Positive mental health at work

Acas Senior Adviser Abigail Hirshman talks about the Acas strategy for positive mental health at work. The Government's Department of Health advises that one in four of us will experience mental ill health at some point in our lives. It is therefore important that employers and their staff take steps to promote positive mental health and support those experiencing mental ill health For more information on Mental health in the workplace and to book a place on our training program. http://www.acas.org.uk/mentalhealth

One in four UK employers would not hire someone with a disability

More than seven in 10 disabled workers in the UK have stopped working due to a disability or health condition, new research from charity Leonard Cheshire has found. 

According to a ComRes survey of more than 1,600 disabled adults in the UK, carried out between June and July 2018, 73 per cent had dropped out of work because of their condition. 

In addition, almost one in five (17 per cent) of those that had applied for a job in the past five years reported their job offer was withdrawn by their employer as a result of their disability. 

Attitudinal barriers proved a significant obstacle in preventing the progression of disabled people, the research found. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of UK employers said they would be less likely to hire someone with a disability, and six in 10 (60 per cent) of those reported concerns that a disabled person would not be able to do the job.

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Get help with winter fuel bills

UNISON members living on a low income constantly struggle to make ends meet – and this can be particularly acute in the winter when the cost of heating homes rises as the outside temperature falls.

But it’s not all bad news – help IS available. The union’s welfare charity There for You has once more set up a limited fund to help members on low incomes towards the cost of their winter fuel bill through a one-off payment of £60.

The process is very similar to previous years and an amount of money has been ring-fenced to support this initiative. However, once it’s gone it’s gone! 

So don’t miss out. Apply early and send your form and supporting paperwork in as soon as possible. All the information you need can be found below. Alternatively, contact UNISON Direct on 0800 0857 857 for a form to be sent to you. 

Just one more thing: please don’t keep details of this grant a secret. Help us to help even more members and let your work colleagues know that help is at hand. There will be many, like you, worrying about how they will cope this winter. 

Completed applications need to be sent to There for You, (WFG) UNISON Centre, 130 Euston Road, London, NW1 2AY by Friday 15 February 2019 at the latest.

Winter Fuel Grant application form

Winter Fuel Grant Q&A

Police campaign encourages young people to Protect Your World

 As almost a quarter of 12-15 year olds say they don’t know how to control who can see what they post on social media*, Thames Valley Police (TVP) is encouraging young people to take action to protect themselves online.

The internet is a fantastic place for young people to learn, play and socialise but it’s vital that young people are aware of its dangers and how to stay safe. Identity fraud, cyberstalking, confidence scams, cyberbullying, romance fraud, hacking, and distribution of malware are all examples of cyber dangers.

But there are simple ways to reduce the risks. Here are TVP’s top tips:

·         Make sure you are only connected to people you know on social media networks and that your settings limit the information you share

·         Turn off the mapping feature on social media and apps, as it shares your exact whereabouts and routine

·         Be share aware – your email address, postal address, the name of the school/college you attend and your telephone number are all examples of personal information that you should keep private

·         Always be cautious of internet chats - when you’re chatting online there’s no guarantee you are speaking to who you think

·         Be cautious of fake sites when shopping online. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is

·         Be cautious when using public Wi-Fi - never provide personal information to access it or use sites which are password protected when using it

It’s also vital that parents, carers and responsible adults, such as youth activity leaders, have the tools and knowledge to help young people stay safe online.

Social media is a concern for many parents, who can struggle to keep up-to-date with the networks their children are using, so the NSPCC has created the Net Aware website (www.net-aware.org.uk). This online guide demystifies the content, age restrictions and perceived risk levels of over 30 social media and gaming networks, enabling parents to understand what their children are doing online.

TVP also recommends taking the NSPCC’s TEAM approach:

• Talk – to your child/children about staying safe online, find out what sites/social media they are using, what worries them and you about them being online, the emotional aspects of social media (jealousy, self-esteem etc)
• Explore their online world together – the NSPCC has useful tips of how to start the conversation on their website
• Agree rules about what is ok and not
• Manage parental controls on all your family’s devices – free helpline available (0808 800 5002)
• Repeat – make it part of everyday life

If you fall victim to cyber crime or experience an attempted scam report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit www.actionfraud.police.uk.

For more information and advice visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk/pyw.

*Ofcom Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report, November 2017