’ – a great way to enhance your CV. Nominations close on 6 September.
Less stress and more self-confidence on the job – people with good hearing have a better hand in everyday working life. How does having a hearing loss affect your ability to communicate with colleagues in the workplace? Find out more in the Hearing is Living study by Hear the World.
The BME Coalition, led by Equanomics-UK, have rejected the Coalition’s Government’s proposals to remove the wider power of Employment Tribunals and the questionnaire procedure from the Equality Act 2010. Full consultation response.
A new website has been launched to provide information and guidance during the implementation of Healthwatch England, ahead of the launch in October 2012.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission, AbilityNet and BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT, have worked together to develop the first ever course of its kind on digital accessibility.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission will be holding a series of open dialogues in the autumn on religion or belief and the application of the UK’s equality and human rights laws. Leading figures from religious, secularist, humanist and other belief communities will be invited to share their views. The discussions will also involve employment and education leaders.
Honours for underrepresented groups: Call for nominations for BME and female staff
HEFCE has written to heads of all higher education institutions calling for nominations to the Birthday 2013 Honours List to recognise the contribution of people working in HE. The letter encourages nominations for female candidates and for black and minority ethnic candidates at all levels. These groups are generally underrepresented in the nominations received.
Closing date: Friday 7 September 2012.
PhD and underemployment
Three months after finishing his PhD, one young academic is now claiming job seekers allowance and finding out that the ‘real world’ neither understands nor appreciates his skills.
