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Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
The Avenue Subscription Service gives access to 60 online courses for up to 300 people, but is now available to individual subscribers at just £118.80 per annum, less than £2 per course. Visit www.NeilThompson.info/subscription-service/ to find out more
Listening, of course, is more than just hearing. It is about paying attention to someone in a way that creates a genuine human connection. Sometimes that connection is enough to enable the person concerned to feel stronger, more confident and…
Many employees now work in a hybrid way. Hybrid working is a flexible working approach where employees spend some of their time working in a remote location and some in office – or other – work spaces. Working in a…
Despite Thatcher and Reagan’s best efforts, there is and has always been such a thing as society. The question is not whether it exists, but what shape it must take in a post-pandemic world? In March 2020, Boris Johnson, pale…
With support from the Cattanach Trust, the Year of Childhood specifically focused on the Early Years Sector, namely identifying and amplifying good practice in early years settings. highlighting impact for children, families and communities. By engaging parents and carers in conversations around the…
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The Avenue Subscription Service gives access to 60 online courses for up to 300 people, but is now available to individual subscribers at just £118.80 per annum, less than £2 per course. Visit www.NeilThompson.info/subscription-service/ to find out more
Many people confuse sympathy (sharing the same feelings as someone else) and empathy (being able to recognize someone else’s feelings and being able to respond appropriately, but without necessarily having those feelings ourselves), while others settle for apathy, in a…
The UK is getting poorer and sicker, and this trend is not equal across the country. Poorer and sicker areas are getting poorer and sicker the most quickly. To help develop a path forward, IPPR held a series of multi-day…
The workplace is changing. Technological innovations in fields like artificial intelligence are transforming organizations at a breakneck pace. Ongoing economic uncertainty is leading to layoffs and higher workloads. It’s difficult for many workers to keep up. Given increased pressures, it’s…
BAYO means ‘Joy has found us’ in Yoruba and it is a space to find collectives, organisations and services from across the UK — for the Black community — to support your mental health and wellbeing, and it is run…
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The Avenue Subscription Service gives access to 60 online courses for up to 300 people, but from February 5th it will be available to individual subscribers at just £118.80 per annum, less than £2 per course. Visit www.NeilThompson.info/subscription-service/ to find…
In working with people, emotions are never very far away. Being able to tune in to other people’s emotions, to be aware of our own and get the balance of head and heart right is often referred to as ‘emotional…
Spain has elected its first parliamentarian with Down’s syndrome. Mar Galcerán was voted into Valencia’s regional assembly, in the east of the country. She is thought to be the first person with the genetic disorder to join a European regional…
In March 2021 Acas commissioned Essex Business School to undertake an Acas partnership research project on the role of staff race networks. This reflected increasing recognition of the importance of employee network groups, particularly race networks, in helping employers act…
The Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace toolkit is a free resource. It will help employers create workplaces where women are safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and support employers to respond appropriately – creating environments where sexual harassment does not…
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Values are at the heart of best practice. This important manual offers a successful blend of theoretical understanding with very helpful practice guidance to enable readers to make sense of the complex but vitally important issues. This is an ideal…
This is a mistake I made many times early in my career: making a suggestion or proposal, having no one object to it and then assuming that the lack of explicit objection constituted agreement to what I had put forward….
Racism is often a matter of life and death. This was never more true than for Stephen Lawrence, a bright young man who dreamed of becoming an architect. Stephen was murdered by racist strangers as he made his way home…
Public services in the UK are not in great shape. According to the latest CIPFA/Institute for Government Performance Tracker, every single major public service is performing worse than before the pandemic. This is despite government manifesto commitments to recruit more…
As part of our dementia awareness training, we offer an innovative and thought-provoking virtual reality dementia experience. Our state of the art VR headsets enable you to explore our virtual residential home and domestic kitchen environments to gain further empathy…
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Spirituality, whether or not rooted in religion, is a core feature of what it means to be human. In this important practice manual, two very experienced writers and educators explain why spirituality and religion should be a fundamental consideration for…
It is not uncommon for us to find ourselves in situations where we are wondering: ‘Why is so and so being so awkward?’. In such circumstances we tend to focus on their behaviour or attitude, but this can be misleading….
There are lots of reasons that someone in your life might find Christmas difficult. They might worry that they’re a burden, or feel like they can’t participate. Or they might have mental health problems that make some parts of Christmas…
As yet another United Nations climate summit approaches in the shape of COP28, which kicks off in Dubai this week, signs of public exasperation with the failure of climate policymaking are plain to see. After three decades of negotiations, greenhouse-gas emissions are…
Many tout the concept of working from home as a means to boost overall productivity and wellbeing, and for good reason. It permits greater flexibility around family and personal commitments, allows you to work in a comfortable space, and reduces…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
From time to time we find ourselves in situations where we are finding it difficult to comprehend what has happened – times of loss, crisis or sudden change, for example. It is as if our head knows, but our heart…
With over 20 years of experience in workplace inclusion, we know that when lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) employees feel safe and valued at work, it transforms the workplace culture to make it a more welcoming,…
Through the passionate efforts of a great many people in the Neurodiversity Hub community of practice, some fabulous resources have been assembled that we hope will go a long way in assisting students and young adults get through their university…
There are 14 million Disabled people in the UK, and we make up a fifth of the population. We are not a homogenous group: we have different impairments, are different genders, sexual orientations, come from different backgrounds, and live different…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
Communication goes awry quite regularly, which is not surprising when you think about how much of it we do in any given day. One common way in which communication breaks down is when what is said (or written) does not…
More than 7 million people of working age in the UK has a disability or long-term health condition. The need for disability workforce reporting has been increasingly debated by employers and policy-makers. While there is no mandatory requirement to do…
Local or organic? Hybrid or electric? Paper or plastic or neither? Nearly all decisions today affect the environment, and figuring out which choices matter most often feels impossible. That’s why we made Treehugger, the only modern sustainability site that offers advice,…
Research suggests that children readily accept and perpetuate group inequalities from a young age, quickly becoming active participants in their maintenance. In adults that buy into systematic inequalities, education on policies, procedures, or political discourses upholding said injustices has been shown to encourage people to fight against…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
Many times I have heard some people try to justify bullying behaviours by describing oppressive practices as ‘strong leadership’. In reality, using bullying tactics is a sign of a lack of leadership. A leader is someone who shapes a culture…
I’m not quite ready to hang up my boots just yet, but I am now very definitely in the final phase of my career, so I wanted you to be aware of what that means in terms of any interest…
For the first time, the only time, everyone on Earth was in the same boat at the same time. We’ve long been divided by privilege, by caste, by accidents of birth or by organized hierarchies. Sure, there have been events…
Many of the people we see have mental or physical health problems, or have issues with drug or alcohol use. Sometimes people face a complex mix of these factors, on top of more difficult family backgrounds than most. Many people…
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An organization’s most important resource is its human resource – its people. This wide-ranging practical guide puts the emphasis on the human – empowering employees to be resourceful. If you are involved in managing people, then you will find this…
There are relatively few people in today’s world of work who are not under time pressures. This is all the more reason that we need to make sure that our time is used wisely. This is not about petty ways…
Neil was asked to choose five books about social justice and this is what he came up with. For more about social justice books, visit https://shepherd.com/bookshelf/social-justice.
The Online Safety Bill has passed its final Parliamentary debate and is now ready to become law. This major milestone means the government is within touching distance of delivering the most powerful child protection laws in a generation, while ensuring…
The devastating impact of ageist attitudes on people, jobs, health, the economy and social cohesion has been revealed in our new report, Ageism: What’s the harm?. The compilation of research in the report looks at the three main types of…
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Coping with a significant loss is one of the most demanding experiences each of us will ever have. Supporting people who are in the throes of grief can also be a highly challenging experience. This manual, with its exemplary blend…
Yes, it’s a cliché, but the fact remains that, in working with people and their problems, we are likely to get better results if we smile. Smiling gives a clear message to the effect of ‘I am pleased to be…
“You’re bloody lovely ain’t you,” said Frances Barrett, as the robotic cat she was stroking flicked its ears and whiskers one lunchtime this week at the Oak Manor care home in Bedfordshire. The resident was one of several who live…
The National Academy for Social Prescribing is a national charity, founded in October 2019. Our goal is to ensure social prescribing thrives across the whole country. We envision a vibrant, innovative, and ambitious movement. One that connects communities and mobilises…
Many problems at work can be resolved informally, for example through an informal chat. An employee could raise a problem informally by telling their line manager or someone else at work, for example, another manager or someone in HR. It…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
The term ‘trauma’ is often used in a very loose and ‘watered down’ way to refer to any difficult or distressing situation. However, in its technical sense, trauma refers to a wound (physical or psychological) that has lasting effects. We…
The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted the way in which people work, with a rise in remote and hybrid working. While many workers, businesses and sectors have benefited from changing working practices during the pandemic, disabled people bore the brunt…
As society’s understanding of gender and sex evolves, our use of language evolves, too. Maternity wards and pregnancy care have, traditionally, largely used language oriented around women: the word ‘maternity’ itself, for one, but also ‘midwife’, ‘matron’, or ‘sister’. And…
Childlike involves wonder. It’s the ability to see the world with fresh eyes and create magic. Childish, on the other hand, is living as if there are no consequences. Over time, we’ve gotten very good at measuring the long and…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Speaking openly and honestly is more likely to be effective than dropping hints. This is because: (i) people often don’t tune in to the hint; it goes over their head; and (ii) if they do get it, they may resent…
The CIPD’s 2022 Resourcing and talent planning report, produced in partnership with Omni RMS, explores the difficulties that UK employers are facing in recruiting and retaining people during the cost-of-living crisis. Now in its 23rd year, the report and supplementary…
I’m part of the ‘Exploring Stigma and Poverty’ design team, a group that’s been created to look at the issue of stigma and the impact it has on poverty. Our discussions and exploration have been deep as well as wide-ranging….
By law (the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998), you can make a whistleblowing disclosure to one of the following: your employer a legal adviser government ministers – this only applies if you work for a statutory body another person who…
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There is no room for racism in a civilised society. The recent surge of interest in anti-racism is very much to be welcomed, but we have to guard against oversimplifying some complex and sensitive issues. This book, from the author…
So-called ‘common sense’ is often not common (different people have different ideas about what is common sense) and not always sense (it is often contradictory). What counts as common sense can be important advice and wisdom built up over many…
When young people want to tell their story, we listen. We see something in every one of them. We see hope. Often their stories aren’t easy to tell, but they tell them. They know that opening up will help them feel…
It seems there are two types of disgruntled people in our current economy: those who don’t have jobs and those who do. Why? Because for each person who has left an organization, the ones left behind are working harder, feeling…
New analysis from the Fawcett Society and Democracy Club shows just how far we have to go to achieve truly equal gender representation. Currently, fewer than 5% (18 or 382) of local councils have achieved at least parity in gender…
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Journaling has become a very popular activity for many people in many settings. Much of the reason for its popularity is that it gives helpful opportunities for exploring our thoughts and feelings about important issues that affect us. It serves…
Jobs that involve working with people generally have a written work component to them (report writing and record keeping, for example). This can become a routine part of the job, and so there is a danger that we write without…
People managers are an indispensable link between an organisation’s top management and its employees. However, their impact is affected by several moderating factors, such as leadership style, management skills and organisational support. This evidence review draws together the best available…
Our Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace toolkit is a free resource. It will help employers create workplaces where women are safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and support employers to respond appropriately – creating environments where sexual harassment…
A deep dive into the consequences of stigma took us to painful places – anger, hurt, lack of self-worth, not belonging, self-limiting habits, struggles connecting with others and the resulting cumulative impact on mental and physical health. One team member…
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Values are at the heart of best practice. This important manual offers a successful blend of theoretical understanding with very helpful practice guidance to enable readers to make sense of the complex but vitally important issues. This is an ideal…
I mentioned in an earlier Lessons for Living that the Avenue Successful Time and Workload Management e-learning course is based on four principles of time and workload management. One of those principles is ‘Invest time to save time’. Unfortunately, busy people often…
We’re delighted to launch our new Vision to Reality strategy 2023 to 2026. Guided by the Moonshot Vision, the strategy defines the unique role the National Autistic Society will play in creating a society that works for autistic people. It…
Corporate support for Pride is rising, but is it authentic or performative allyship? Many companies jump in on Pride month festivities. Whether it’s by sponsoring a float or hosting workshops, we are seeing more take an active role. However, not all…
Culture seeks shortcuts. The oldest shortcut is: “Friend or foe?” If we know the answer to that, a whole bunch of time gets saved, and fear is reduced as well. The labeling goes beyond which team, cadre, tribe or village…
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Spirituality, whether or not rooted in religion, is a core feature of what it means to be human. In this important practice manual, two very experienced writers and educators explain why spirituality and religion should be a fundamental consideration for…
As we have noted, the modern workplace tends to be a pressurized one. There is therefore a temptation to just press on, to adopt an attitude of ‘Head down, get on with it’. This can be highly dangerous as it…
The applause at the conference was enthusiastic, and the ambiance, reflective. Hands shot up in the air with question after question: “Can you say more about how it felt when you were depressed?” “What can we do if our CEO…
When I was a child, back in the relatively halcyon days of the 1990s, I had my fair share of angst – friendship problems, homework, sibling rivalry and appalling fashion sense. But one thing remained clear and stable: the advice…
Leaders of any organization or industry face challenges that can either make or break their careers. Leadership comes with significant responsibility and requires unique skills to navigate complex situations. In today’s fast-paced world, the challenges facing leaders have become even…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
Confidence is not something that you either have or do not have or have in a certain quantity. Confidence is an attitude. The word confidence means ‘trust’, so whether you are confident or not depends on whether you trust yourself….
The UK’s workforce is smaller than it was pre-pandemic with the OECD labelling it the ‘worse performer’ in the G7 for workforce participation since Covid-19. Employers are struggling to recruit, and workers continue to live through an unparalleled and enduring…
A question we don’t ask ourselves very often, but a choice we make every day. It’s tempting to not care. If you choose to not care, you’re off the hook. It’s simply to do as little as possible, avoid too…
There are two million single parents with majority care for their kids in Britain today – that’s one in four families with children. Single parents do a brilliant job, but paying the bills and juggling work and family life on…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
Sometimes there are sensitive issues that need to be addressed – for example, pointing out to someone that their behaviour is causing you (or others) problems or is contrary to law or policy. Bringing this to their attention in front…
Fostering employee wellbeing is good for people and the organisation. Promoting wellbeing can help prevent stress and create positive working environments where individuals and organisations can thrive. Good health and wellbeing can be a core enabler of employee engagement and…
Walk into a bank with a stocking on your head and you’re probably going to get arrested. Civil society as we know it is dependent on identity and responsibility. A person does something and owns the consequences. This requirement of…
Climate change caused by human activity is threatening the well-being of humanity. The wealthiest countries and individuals are responsible for a disproportionate share of emissions, whilst the poorest countries and sections of society are the most vulnerable to the impacts…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
Busy people can easily get themselves into a whirl of activity that strongly resembles a hamster wheel – an awful lot of energy being expended, but not necessarily much progress being achieved. What can therefore be of great value is…
When I began going to ecotherapy sessions at my local allotment, I was in a dark and difficult place. I was chronically stressed, highly anxious and so burnt out that in work meetings and social gatherings I would cling on…
How it works: You’ll start by talking to an Acas adviser about the challenges you’re facing and what you’ve tried already. They will work with you and your staff to put together practical solutions. They can also work with your…
Our Volunteer Ambassador programme champions grass-roots development and teams up experienced Shed leaders with like-minded peers who want to start Men’s Sheds in their own areas. We equip and empower Volunteer Ambassadors across the UK to raise awareness of the…
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An organization’s most important resource is its human resource – its people. This wide-ranging practical guide puts the emphasis on the human – empowering employees to be resourceful. If you are involved in managing people, then you will find this…
The importance of valuing and even celebrating diversity is now well established, but what is often not appreciated is that the process of ‘cloning’ can stand in its way. What this refers to is the tendency to feel more comfortable…
Workplace harassment is a serious issue that affects millions of workers worldwide. It can take many forms, including verbal abuse, physical assault, intimidation, and discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Not only does harassment create a hostile…
Our habits, preferences and idiosyncrasies make perfect sense. We each know that we have great reasons to embrace our ways and stick with them. Other people’s habits, though, show that they are simply picky, weird or too sensitive. The difference between…
“FYI, your patient died.” This message from another physician sat in my Epic inbox. Feelings of disappointment and sadness surfaced as I prepared to start my overnight shift in the emergency department. The death of a child simplified to an Epic…
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Coping with a significant loss is one of the most demanding experiences each of us will ever have. Supporting people who are in the throes of grief can also be a highly challenging experience. This manual, with its exemplary blend…
A crisis is a turning point in someone’s life, a situation that will either get better or get worse. By definition, if it stays the same it is not a crisis. What can be a strong temptation when working with…
I do a significant amount of autism testing. I also treat many adults with autism using neuroaffirmative approaches to autism treatment. In my practice, I have noted that one of the diagnostic criteria that other providers evaluate heavily when assessing…
We know that children who have a parent in prison can feel isolated and ashamed – and most feel unable to talk about it because they’re scared of being bullied. They’re also more likely than other children to have mental…
As a society, our views on employer responsibilities are evolving. The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred employers to adopt a more proactive approach to staff wellbeing. While there will continue to be variation in expectations between employment relations that are transactional…
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To celebrate social work month, we are offering a 25% discount on our Avenue Media Solutions books throughout March. Information about the books is available at: https://nti.coderra.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Avenue-publications-leaflet.pdf They can be purchased at: https://nti.coderra.uk/product-category/b-books-training-resources/avenue-media-solutions-publications/ Put the code swm23 into the discount voucher box…
This is one of Stephen Covey’s seven secrets of highly effective people. It means that, at all times, we need to be clear about what we are trying to achieve or where it is we are trying to get to….
Who is protected from discrimination? The Equality Act affords protection to a wide range of individuals, including employees (both current and former), contract workers, agency workers and vocational trainers. The protection also extends to job applicants and prospective job applicants…
Learning to garden has proved a powerful source of health and wellbeing for a group of horticulture students in a UK prison. A gardening social enterprise called The Glasshouse, based in East Sutton Park women’s prison in Kent, has not…
We are UK Men’s Sheds Association, the support body for Men’s Sheds across the UK. We work hard to inspire and support the development of as many Men’s Sheds as possible, for the benefit of men’s health and wellbeing. We…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
Are you living your life or is your life living you? How much in control do you feel about what is happening to you? People who have what psychologist call an internal locus of control will have a good sense…
A recent study of “benevolent sexism” (BS) concludes that it can have immediate and long-term negative consequences for women.1 BS occurs when someone (usually a man) says something that seems supportive and positive, but is based on traditional gender stereotypes….
When the clocks struck midnight on new year’s eve and rang in 2023, Steve Busby was on the rooftop of a fancy apartment block in central London watching fireworks light up the Thames. The weeks leading up to Christmas had…
Presently, there is no pharmacological cure for dementia, though research is ongoing in many areas. Music has a valuable role to play in enhancing quality of life for people living with the syndrome, and their carers. It has the power…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
A phenomenon I have come across many times in many organizations is for matters of dissatisfaction to act as a basis for moaning sessions (which do little good) and for the concerns or dissatisfactions not to be channelled in the…
Information written by Iryna Sergiyenko Director of Foundation for helping children with autism, Ukraine. Autism is a spectrum condition. You can read about autism here. if you are hosting Ukrainian families with autistic members, there are a few extra difficulties…
We are in the midst of a profound cost of living crisis with huge implications for society. Many of us are having to make difficult choices on what spending we prioritise, but some of us face increasingly bleak choices. None…
It came from a place of … what is the worst idea you could possibly have for a theatre show?” says director James Yarker, as he flicks through a heavily annotated 90-page copy of Birmingham city council’s three-year financial plan. His…
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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this…
In today’s busy, pressurized world we can find ourselves with many different demands on our time. As a result of this important things may not get done. We can find ourselves drifting and losing sight of what is important to…
Boundaries are levers And assertions are maps. Which means that: Budgets Timelines Plans Decision trees and projections are nothing to be afraid of. They’re a gift. They give us the chance to act as if, to describe a possible future…
Acas’s updated disability guidance gives advice to employers to support their disabled staff at work. We would love your help in promoting our guidance and we have included draft copy and assets below. Please let us know if we can…
Most lifelong mental health issues begin in childhood. But talking about wellbeing early on can help us all cope better with life’s challenges We should all be talking more about how we’re feeling – not waiting until there’s a serious…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
When people act or speak in discriminatory ways, bully people or behave disrespectfully towards others, it can be very tempting to ‘have a go’ at them, to give them a piece of your mind. While that reaction is quite understandable,…
When processing the death of a loved one, children may have trouble sleeping, have an increase in anxiety or begin to feel indifferent about their lives. Being able to talk and ask questions will help them express their feelings and…
The Moonshot project was launched at the start of this year to get a better understanding of what a future society should look and feel like. This project aimed to give us tangible goals to aim for, not just for…
School and work push us to avoid real dreams. Dreamers are dangerous, impatient and unwilling to tolerate the status quo. Existing systems would prefer we simply fit in. The dreams we need to teach are the dreams of self-reliance and…
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There is no room for racism in a civilised society. The recent surge of interest in anti-racism is very much to be welcomed, but we have to guard against oversimplifying some complex and sensitive issues. This book, from the author…
In our consumerist society we constantly find ourselves under pressure to earn more, buy more, achieve more. So much these days seems to depend on quantity, with relatively little attention being paid to quality, particularly quality of life. The idea…
We already know that nature can have a positive impact on our mental health. Gardening, being in green spaces, and being around water can all improve our wellbeing. This became particularly clear during the pandemic, when many people in cities…
Whether we’re trying out a new hobby for the first time, attending a job interview or simply spending time with people we don’t know, uncertainty can leave us feeling unsettled, restless and sometimes even physically uncomfortable. When we’re anxious or…
The number of people who will be in need of humanitarian relief in 2023 has increased by almost a quarter in the past year, as the climate crisis, the war in Ukraine and the largest global food crisis in modern…
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An organization’s most important resource is its human resource – its people. This wide-ranging practical guide puts the emphasis on the human – empowering employees to be resourceful. If you are involved in managing people, then you will find this…
A key part of leadership is being able to work with a group to establish where they are heading for and help them get there. Are you clear about where you want to get to and how you are going…
The Now I Know campaign features powerful photography and films of both autistic women and non-binary people from across the country, who share their experiences of late diagnosis of autism. The campaign was inspired by the words of Dawn Mills,…
With the amount of time that people spend at work, isn’t it worthwhile to assess how this setting impacts broader life and wellbeing? We’ve gathered insights from thousands of employees, and found that: 33 per cent of respondents are not…
Our My Voice My Choice programme is designed to develop your campaigning and advocacy skills so you’ll be able to make a difference in your local community. We’re running free workshops across Wales. We run three workshops in each of…
https://linktr.ee/drneilthompson
Coping with a significant loss is one of the most demanding experiences each of us will ever have. Supporting people who are in the throes of grief can also be a highly challenging experience. This manual, with its exemplary blend…
We can so easily become so engrossed in our work and under so much pressure that we don’t look more broadly at the situation we are dealing with. This can mean that we can find ourselves reinventing the wheel –…
Stress can place immense demands on employees’ physical and mental health and affect their behaviour, performance and relationships with colleagues. It’s a major cause of long-term absence from work, and knowing how to manage the factors that can cause work-related…
The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally shifted the way in which people work, with a rise in remote and hybrid working. While many workers, businesses and sectors have benefited from changing working practices during the pandemic, disabled people bore the brunt…
We know that loneliness is dangerous to our physical and mental health. Older people who are lonely are at a higher risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke, as well as dementia. For all these reasons, efforts are…
https://linktr.ee/drneilthompson
A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Self-awareness is an important basis for reflective practice. It involves being able to tune in to: (i) what effect you are having on the situation; and (ii) what effect the situation is having on you. When we interact with other…
Our Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace toolkit is a free resource. It will help employers create workplaces where women are safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and support employers to respond appropriately – creating environments where sexual harassment…
The closer we look at what other people believe and do, the more clear it is that our view of the world doesn’t precisely match theirs. It never has, but now it’s magnified. The things we thought were a given,…
When NYAS began offering support to young people in the 1970s, we only offered advocacy services. Today, we are one of the largest providers of child and family advocacy across England and Wales, but we have also expanded our service…
https://linktr.ee/drneilthompson
There is no room for racism in a civilised society. The recent surge of interest in anti-racism is very much to be welcomed, but we have to guard against oversimplifying some complex and sensitive issues. This book, from the author…
There are things that we can change directly, things that we can change indirectly (through influence), but there are very many things that we cannot change at all. When we encounter these we basically have two choices: (i) we can…
The importance of inclusion and awareness of race disparities in the workplace are not new subjects for most. The killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests brought into sharp focus the extent of racial disparity across all…
Imaginative, or “pretend”, play in childhood is important. It offers opportunities for social interaction as well as the chance to learn how to understand social signals and the minds of others. A common form of pretend play is the creation…
The environment sector has failed to act on its ambitions to become more inclusive, suggests new research that finds just one in 20 organisations are enacting plans to increase ethnic diversity. According to a sector-wide survey, out of 44 environment…
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Journaling has become a very popular activity for many people in many settings. Much of the reason for its popularity is that it gives helpful opportunities for exploring our thoughts and feelings about important issues that affect us. It serves…
Some people can be quite dogmatic and stick to their views despite evidence and argument to the contrary, and that of course is not helpful. However, it can also be problematic when some people go to the opposite extreme and…
We empower young people aged 25 and under to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives. We support young people to get involved in their communities and democracy locally, nationally and internationally, making a difference as volunteers, campaigners,…
We guide, inspire, advise, showcase and represent hundreds of groups and organisations right across the UK. We love giving practical support like site visits, training courses and networking events. If our members want guidance on important areas like employment issues,…
Close to one-third of American workers have stated experiencing abuse in the workplace. According to the 2021 Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey, a staggering 73% of workers are aware that this type of harassment takes place. Knowing…
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Values are at the heart of best practice. This important manual offers a successful blend of theoretical understanding with very helpful practice guidance to enable readers to make sense of the complex but vitally important issues. This is an ideal…
A common way of thinking about projects is to conceive of them as buildings, something you construct and then have in place to serve you in whatever way the project was intended to. Despite this being a normal way of…
Amidst our busy lives, it’s not always easy to stay in touch with friends. During the pandemic in particular, many people found their social circle shrinking. And even though friendship has clear benefits for wellbeing, mental health, and personal growth,…
Come to my ward in east Birmingham and you’ll find no shortage of pride or ambition. Our city has one of the youngest populations in Europe. It’s powered by huge creative talent and home to vibrant, diverse communities. But, as I…
The hallmark of a resilient, productive and sustainable culture is that disagreements aren’t risky. When someone cares enough to make an assertion and show their work, a healthy organization or society takes a look. The alternative is the brittle, closed…
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Spirituality, whether or not rooted in religion, is a core feature of what it means to be human. In this important practice manual, two very experienced writers and educators explain why spirituality and religion should be a fundamental consideration for…
The importance of listening is well established, but what is often not realized that the most effective for of listening involves paying attention to what someone is not saying, as well as what they are saying. Just as silence is…
Esenam lives in Ghana, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Fearing COVID-19 infection, she waited almost a year before going to the clinic for therapy. Unemployed at the time, Esenam did not have enough funds for treatment. Her parents, thanks…
When Sunita Nandihalli was a psychology graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, they and an undergraduate intern found themselves in an lift with a man who seemed fascinated with the intern. She was multiracial, and he repeatedly quizzed her…
What is it like to live with psychosis, or Parkinson’s, or dementia, or to be autistic? The traditional approach is for an interested team of psychologists to design a study, and run it. But this is changing. People with disorders…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
Sadly, it is often the case these days that we feel the need to make a complaint. What is even sadder is that so many organizations seem ill-equipped to respond positively to people’s concerns – and that can lead to…
We are living through turbulent times. Emerging from a global pandemic in which ethnic minority communities have disproportionately suffered, over half of ethnic minority children in Britain are currently living in poverty. We are also facing a legislative agenda which…
Sooner or later, they’re all finite. And the way we allocate our time and emotional energy determines what gets done. If we audited your day in six-minute increments, what would we find? By the clock, how did you actually spend…
Considering that one in five people in the UK report having a disability, employees need to be aware of their legal protections and employers need to ensure they fulfil their duties. Moreover, statistics show that only half (53 per cent)…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
There is a common misperception of conflict. It tends to be assumed that everyday reality is basically harmonious and conflict is an exception – conflict ‘breaks out’ to shatter the normality of harmony. However, we don’t need to pay much…
The Influence and Participation Toolkit has been developed by Mind, but it is recognised as a valuable resource for anyone whose organisation or workplace wants to engage with people with mental health problems in a meaningful way. It is available…
People of colour across the globe bear the brunt of an environmental emergency that, for the most part, they did not create. Yet their struggles have repeatedly been ignored by those in positions of power. Global governance systems, including international…
Bereavement can have a devastating impact upon an individual. Living with the loss of a partner, close friend or family member can take a significant toll on an individual’s mental health. Join Acas and guest speakers as we look at…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
Are you looking for a solution without really knowing what the problem is? Very often we can find ourselves in a pressurized situation where there is a strong sense that ‘something must be done’. If we are not careful that…
Women of colour across the UK already know that experiencing racism at work is the norm. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Runnymede Trust to produce our ground-breaking research, Broken Ladders: The myth of meritocracy for women of colour in…
Let’s start with the number one myth that impacts most organisations sooner or later: Mental health isn’t a problem for my workforce. Also known as everything is fine, nothing to see here. Unfortunately, the recent data on mental health indicates…
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that health and well-being should be at the forefront of our personal and working lives. Researchers define well-being as a positive state in life where an individual experiences physical, mental, and…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
When we need to make changes in our lives we can sometimes find it difficult to motivate ourselves. This is often because we tend to focus on what we need to do to achieve the desired change rather than on…
Workplaces can be places of both opportunity and risk for mental health. On the one hand, workplaces that promote good mental health and reduce work stress not only enhance mental and physical health but are also likely to reduce absenteeism,…
Heather Lawrence was shocked at the state she found her 90-year-old mother, Violet, in when she visited her in hospital. “The bed was soaked in urine. The continence pad between her legs was also soaked in urine, the door wide…
For people who aren’t paying attention or actively involved, it can seem like cultural change is sudden. One big shift after another. In fact, cultural change always happens relatively slowly. Person by person, conversation by conversation. Expectations are established, roles…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
We get so used to seeing the world from our own point of view that it is easy to forget that how other people see it can be very different. For example, what is routine and straightforward to you can…
As research from the Mental Health Foundation tells us, “loneliness isn’t about the number of friends we have, the time we spend on our own or something that happens when we reach a certain age. Instead, it is a feeling…
Tackling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace toolkit is a free resource. It will help employers create workplaces where women are safe to report incidents of sexual harassment and support employers to respond appropriately – creating environments where sexual harassment does not happen…
The five ways to wellbeing are a set of evidence-based public mental health messages developed by the New Economics Foundation aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole population. What better way to look at the restorative power of…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
If you are not successful at an interview or a promotion panel you may feel so disappointed that you just want to put it behind you. You may feel too ‘raw’ to ask for constructive feedback, but it is well…
In an ever-more connected world, it would be easy to assume that loneliness was on its way out — after all, we now have unlimited opportunity to communicate with almost anyone we want at any time we please. But, in…
And that’s the paradox, because the closer possibility gets to reality, the more it engages with the unforgiving edges of the real world. As we begin to imagine something better, it’s important to have some insulation, room to believe and…
In everyday speech, people may use lots of different words or terms. ‘Street children’ and ‘homeless children’ or homeless youth might be used interchangeably, but there are some differences. Not all children who are homeless end up living in the open on the street. Many…
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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this…
Sometimes the difficulties we face in organizations can seem so deep rooted and so extensive that we can feel there is nothing that can be done about them. A pervasive sense of defeatism and hopelessness can easily set in. This…
Across the country, young people are being manipulated, sexually abused, forced to launder money and deal drugs. Exploitation isn’t obvious. But it happens everywhere. And you can stop it. Get to know the signs of child exploitation and how to…
Too many disabled children are being denied fun and friendship at their local playgrounds because they are not designed for them. Half of families with disabled children face accessibility problems with their local playground. 1 in 10 parents of disabled…
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a sensitive topic. People are afraid to get things wrong or to use the wrong word. It doesn’t help that the words involved are confusing. You have probably encountered these concepts at a…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Many a problem has been caused by someone putting something in writing in a way that led to misunderstanding. What you intended to convey and what is interpreted by the reader can sometimes be very different indeed. For example, what…
Social care staff need to be ready to help people they support and their families to make choices about using technology to stay connected and contribute to their communities, especially while social distancing restrictions are in place. Using technology is…
There are 14 million disabled people in the UK. That’s 1 in 5 of us. Many impairments and conditions are not immediately obvious. That’s why we are supporting ITV to raise awareness of the negative attitudes and social isolation people…
This presents available data and empirical evidence on homelessness, focusing specifically on how it affects people in high-income countries. Homeless people are among the most vulnerable groups in high-income countries. You can read our entry on Extreme Poverty if you…
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There is no room for racism in a civilised society. The recent surge of interest in anti-racism is very much to be welcomed, but we have to guard against oversimplifying some complex and sensitive issues. This book, from the author…
It can feel really good to be comfortable, to be out of danger, with no significant hassles at that particular time. So, it can be very appealing to enter what is often called the ‘comfort zone’. But, ironically, there are…
Right now people are dying without the support they need. Since the start of the pandemic, it is estimated that almost 70,000 people have died at home without access to specialist care. That’s why Hospice UK and Dying Matters have…
Here’s why there has been a surge of searches on Google for neurodiversity – according to Naomi Humber, Head of Mental Wellbeing at Bupa: Neurodiversity is a term that explains the different ways we think, process information, and relate to…
When an entrepreneur gets funded, it’s often difficult for them to start spending money on assets–the old limits fade slowly. What used to be smart is now dumb. What used to too risky is now the safe thing to do….
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In recognition of World Social Work Month, I am making two of my e- courses available free of charge: Promoting Employee Wellness (https://bit.ly/promotingemployeewellness) and How to Lead a Team Under Immense Pressure (https://bit.ly/immensepressure). In addition, I am making my The…
Values are, of course, a key factor when it comes to working with people. Values shape our (and other people’s) thoughts, feelings and actions. However, we have to be careful not to oversimplify the situation in relation to values; we…
Interpersonal conflict and uncivil behaviour, such as bullying and harassment, are remarkably common in the workplace. The persistence of such serious incidents highlights that ‘workplace incivility’ is a major HR issue. Incivility at work has negative consequences for employees, teams…
The map might be correct, but that doesn’t mean it will work. The sign might be legal, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be effective. We’re surrounded by instruction manuals, videos, announcements and all sorts of other forms of…
At Joseph Rowntree Foundation we’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the work we want to do over the next year. We’ll be talking more in due course about the overall programme, but today I want to share some…
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In recognition of World Social Work Month, I am making two of my e- courses available free of charge: Promoting Employee Wellness (https://bit.ly/promotingemployeewellness) and How to Lead a Team Under Immense Pressure (https://bit.ly/immensepressure). In addition, I am making my The…
In many aspects of the people professions we are called upon to assess situations, weigh them up as part of making a decision as to how to deal with them. This is skilful work that can be helped by having…
Experts have welcomed an update to Acas’s bereavement guidance to better reflect the rules around leave entitlements for employees who have lost children or experienced a stillbirth. The new guidance from the government’s arbitration service now outlines the statutory maternity…
Over a third of LGBTQ+ people still feel they have to hide who they are at work. This means they have to watch what they say, what they do, and where they apply. It’s crucial that LGBTQ+ people have the…
On 6 October, the UK Government took £20 a week from the pockets of six million low-income families, cutting their incomes by up to a fifth as the cost of living is set to soar. This was the biggest overnight…
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Spirituality, whether or not rooted in religion, is a core feature of what it means to be human. In this important practice manual, two very experienced writers and educators explain why spirituality and religion should be a fundamental consideration for…
It is important not to feel under pressure to dance to someone else’s tune. For example, something seen as urgent by someone else does not necessarily mean you have to change your own priorities to accommodate it. This does not…
With 2022 now well under way, employers and people teams—90% of them at that—are expanding their efforts to support the mental health of employees. Simultaneously at the individual level, Google’s Year in Search data for 2021 showed searches for mental health are…
Domestic abuse survivors will find it easier to move away from perpetrators under proposals announced by ministers. The plans, which are being put out to consultation, would see the so-called local connection test scrapped. The test can stop victims from…
What is the picture of poverty at the start of 2022, coming up to two years after a global pandemic struck? To an extent the picture is unclear: we don’t yet have official poverty data covering the pandemic period, and…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
Over the years I have come across many decisions that have proven after the event to have been unwise of misguided. There is no single reason for this, but a common theme has been people making decisions without having the…
Procrastination can get to the best of us. Whether we’re avoiding going to bed, failing to study, or trying to avoid a hated task at work, sometimes it just feels easier to put something off than get it out of…
That’s how culture perpetuates injustice and indignity. Because that’s just the way things are around here. But the status quo isn’t permanent. The world doesn’t stay the way it was. It changes. And it’s been changing faster than ever. It…
You have just resumed at a new place of work, and you feel that saying “yes” to every request made to you will make your coworkers like you. You are scared that saying “no” will put you in their bad…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
There are some things that each one of us is responsible for – that is, they are individual responsibilities. I have to do what I have to do and you have to do what you have to do. Some things…
Person-centred care is a way of thinking and doing things that sees the people using health and social services as equal partners in planning, developing and monitoring care to make sure it meets their needs. This means putting people and…
Our global cohort of young voices and faces comprises thought leaders with diverse goals. From bridging the digital divide in education to fighting climate change to championing LGBTQI+ rights and social justice, these young advocates are speaking out and taking…
When the criminal justice system and the courts put a parent in prison, it generates problems for the child(ren), family members, schools and children’s services. But the two arms of the state don’t speak to each other. There is no…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
My Time and Workload Management e-learning course emphasizes that too much work is too much work – that is, everyone has a limit to how much they can get done in a given timeframe. However, some people get themselves into…
The advent of the internet shifted how we socialise. Chat rooms, forums, and eventually social media platforms opened up new ways to both communicate and express ourselves. Online anonymity, for example, allowed us to be whoever we pleased to anyone…
A group of people with lived experience of poverty have enjoyed success in their campaign for their voices and experiences to be included in policy discussions, debates and solutions. Group member Tracey Herrington tells their story. The Poverty2Solutions journey began…
When you’re trying to buy products that don’t contribute towards climate change, words like “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” on packaging can suck you in. You might also be drawn towards big businesses who’ve made headline-grabbing, green pledges. But unfortunately, not all…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
‘More haste less speed’ is a well-known saying and it has more than a grain of truth to it. So many people tend to respond to pressure by rushing, and this is a dangerously counterproductive strategy. When we rush our…
I was sitting in a friend’s study the other day, and noticed that he had hundreds of books I’d never read. Each was written, perhaps over the course of a year (or a decade), by a smart, passionate person with…
Our vision is for a future without the need for food banks. To realise this, we need a benefits system that works for everyone and secure incomes so people can afford the essentials like food and heating. Our policy asks…
The independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is calling for any public inquiry into Covid-19 to examine the impact of the UK’s high poverty levels going into the pandemic on its health and economic impacts. Commenting on the figures, Helen Barnard,…
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Spirituality, whether or not rooted in religion, is a core feature of what it means to be human. In this important practice manual, two very experienced writers and educators explain why spirituality and religion should be a fundamental consideration for…
Our muscles need time to recover form exertion before we exert ourselves further if we are not to strain them. The same applies to our mental and emotional ‘muscles’. If we keep stretching ourselves in our work efforts (and in…
“How Are You?” These are three simple words that used to be easy to ask one another, almost as if we assumed the answer carried no weight at all. But, with each passing month of Covid-19, these words have become…
Research has found significant racial biases when judging the emotions of others. Black people are more likely to be misjudged as angry, for example, and recent research has suggested that even children are victims of this “anger bias”. Black children…
I have been immersed in the world of autism since my son was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Graham had many of the traits of autism from when he was a baby: speech and motor skill delays, sensory sensitivities, anxiety in…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
Some people are morning people and some people are definitely not morning people. We all have our rhythms and routines that mean that we are at our best at certain times of day and far from our best at others….
There are countless ways to make a point. You can clearly demonstrate that you are angry, smart, concerned, stronger, faster or more prepared than the person you’re engaging with. But making a point isn’t the same thing as making a…
We shouldn’t always go first to the state. What kind of society would that be,” health secretary Sajid Javid asked the Conservative party conference this week. “Health and social care begins at home. It should be family first, then community,…
There’s growing evidence of a lack of support for Afghans who’ve arrived in Britain. Organisations supporting them say they fear many will have to live in hotel accommodation for up to a year. Schools have begun trying to help where…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
The idea of the value of learning from our mistakes is well established, but unfortunately many people don’t manage to get the benefit of this. That is because they adopt a defensive approach to mistakes; they see them as things…
Covid-19, and the response to the pandemic, has presented extraordinary challenges to the care sector. New research funded by the Health Foundation and led by researchers at Keele University, however, sheds light on how creativity has played the biggest role…
The first melon of the season always tastes amazing,” says Lucy Mitchell. “I don’t think anyone has ever taken one home – every year, we just cut them into as many slices as there are people in the garden and…
Select from the options … to reveal the information most relevant to your situation. You’ll then receive tailored recommendations outlining the actions you can take to improve inclusion in your organisation. Click here to read more
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
In any project or task we undertake, it can be very easy to get engrossed and lose focus on why we are doing it. If, however, we can make sure we don’t lose sight of the why (the purpose), we…
A global campaign described as a “game-changer” has been launched to improve the lives of more than one billion disabled people by 2030. WeThe15 wants to improve inclusion, raise awareness and end discrimination of disabled people around the world. It…
The easy argument to make is that the thing we have now is better than the new thing that’s on offer. All one has to do is take the thing we have now as a given (ignoring its real costs)…
A Hampshire MP has called for a change in the law that will stop employers from silencing victims of abuse. Ministers have been warned that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) allow companies to ‘cover up’ sexual abuse of staff and other ‘wrongdoing’…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
Physical contact is a very powerful form of communication. It can be powerfully negative – for example, touch used in a threatening or aggressive way or as an invasion of privacy – or powerfully positive as a means of conveying…
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the results of its Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change. The report, which was authored by hundreds of climate scientists and takes into account the results of thousands of peer reviewed articles…
From ball pits to free beers, fun job perks have received plenty of press attention over the last few years. For millennials, such benefits should surely be appealing — they are, after all, the generation these perks were ostensibly designed…
I’m looking at the list of names on the office wall of all the women I support, who are all involved in selling sex on the streets. It’s our weekly team meeting and I brief my colleagues on how the…
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The destructive and dehumanizing effects of racism are quite rightly receiving increased attention. In this short, introductory text, Neil Thompson welcomes this new emphasis but warns against the dangers of oversimplifying complex issues. This is an ideal book for anyone…
How to manage a range of pressures is a challenge that we all face. A very worrying (but sadly not uncommon) scenario is when we allow home and work pressures to combine to overwhelm our coping resources. An alternative strategy…
This article discusses the growing presence of police officers in British schools, under a resurgent police–school partnerships policy agenda in the ‘war on gangs’ and serious youth violence. It argues that while efforts to coordinate law enforcement and education implicate…
Awareness of climate change as a serious global issue has dramatically increased in recent years. As a result, sustainability has risen higher up the agenda for organisations and it has become increasingly important for HR professionals to incorporate sustainability into…
The success of workplace mental health efforts depends not just on offering resources and benefits, but actively engaging workers to understand what’s available and how to access help when they need it. However, leaders often find certain workers are “hard-to-reach,”…
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The destructive and dehumanizing effects of racism are quite rightly receiving increased attention. In this short, introductory text, Neil Thompson welcomes this new emphasis but warns against the dangers of oversimplifying complex issues. This is an ideal book for anyone…
It is now increasingly being appreciated that self-directed learning is the most effective form of learning. That is, if we are able to identify for ourselves what we want or need to learn and how we are going to learn…
As the full scale and implications of the post-pandemic shift to hybrid working are becoming clearer, this new joint Work Foundation and Newcastle University Business School report provides insight into the challenges and opportunities related to remote working for businesses…
A simple but difficult fork in the road for the choices we make. I did the thing that was: expedient easy safe what my boss insisted on generous brave new effective done by everyone else … Click here to read…
Talking to someone new can be daunting, but such conversations “have the power to turn strangers into friends, coffee dates into marriages, and interviews into jobs,” note the authors of a new paper, published in Psychological Science, which has found…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
I have run very many training courses where I have asked the group: ‘How many of you prepare for meetings so that you are better equipped to get the best results from the time you are putting in?’. It is…
The CIPD and Simplyhealth’s Health and Wellbeing at Work report has been sharing trends and insights into workplace wellbeing for more than two decades. Our latest report, surveying more than 650 UK organisations, examines key wellbeing themes – crucially, this…
With an estimated workforce of 1.52 million, the adult social care sector plays a significant role in the UK labour market. Over the years ahead it will need to rapidly expand further to meet growing demand. But the sector faces…
It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you – can improve your mental wellbeing. Some…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
The idea that ‘grief is the price we pay for love’ is a longstanding one. When we love (a person, a thing, a job or whatever) we may make an emotional commitment or investment (‘cathexis’, to use the technical term)….
We’ve learned through the pandemic that listening to employees is even more important during a time of great stress than during normal times. If you think you have a great workplace, or aspire to be a great workplace, then assessing…
All children and young people deserve an education that supports them to thrive. Quality relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) is an important part not only of keeping children and young people safe, but of helping them to lead happy,…
Over the course of the pandemic, many children have been feeling worried and anxious. Mental health services have seen a significant increase in anxiety, depression and the use of unhelpful coping strategies – for instance, using food, self-harm, tantrums and…
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Survive in Social Work is an intensive six-months programme of online learning to help people not only survive, but also to thrive. This potentially life-changing course is at www.SurviveInSocialWork.com Watch a video about the programme at https://youtu.be/QPDCDtri67o
To lose face means to become embarrassed or to feel that your standing has been diminished. Unfortunately, if we are not sensitive enough in our interactions with other people, we can easily unintentionally make them lose face – for example,…
Neil has recently had the privilege to review three new books on anti-racism. The first of these is now available at: https://drneilthompson.medium.com/book-review-outlanders… His own book, Anti-racism for Beginners, will be published soon.
They might be difficult to answer, but your project will benefit: What’s the hard part? Which part of your work, if it suddenly got much better, would have the biggest impact on the outcome you seek? How are you spending…
A report from the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has highlighted the need for more services and support tailored to meet the needs of older people who are experiencing or at risk of abuse to ensure they can access the…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
Some people seem to think that an apology is an admission of guilt or even of negligence and are therefore very careful not to utter the word ‘sorry’. This is very unfortunate, as saying sorry can defuse a tense situation,…
Thrive began as the Society for Horticultural Therapy and Rural Training in Frome in 1979, set up by Chris Underhill, a young horticulturist inspired by his work with people with disabilities and his voluntary service in Africa. Chris was supported…
At Stonewall, we imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be themselves and can live their lives to the full. Inclusive workplaces have a huge part to play in this making this world a reality. But inclusion is not a given….
Possibility has a flipside. We need possibility to do our best work. To believe that it might work. To understand that if we do our best work and bring our full selves to the project, we have a shot at…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumprions and practices. This is an essential guide…
This is one of those tips that sounds so obvious and straightforward and yet is one that is so badly needed, given how often people seem to manage to get themselves into difficulties by either not planning at all or…
Publications and commentary about good practice on equality issues, including sexual harassment, managing older workers, dress codes and neurodiversity. Click here to read more
Before the Budget we set out five tests to judge whether the measures announced would deliver for people living poverty. Our analysis shows that the choices made by the Chancellor on social security, housing, and the economy do not pass…
National Autistic Society, Chief Executive, Caroline Stevens sets out how our charity is adapting to the heavy financial toll of coronavirus. We have had to take some difficult decisions about how and where to spend the funding available, including reshaping…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
Gathering appropriate information to get a helpful picture of the situation we are dealing with is a central part of the role of a wide range of professionals. If we do not have a reasonably clear picture of the circumstances…
As our lives have become busier, desire to do things quickly and efficiently has grown — something the rise of speed reading apps, lack of break-taking at work, and a general focus on “productivity” has shown. Good time management skills,…
Body image is how we think and feel about ourselves physically, and how we believe others see us. When we talk about body image, there are lots of ways we can think about our body and the way we look….
We want carers to know all about this year’s Carers Week and how they can get involved with helping Make Caring Visible and Valued. To help you get the word out, we’ve a range of resources for you to download…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
There is a general expectation that professionals should keep a record of their work. Such records can often be assigned a secondary role and dismissed as relatively unimportant – just the ‘paperwork’. Although this is understandable, we also have to…
Gender stereotypes strike early. From the age of six, children associate traits like ‘intelligence’ with being a boy and ‘niceness’ with being a girl. Gender stereotypes continue to damage children everywhere – and affect their whole life. Young men and…
There is a moment in Martin Luther King’s historic ‘I have a dream’ speech when he turns his attention to the White people who, realising their destiny and that of their Black fellow citizens was intertwined, joined the movement for equal…
Before the pandemic, psychoanalyst Josh Cohen’s patients might come into his consulting room, lie down on the couch and talk about the traffic or the weather, or the rude person on the tube. Now they appear on his computer screen…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
If you are skilful at engaging with people and winning their trust, convincing them that you are a helpful and reliable person there is a danger that they will come to rely on you more and more and bring more…
IMPACT (IMProving Adult Care Together) is the first of its kind in the UK and will bring together 37 agencies across the four countries of the UK including universities, the public and voluntary sectors and has secured £15 million in…
Tolerance is often touted as a progressive value, a way of ensuring that society offers equal opportunities to all. But it can also imply “putting up with” something or someone you fundamentally disagree with or dislike — being tolerated isn’t…
A Dementia Friends Champion is a volunteer who encourages others to make a positive difference to people living with dementia in their community. They do this by giving them information about the personal impact of dementia, and what they can…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
The level of formality at which we speak or write is known technically as the ‘register’. Sometimes it is appropriate to communicate fairly informally (informal register), while at others a more formal register is what is needed. However, some people…
In the next chapter of our work on ending women’s homelessness, Homeless Link is innovatively leading the way as a catalyst for change within the homelessness sector, redressing the issue of homelessness as a gendered phenomenon by building capacity around…
There is the kindness of ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ And the kindness of “I was wrong, I’m sorry.” The small kindnesses that smooth our interactions and help other people feel as though you’re aware of them. These don’t cost us…
On its own, the legal contract of employment offers a limited understanding of the employment relationship, with workers contributing little to its terms after accepting them. In this sense, the psychological contract may be more influential. It describes the perceptions…
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Have you joined the Neil Thompson Academy yet?. There you will find information about Neil’s books, e-learning provision and his other services. Membership is free and gives access to a growing number of free learning resources. Don’t miss out, sign…
In conflict situations it is not uncommon for one or more parties to feel that they are being persecuted, that they are being treated unfairly. This is often due to the conflict concerned revolving around different perceptions of the situation….
Let’s face it, looking back on 2020, there have been very few positives. But could we at least say that we have seen an increase in awareness of race equality? There has certainly been a surge in the sales of…
Conflict is always in the headlines. Whether it’s the leader of KPMG telling hundreds of staff to “stop moaning” about the impact of the pandemic, the chaotic parish council Zoom meeting, which inspired countless memes, or the latest rift at…
There are plenty of ways to measure austerity. Before, during and after the budget this week, voters will hear Rishi Sunak herald the end of tight spending as the government builds a bridge from the pandemic to a glorious recovery….
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
We tend to see failure as the opposite of success. But this simplistic way of viewing failure hides some very complex issues. It is more accurate and realistic to think of failure as part of success. A one hundred per…
The impact that Covid-19 is having on our mental wellbeing – sometimes referred to as the ‘shadow pandemic’ – is clear to see in the numbers: Depression – More people are experiencing some form of depression. Figures from the Office…
The idea that people learn better when taught in a way that matches their specific “learning style” — auditory, kinesthetic, visual or some combination of the three — is widely considered a myth. Research has variously suggested that learners don’t…
Racial injustices and ingrained inequalities are apparent in society and evident in UK workplaces. To address the root causes of racial inequality (racism), employers need to maintain a zero-tolerance approach to workplace discrimination – as is required by the Equality…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
When we experience powerful negative emotions, such as when we are grieving, upset, angry or disappointed, they can dominate our thinking for a while. We find it difficult to push them to the back of our mind and try to…
Runnymede’s projects and publication help build up a body of evidence on a wide range of areas that address key race equality challenges for public policy and public debate. A list of our most recent (since 2015) publications, while in…
Family group conferences (FGCs) have been around in the UK since their introduction by Family Rights Group (FRG) and others in 1992 and they have been increasingly used in recent years for family-led planning in children and families’ social care….
When your team has more good days at work, so do you. And when you’re on top form, your team is more likely to thrive too. But something’s holding many of us back. Stress and poor mental well-being are among…
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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this…
We all see the world in different ways, so my perspective may be different from yours. But what also happens is that people become comfortable with their way of seeing the world and can be reluctant to change it, even…
It can feel like there’s little to be grateful for these days. Many of us are stressed about our health, our finances, and our jobs and these worries can create a vicious downward spiral, impacting our physical and mental health,…
National bereavement charity Sue Ryder and a coalition of MPs, charities, businesses, faith leaders and healthcare professionals are calling on the Government to introduce a minimum of two weeks statutory paid bereavement leave for all UK employees grieving the loss…
The Government has published promising new proposals to change mental health law in England and Wales which could result in fewer autistic people being wrongly sent to mental health hospitals. This is a huge step forward. We and hundreds of…
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Values are at the heart of best practice. This important manual offers a successful blend of theoretical understanding with very helpful practice guidance to enable readers to make sense of the complex but vitally important issues. This is an ideal…
There are some obvious signs of aggression and potential violence, such as reddening of the face, threatening gestures and so on. However, it is important to realize that there are many other, more subtle clues that can alert us to…
The Open University’s free learning site, OpenLearn has launched a new hub page to offer fresh perspectives on race, racism and ethnicity. The Race and Ethnicity Hub will host existing and new content, including articles, videos, audio recordings and courses,…
BCN promotes care issues by engaging with a wide range of influential actors at the national, regional and international level. This includes convening conferences and workshops to share learning on issues such as strengthening national care systems, improving family-based care…
Employees who have suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth are more likely to quit their jobs and suffer from impaired work performance. Pregnancy loss is not just a personal issue, but a workplace issue. With recent celebrity disclosures of pregnancy loss…
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A much-needed resource in these pressurised times. Keeping pressures within manageable limits is a very demanding undertaking in these modern challenging times. This manual provides important practical guidance eon managing pressure and keeping stress at bay. Essential reading for all…
In the previous tip I talked about how distractions can get in the way of effective communication, but in this one I want to look at how distracting someone can be a helpful thing to do in certain circumstances. It…
The Poverty2Solutions journey began over three years ago. Three grassroots organisations led by people with lived experience of poverty (ATD Fourth World, Dole Animators and Thrive Teesside) teamed up with Dr Ruth Patrick from the University of York and graphic…
Standing at my desk this summer, it had just turned 10 am, and I realized that I’d already: Heard from an old friend, engaged with three team members on two continents, read 28 blogs across the spectrum AND found out…
2020 has been a strange year. In many ways, the pandemic has brought us closer together. At the beginning, we stood united. And since the nation was forced into giving home working a try, many of us have been invited…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumprions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Effectiveness in working with people relies to a large extent on being able to communicate successfully, to make a genuine and meaningful connection with the person(s) concerned. Distractions can get in the way of this (for example, a television being…
It is essential that we challenge ageism at every opportunity. However, many older people have told us that they find it difficult to recognise ageism, and are unsure what to do to challenge ageism when they encounter it. That’s why…
Welcome to the Spectrum magazine, one of the UK’s largest collections of autistic art, poetry and prose. Created by autistic people, our content covers all things autism – from articles on ASD and aliens, to everyday reflections of life on…
Employees could be faced with the passing of a colleague, family member, friend or even, someone they provided care for. It could be from a long-term illness, an accident, COVID-19 or perhaps from a sudden and unexpected health condition. For…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
In the people professions we will often come across people who are distressed, agitated or otherwise in a bad place. Often this will result in their being unkind or worse towards others, including ourselves – even though we may be…
International Men’s Day in the UK is on 19 November every year (Thursday this year) – it is celebrated around the world in at least 60 countries. Every year, International Men’s Day in the UK is marked by more and…
After the age of about 75, people tend to feel more anxiety, sadness and loneliness, and less in the way of positive emotion. Strategies to prevent or at least counteract these deteriorations are badly needed, and new research by a…
Black History Month celebrates the enormous contribution Black Britons have made to society. This is an important time to highlight black, asian and minority ethnic (BAME) autistic people’s stories – and the double discrimination so many face trying to get…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
Transactional analysis, or TA for short, is now often seen as old-fashioned, but good ideas have a tendency to endure beyond fashion. TA teaches us that we should aim for interactions with others that are characterized as adult-adult (that is,…
Conversations about race are not always easy, as the writer Reni Eddo-Lodge has recently explored in her brilliant book Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race. But they’re no less necessary for it: not talking about racism…
Domestic abuse can destroy lives, leaving physical and emotional scars. Those experiencing domestic abuse can find themselves isolated from friends and family and lose their independence. It can take many forms, not just physical abuse; it can also be financial,…
We support a nationwide network of food banks and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. In the UK, more than…
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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this…
The idea of cultural sensitivity is now a well-established one, but my experience has taught me that many people do not fully understand the implications of that. For example, many times I have come across people who assume that it…
Small-scale studies in recent years have uncovered a strong appetite from students of all backgrounds for history teaching that reflects a broader range of voices. Now, young campaigners such as The Black Curriculum, Re:rooted and Fill in the Blanks are…
Only by greatly strengthening the prevention of poverty can we start to achieve the wider and stable state of social security required to provide a secure future for children and families. Yet prevention has been so neglected that it has…
100 civil society groups, Windrush survivors and religious organisations have come together to demand safe and legal routes now, in response to the government’s dangerous rhetoric surrounding recent Channel crossings. The fact is that people seeking protection in the UK…
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Social work by its very nature is challenging and demanding work. But, in the current social, economic and political climate, it can prove extraordinarily difficult to keep your head above water. Written by two highly experienced social work professionals, this…
There tends to be a strong emphasis these days on ‘positive thinking’ and optimism. While there is much to be said for the benefits of such an approach, we also need to be aware of some of the dangers associated…
Warmest greetings to One and All. I just wanted to share a few words of gratitude and introduce what I hope will be a helpful resource to your thinking, feeling and practice about the centrality of spirituality in our individual…
If you’re looking for inspiration and practical actions that are good for you and the environment, you’ve come to the right place. We believe that to create positive environmental change at the scale and speed needed, we need to get…
In 2002, whilst working as a volunteer in HMP Channings Wood, Sharon Berry began to realise how difficult it was for imprisoned parents to keep in touch with their children. She helped the Writer in Residence develop the Storybook Dads…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
Harold Garfinkel made a name for himself as a sociologist by changing certain aspects of a social situation and seeing what the consequences would be. In this way, he was able to identify implicit social rules by breaking them. This…
World Alzheimer’s Day takes place on 21 September and is part of World Alzheimer’s Month. This year’s focus is stigma, and we need your help to break the stereotypes and myths that surround a dementia diagnosis. Families affected by dementia…
The issue of drug and alcohol misuse at work has always existed, adversely effecting employees’ health, work performance, conduct, and safety. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working life – and the resulting economic downturn – have heightened many…
A group of young refugees in Leeds (ST4R) have published a booklet that they hope will improve life for young refugees in this country. Young people involved in the project tell us why they created the booklet and what they hope to…
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“Where there are people, there will be problems, but there will also be potential” is a key part of Neil’s work. And that is precisely what this manual is all about – equipping practitioners from various professional disciplines to help…
We live in what seems to be an increasingly consumerist society where helping people seems to be interpreted mainly as giving them some sort of service. We seem to have lost sight of the well-established notion that the best resource…
Dogs Helping Kids is a unique charity with its headquarters based in North Devon, England. We are the only organisation in the country training and assessing dogs purely to work in the school and college environments as both educational and…
There are many reasons to have strong and worthy opinions that need to be voiced, especially as of late. The pandemic has brought about myths that, when propagated, could threaten public health. And a modern civil rights movement is illuminating…
This website presents the often untold stories of the generations of migrants who came to and shaped the British Isles. While it is primarily designed to support teachers and students studying migration to Britain, its aim is to be a…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Most workplaces seem to be very pressurized places these days. One of the dangers of this is that some people respond to pressures in ways that can make the situation worse. For example, it is not uncommon for busy people…
People living on the streets can get help with everyday needs other than housing while they’re homeless and sleeping on the street. This includes, but is not limited to, the following; food, showering and bathing, laundry, advice, healthcare, benefit claims,…
The Fawcett Society are working in partnership with the Runnymede Trust to deliver a project exploring the pay and progression of women of colour.Building on the Government’s Race Disparity Unit’s work and the independent McGregor-Smith Review, we will explore in…
There are fairly good arguments for optimism and pessimism both. Optimists, who see the best in everything, are likely to have a sunnier disposition; pessimists, on the other hand, would argue that their negative expectations never leave them disappointed when…
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A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
The Avenue e-learning course, Successful Time and Workload Management, is based on four rules of time and workload management. One of those rules is: too much work is too much work. That is, if you have too much to do…
Racial injustices and ingrained inequalities are apparent in society and evident in UK workplaces. To address the root causes of racial inequality (racism), employers need to maintain a zero-tolerance approach to workplace discrimination – as is required by the Equality…
To end poverty and hunger in the UK, we need a robust welfare safety net and secure incomes so people can afford at least basic essentials like food and heating. Our policy asks and campaigning are rooted in evidence from…
The government has told councils and other sector bodies “not to prioritise” implementing the replacement for the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards with the previously slated October 2020 go-live date now an impossibility. The government is yet to say when the…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
A key text for challenging ageism and promoting dignified practice. Dr Sue Thompson presents invaluable guidance on how to take care of older people in positive empowering ways that avoid common ageist assumptions and practices. This is an essential guide…
Email communication is a very strong feature of modern working life for a high proportion of people. It can be a very convenient and helpful form of communication, but it can also be highly problematic in a number of ways….
It is anticipated that there will be one million people living with dementia in the UK by 2021. Music is a powerful connector and has the ability to bring people together in the here and now. It can enliven, stimulate…
Respectful, inclusive processes that involve families have value in themselves. Family members need to feel ‘recognised’, in order to be able to participate fully in key decisions. When children are really vulnerable to harm social workers have to work even…
Race hate incidents are acts of violence or hostility against people because of their race and are illegal in criminal law. If these occur in the workplace, they are also unlawful race discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and can…
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
‘I should be able to wear what I want and not be judged’ said one participant on a training course I was running. I agreed with her, particularly the word ‘should’, but I had to point out that people do…
A survey of 2,000 UK consumers by digital health company BioBeats suggests that nearly a quarter (21 percent) of UK employees say that their mental health will be negatively impacted by extending remote working measures post-lockdown. Only 5 percent of…
The realities of Covid-19 means that there are additional challenges for people mourning the death of a colleague due to the lack of access to support from friends, family and colleagues. The British Psychological Society’s Covid-19 bereavement task force has…
One of the great cartoons involves two goldfish in a tank talking to one another. One responds in surprise, “wait, there’s water?” When we don’t see the water, it’s a sign we’re benefitting from being part of the dominant culture….
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An essential resource for practice educators and study supervisors. Helping others to learn is a skilled job. This practical guide offers extensive advice and guidance on how to get the best results, whether in student supervision or any other process…
People commonly talk about what causes a particular behaviour or reaction. However, as it is people we are talking about, it makes more sense to talk about reasons, rather than causes. Human beings exist in a social context that is…
The 50 women for 50 years project aims to share the stories of 50 women from a diverse range of sectors, backgrounds, age and experiences to highlight the ongoing challenges facing women in work, opportunities and pay. Friday 29th May…
In the 10 years he has lived in his house in Wavertree in Liverpool, Greg Schofield is not sure he had ever gone into the alleyway behind his rear garden, an unlovely strip of weed-strewn cobbles where some neighbours kept…
“Without Action for Children, I don’t know where I’d be. Me and my children would have been homeless. But my support worker, she helped us in so many ways. I am so grateful.” Our vision is that every child and…
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The ideal practice guide for every social worker and social work student. Based on Neil Thompson’s extensive experience of bringing theory to life in a practice context, this invaluable manual is an essential guide for all practitioners, from student on…
This distinction comes from the work of Buber, a theologian. I-Thou refers to interactions that are premised on dignity and mutual respect. These can be enriching and humanizing for both parties. I-it interactions, by contrast, are purely instrumental, purely about…
While there is some dispute about how far inequality in Britain has risen or fallen in the past decade, there is increasing recognition that it has significant economic, social and political costs. The Colour of Money, released 27 April 2020,…
Renters across the country are being confronted with an economic struggle like nothing they have ever faced. While we welcome the government’s decisions to temporarily ban evictions and restore Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to cover the bottom third of rents,…
Brenda Madden, 94, sits in an armchair in a care home in Abertillery in south Wales, holding a baby doll that appears to breathe and have a heartbeat. She has advanced dementia and can no longer speak, but looks peaceful…
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This important new book emphasises the sociological aspects of resilience. It challenges the idea that resilience is purely a psychological phenomenon by exploring the wide range of social factors involved. Available for purchase here
This is not literally about fighting. It is about recognizing when it is not appropriate to deal with a situation here and now. When there are concerns that need to be addressed or conflicts that need to be worked through,…
Crossing the digital divide is essential to ensuring that the response to COVID-19 includes us all, say the Addressing Poverty with Lived Experience (APLE) Collective. For the APLE Collective, digital exclusion means exclusion from voice, from an ability to participate…
When people stand at their door to clap every Thursday evening, they might be applauding NHS staff or social care workers. But how many are thinking about the country’s army of unpaid carers? For the past eight years, my brother…
Join The Equality Trust for this interactive conference, bringing together a range of speakers to share their insights and explore how we can get organised to finally win equal pay during this challenging period. Women, particularly those in low-paid work…
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This important new book emphasises the sociological aspects of resilience. It challenges the idea that resilience is purely a psychological phenomenon by exploring the wide range of social factors involved. Available for purchase here
Often confusion arises because there is a lack of clarity about who is responsible for what. The more pressurized the situation is, the more likely this problem is to occur. This confusion can breed anxiety and that anxiety, in turn,…
Let me start by telling you a secret, you can’t tell my boss though. When I first got a job at The Equality Trust I didn’t really know what inequality was. This is probably partly down to my privilege, but…
Ted has been buoyant since the first day of lockdown. He is retired and lives in a village near Salisbury with his wife. They are financially secure and “continue to enjoy good health and have all we need at home”….
Every year, our Bright Spots research programme works with local authorities across the country to understand the experience of their children in care and care leavers and explore ways in which their experiences can be improved. In one of our…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This important new book emphasises the sociological aspects of resilience. It challenges the idea that resilience is purely a psychological phenomenon by exploring the wide range of social factors involved. Available for purchase here
Email has proven to be a very effective communication tool, saving a great deal of time, money and effort compared with the pre-email days. However, email has also brought problems, not least the well-documented ‘flame wars’ where miscommunication upon miscommunication…
As leaders looks for new ways to improve workplace well-being while reducing stress and burnout, a relatively new concept has emerged: job crafting, a strategy that gives employees the chance to design their roles for a more meaningful experience of…
Race equality and migrant rights organisations call for independent review into institutional racism in the Home Office. Following the publication of the Windrush Lessons Learned Review, 15 race equality and migrant rights organisations (full list below) have today called for…
Panic loves company. And yet calm is our practical, efficient, rational alternative. If you’re on a crowded plane and one person is freaking out about turbulence, the panic will eventually peter out. If, on the other hand, six people are…
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This important new book emphasises the sociological aspects of resilience. It challenges the idea that resilience is purely a psychological phenomenon by exploring the wide range of social factors involved. Available for purchase here
Saying please and thank you is a basic part of what we are taught as children. But saying thank you is more than just good manners. It is a way of showing appreciation and of cementing cooperative working relations. While…
Try as he might, David Cameron was unable to get his idea of a “big society” to gain traction – perhaps because, as he was told at the time, top-down initiatives are less likely to take off, especially if they…
We are all facing challenges on a scale that would have been unimaginable only a few months ago. All over the country, people frightened for the health of their loved ones are also worrying how they will pay their rent,…
With most people spending many hours at home, photographers are having to find new ways to express their creativity. And with fewer aircraft in the skies, those who venture out at night to photograph the heavens no longer have to…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
Anger is a powerful emotion, and one that no one is immune to. The physiological effect it has on us can be a strong spur to action, and so the temptation to respond there and then can be an intensely…
Do you find it hard to speak to people when you feel passionately they are wrong? Whether it’s a row over giving up meat to save the planet or simply whose turn it is to wash up, such conversations can…
Active Lives, Healthy Minds is a three year (June 2016-2019) refugee-led mental health and wellbeing project in West London run by Race on the Agenda (ROTA) in partnership with Account Trust (Nepali community organisation), Network of Eritrean Women UK, Qoys…
The Centre for Welfare Reform was formed in 2009 to help create a world where everyone can be an equal citizen. The Centre is a citizen think tank. We are not funded by big business or government. We exist because…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
When people come to us for help or reach the last straw when it becomes clear that they cannot continue without help, it can be very helpful to ask: Why here? Why now? In other words, it pays to be…
Bibliotherapy – the prescription of books as a remedy to ills – has been around since 2013, when the Reading Agency charity published a list of books that GPs could offer to patients, tackling topics from depression to dementia to…
How much free time do you have lately? Did that question just make you laugh out loud? These days, we are pulled in so many directions and we have so many demands placed on our personal and professional lives that…
It is not just at the beginning of a new year that people promise themselves to do better. I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. But there are always times during the year when I think about something I just said…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
When I worked with students on a full-time basis, I would suggest that, once they went out into the big wide world as qualified professionals, they should make sure that they continued to learn and develop. In particular, I would…
Over the years, organizations have sought to address, bias, discrimination and racism in the workplace by implementing a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives with goals to address and fix these issues in order to make their organization’s more…
You know that you need to be creative to solve complex problems, support innovation and make progress. A lot of tasks, however, cause you to put too much on your plate and you have little time. Therefore, you need to be…
Pub banter and social media posts could be classed as workplace harassment, the UK’s equality watchdog has warned. New guidance setting out steps for preventing harassment and victimisation in the workplace has been issued by the Equality and Human Rights…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
I regularly run courses on which, despite having been given handouts with space for notes about each part of the course, a high proportion of the participants will not write down a single word. Perhaps they all have photographic memories…
Carrie thought she was ready to go back to work four weeks after the death of Siobhán, the daughter she and her husband lost to brain cancer at seven months old. But, in reality, she wasn’t. “I really struggled to…
Our latest research on conflict management examines the current state of working relationships in UK organisations. The report draws on the views and experiences of employers and employees, gathered from surveys and focus groups conducted by YouGov. The findings draw…
A collection of poems and drawings by parents and children affected by imprisonment in the UK and abroad. The poems and images are all original and from open competitions begun in 2018. They address the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
Routines can be very helpful, as they enable us to deal with straightforward matters quickly, easily and efficiently. However, there are two potential problems with this. One is the danger of ‘routinization’, which is what happens when we overgeneralize and…
Only 1 in 6 autistic people are in full-time employment and this needs to change. With small adjustments and better understanding, we can make it easier for autistic people to put their talents to good use and thrive at work….
Do you have a passion for race equality and want to write about it? Why not write for Britain’s number one race equality thinktank? We promote our blog content on social media and by email to our extensive UK-wide network….
More than three-quarters of adult social services directors are not fully confident they can deliver the new system for authorising deprivations of liberty due to come into force next year, a survey has found. Eighty two per cent of directors…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
I often encounter situations on training courses where people say things like: ‘We can’t do that; the form won’t let us’. Of course, forms are a way of recording and collating information and therefore have an important part to play….
Over the past decade, the narrative around inequality has changed dramatically. Inequality is now widely accepted as one of the – if not the – biggest issue of the 21st century. Think tanks and charities produce endless research and reports on inequality…
Britain is one of the most age-segregated countries in the world with divisions between generations increasing over the last decade, according to a report. The report by United for All Ages, a social enterprise that works to bring together old and…
he menopause is a natural stage of life for women, usually in their late forties/early fifties. It can also happen earlier or later. For many women symptoms last about four years, but in some cases can last longer – up…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
‘I don’t have enough time’ is a commonly heard claim in busy workplaces, and there is certainly a great deal of evidence to show that time pressures are very significant for a high proportion of people these days. However, what…
By recognising symptoms and demonstrating understanding to someone who may be having problems, you can help improve the everyday lives of people living with dementia. This booklet gives an introduction to dementia and how it can affect people. Easy-to-follow tips outline the…
A recent conversation with a 67-year-old friend who found herself unexpectedly retired by a job elimination brought home a grief we often fail to acknowledge: the loss of our work friends. “I used to talk to these people several times…
Experts and international institutions now recognise that inequality must be tackled. And every government has pledged to reduce inequality within and between countries. But in practice not much progress is happening and in many countries we are even going backwards….
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
‘Facticity’ is the technical term for the things we cannot change, the things that are beyond our control. There will always be such things, and we have to get used to that. Some people have a problem because they tend…
The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (ACGB) has launched the world’s first app specifically designed to support bereaved individuals and their family and friends. The free MyGrief App, which is being rolled out in Australia, the US and the…
Social Farms & Gardens was formed by the merger of two long established membership-based charities, the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and Care Farming UK. Together, we have a combined history of over 60 years’ experience in advocacy, lobbying, membership…
I sometimes introduce myself as a “professional African American” when I travel the country to give ally skills workshops — often while looking out at a sea of white faces. It’s a joke, of course, but the point is serious….
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
Conflict can range from mild disagreement to violent confrontation, and, especially in its stronger forms, can be extremely destructive. However, it would be a significant mistake not to recognize that, in the right circumstances and if handled skilfully and confidently,…
The Human Library is, in the true sense of the word, a library of people. We host events where readers can borrow human beings serving as open books and have conversations they would not normally have access to. Every human…
The World Health Organization describes the relationship between work, health and productivity as a virtuous cycle, where “improved conditions at work will lead to a healthier workforce, which will lead to improved productivity, and hence the opportunity to create a…
Too many people are falling through gaps in service provision in the UK today. Many have no choice but to sleep rough and resort to food banks. Given the growing awareness that poverty is multidimensional, it is crucial to ask…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
When it comes to working with people and their problems get the pace right is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do, but do it we must. That is because if we are going to slowly we may…
Right now, there is no major memorial in England to commemorate the victims of the Transatlantic Slave trade. These are millions of people who were brought over from Africa in ships and kept as slaves. Many of them built Britain, but…
The 2020 Death, Grief and Bereavement Conference will be taking place at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, USA, between May 31st and June 3rd. The conference theme will be ambiguous loss. There is no great urgency for registration as…
Today, half of workers say they engage in unhealthy behaviors to cope with workplace stress. Two-thirds report that workplace issues negatively affect their sleep. Two-thirds also feel it is safer to remain silent about workplace stress than to speak openly…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
This book, by highly respected author, educator and adviser, Neil Thompson, offers a much more grounded approach to the complex issues involved. Part One provides a clear and helpful overview of key issues relating to promoting well-being – our own…
We don’t get a second chance when it comes to first impressions, and yet sadly many organizations pay relatively little attention to how people are greeted when they have their first contact with the organization concerned. If we want to…
Every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide. Join us, on 10 October, in “40 seconds of action” to raise awareness of the scale of suicide around the world and the role that each of us can play to…
Homelessness is a “major issue” employers must get to grips with, experts have warned, as government figures revealed that more than a quarter of those who are homeless or facing homelessness are in work. Of 263,720 households in England given…
When we sat down to discuss the long list of potential themes and issues we could consider as part of this year’s magazine. We soon realised that for some time now since Black History Month started in the UK in…
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Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
Stereotyping can be seen as a very real danger when you consider how often we are fed inaccurate, distorted and oversimplified stereotypes by the media. There is therefore a very strong need to be ‘stereotype aware’ and try to makes…
Volunteers are being urged to do their bit to stop the climate emergency by grabbing a spade and signing up for the biggest mass tree-planting campaign in the UK’s history. Plots in suitable sites around the country are being prepared…
Since 2017, Runnymede has been collaborating with the Centre for Labour and Social Studies to research race and class inequality in the UK and foreground a new way of talking about these issues so that: – we build solidarity across struggles, sectors…
One year on from winning in the housing category at the Guardian Public Services Awards 2018, Heart and Home’s award is still proudly displayed in the office for everyone to see. “I can’t believe it’s been a whole year! I don’t…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
Listening, of course, is more than just hearing. It is about paying attention to someone in a way that creates a genuine human connection. Sometimes that connection is enough to enable the person concerned to feel stronger, more confident and…
Too often, women remain treated as a homogenous group by researchers and policymakers, with the assumption of a single female experience. However, this one size-fits all approach means there are, in effect, millions of invisible women, who are not being…
Whatever you want to plant, whether it’s one tree in your garden or a whole wood, we can help. Every sapling that we provide is UK sourced and grown to minimise the risk of importing and spreading tree pests and…
The biggest waste of time and source of stress in the workplace is chasing our to-do lists. How often have you found yourself chasing after 14 different tasks that keep scurrying down 25 rabbit holes? Every day, most likely. (It’s…
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
Many people confuse sympathy (sharing the same feelings as someone else) and empathy (being able to recognize someone else’s feelings and being able to respond appropriately, but without necessarily having those feelings ourselves), while others settle for apathy, in a…
More than half of all harassment in German workplaces goes unreported due to fear of repercussions and being disadvantaged against in career progression, according to a report published last year by the Forsa Institut. This 56% includes incidents involving sexual harassment, discrimination…
The G7 leaders have been told to get rid of discriminatory gender laws that still exist on their statute books and begin enshrining equal rights in the legal system. All G7 countries, including the UK, still have discriminatory laws on their statute…
Resources to help educate children and young people (ages 5-25) about dementia and support social action in your local community. Click here to read more
Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
In working with people emotions are never very far away. Being able to tune in to other people’s emotions, to be aware of our own and get the balance of head and heart right is often referred to as ‘emotional…
Skills are vital in enabling individuals and countries to thrive in an increasingly complex, interconnected and rapidly changing world. Countries in which people develop strong skills, learn throughout their lives, and use their skills fully and effectively at work…
(Unless they want to) Humans are unique in their ability to willingly change. We can change our attitude, our appearance and our skillset. But only when we want to. The hard part, then, isn’t the changing it. It’s the wanting…
Over the past decade, the narrative around inequality has changed dramatically. Inequality is now widely accepted as one of the – if not the – biggest issue of the 21st century. Think tanks and charities produce endless research and reports on inequality…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
This is a mistake I made many times early in my career: making a suggestion or proposal, having no one object to it and then assuming that the lack of explicit objection constituted agreement to what I had put forward….
User-led groups met this week to discuss how to turn back the tide of closures of organisations run and controlled by disabled people and service-users. Research shows the number of user-led groups continuing to fall, due to austerity cuts and…
We have been working with the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) to assess whether local government is working well for women. Our year-long Commission is jointly chaired by Labour’s Dame Margaret Hodge MP and Conservative councillor Cllr Gillian Keegan, Director of Women2Win. Funded by the Barrow Cadbury Trust,…
Parish Hirasaki was not planning on being a scientist. At least, not when she first got to Duke University. “I was sent off to college to find a husband,” Hirasaki says. “And to get a teaching degree so if god…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
It is not uncommon for us to find ourselves in situations where we are wondering: ‘Why is so and so being so awkward?’. In such circumstances we tend to focus on their behaviour or attitude, but this can be misleading….
Frank and Mary loved each other’s company. They would sit together and hold hands. Both had dementia and were living in a care home. Their closeness made them happy and their families were delighted. Mary wasn’t bothered when Frank called…
More disabled people than ever before are choosing self-employment, but are being let down by poor support from government, according to new research from IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed) and the Community trade union. The study, Making…
Derwenthorpe is being developed by the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust (JRHT) as an urban extension of more than 500 homes on the outskirts of York, England. This research finds that mainstream housing developers can successfully deliver sustainable homes and communities…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Stress is increasingly being recognized as a serious problem in the modern workplace. In this practice manual, Neil Thompson uses his decades of experience of helping people tackle stress to provide a clear and helpful guide to the key issues…
From time to time we find ourselves in situations where we are find it difficult to comprehend what has happened – times of loss, crisis or sudden change, for example. It is as if our head knows, but our heart…
A million people in the UK are expected to be living with dementia by 2025. While there is no cure, there’s growing evidence that music can help ameliorate symptoms such as depression and agitation, writes Kelly Oakes – and also…
“At the end of the day, I’d rather be excluded for who I include than be included for who I exclude.”—Eston Williams, Reverend This month is LGBTQ Pride, a time to commemorate The Stonewall riots in June 1969. While much…
Being a leader means being more than someone who manages people. Effective leaders play a critical role in the success of an organisation and become positive role models of behaviour. Acas is committed to helping organisations work better and has…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
Communication goes awry quite regularly, which is not surprising when you think about how much of it we do in any given day. One common way in which communication breaks down is when what is said (or written) does not…
At JRF, we want to inspire action and change to solve UK poverty, but we know there’s a lot of work to do if more people are to understand it and call more loudly for solutions. To help with this…
Paul Williams, who has a mild learning disability, was a champion runner in his youth. After many years in institutional care, however, he rarely mentioned his athletic past. But staff at the south Londoner’s sheltered housing scheme encouraged him to…
Neurodiversity refers to the different ways the brain can work and interpret information. It highlights that people naturally think about things differently. We have different interests and motivations, and are naturally better at some things and poorer at others. Most…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
A question I have asked many individuals in one-to-one discussions and groups of people I have been working with has been: Are you living your life or is your life living you? This is not just playing with words; it…
Professors Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson explore the theories in their most recent publication, The Inner Level. This video is aimed at activists, individuals and groups speaking publicly or delivering a presentation on the impact of inequality for individuals and…
Five Things is a collection of the five things our collaborators want you to know about life, death and everything in between. Over the next few months, we’ll be covering illness, dying, death, funerals, grief, heartache, adversity and many other…
There’s the forever of discomfort. Sasha Dichter taught us about this. The feeling we get during a temporary situation that feels like it’s going to last forever. It’s one thing to tolerate a bumpy landing on an airplane, because you know it’ll…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
I have many years’ experience of working with people struggling with anxiety, depression, self-doubt and related emotional challenges. In general, most of them would be thinking that there was something wrong with them, that they were deficient in some way,…
Inequality will remain entrenched “from birth to work” unless the government takes urgent action, the Social Mobility Commission has warned. Its State of the Nation report covering England, Scotland and Wales, said the situation had remained “virtually stagnant” since 2014. It is…
Alzheimer’s Society’s research shows that many people are worried about ‘saying the wrong thing’ to people living with dementia. And despite almost all of us knowing someone affected, two-thirds of people living with dementia report feeling isolated and lonely. That’s…
“I couldn’t be representing my country and not turning my life around at the same time,” said former heroin addict Dee Sansome. The 38-year-old, who has been in prison and ended up on the streets for four years, reckons being…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
Something I was taught at an early age that has stood me in good stead is the idea that, if you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t expect other people to believe in you. But, there’s more to it than…
The truth is that no one wants to foot the bill for long-term care in an ageing society. A mere handful of nations have grasped the nettle and set about comprehensively redesigning the way they deliver and pay for care. Germany and Japan are…
Grief is a difficult subject to deal with at the best of times, but how should companies handle employees who are grieving at work? In 2017, a devastating incident occurred in Portland, Oregon, leaving two men dead. Stephanie Blakey, a senior…
The received wisdom is that adults and carers are experiencing significant unmet care and support needs, and more resources are needed to address the problem. In England, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) says so, and figures produced by Age…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
A common theme in the psychology literature is the distinction between introverts and extroverts. The former tend to prefer their own company and see social interaction as a necessary evil, rather than something to be enjoyed. The latter, by contrast,…
Parents and grandparents around the world are mobilising in support of the youth strikes for climate movement that has swept the globe. Under the banner Parents for the Future, 34 groups from 16 countries on four continents have issued an open…
Two big questions currently dominate policy thinking on the world of work. The first asks how we can make our organisations more productive, and the second asks how we can improve the quality of working lives. Of course, a huge…
There’s a common safe place: Being busy. We’re supposed to give you a pass because you were full on, all day. Frantically moving from one thing to the other, never pausing to catch your breath, and now you’re exhausted. No…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
If you cast your mind back to science lessons at school, you will probably remember learning about leverage. That is, you will have learned that a pivot or fulcrum can enable us greater lifting power – it gives us leverage….
When your day gets made, how long does it last? A made day–is that different from a normal day? Perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a made hour or, if we’re going to be quite truthful, a…
Neurodiversity refers to the different ways the brain can work and interpret information. It highlights that people naturally think about things differently. We have different interests and motivations, and are naturally better at some things and poorer at others. Most…
A few weeks ago, I decided to have a clear-out. There were several years’ worth of clutter best assigned to the rubbish, but among the old birthday cards and assorted keyrings, one box stood out: it was full of letters…
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In recognition of World Social Work Day this week, Neil is publishing an e-book entitled What Use is Theory: Just Get on with the Job. It can be downloaded free of charge from here He has also added a video…
There will often be times when it is wise to take a backseat, to keep your head down and not get involved. Some situations are best avoided, as the hassle of getting involved far outweighs any potential benefits. But, there…
A doctor in California told a patient he was going to die, using a robot with a video-link screen. Ernest Quintana, 78, was at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Fremont when a doctor – appearing on the robot’s screen –…
Every day more and more children are coming into care, who need a loving and safe home to call their own. Unfortunately, Local Authorities tell us they are struggling to find people who can offer their children this opportunity. We’re…
Bereavement “first aiders” should be trained by employers to help people in the workplace who are struggling with grief, a charity has said. Research by Sue Ryder, which provides palliative, neurological and bereavement assistance, suggests the majority of UK adults are…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
Strange though it may sound, good enough sometimes isn’t good enough. Very often people are so busy that they will settle for getting things done to just about an acceptable standard and then start to focus on the next task,…
Lesbian, gay, bi and trans people bring value to organisations by providing a different set of experiences and perspectives. We help hundreds of organisations recognise the benefits of these perspectives for all employees, service users and members of the community. Click here to read more
Getting the right support for mental health issues is absolutely vital for autistic people. Autism is not a mental health condition, but many autistic people develop separate mental health problems. Often this can stem from a lack of appropriate support,…
More than 90% of the UK’s population believe assisted dying should be legalised for those suffering from terminal illnesses, according to an opinion poll that shows growing support for change to the law. A survey carried out by the campaign…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Are you involved in student supervision or other ways of helping people learn? If so, Neil Thompson’s The Learning from Practice Manual is for you. Neil has been involved in supporting practice learning for over four decades. This hands-on manual of practice…
When two or more people come into contact with one another there is already a set of expectations, social rules about how to relate to other people. These are part of culture. In addition, there are sets of expectations that…
Thinking about the future is an important aspect of person-centred planning, which should aim to build on the person’s strengths and skills, and help them consider what they want most in life as they get older. This quick guide will…
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) has launched new guidance on age discrimination and employer obligations. Treating someone unfairly because of their age is against the law (apart from in very limited circumstances). Age is one of nine features known…
The Choir with No Name runs choirs for homeless and marginalised people. We’re a diverse bunch of folks; all genders, all colours, all ages – everyone is welcome. We sing pop, rock, soul, gospel, reggae, musicals… you name it, we’ll give…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Not sure what the Avenue Professional Development Programme online learning community is all about? Watch this two-minute video to find out. Based on principles of self-directed learning, this programme is geared towards developing reflective practice. It works by bringing together…
This is for a variety of reasons. First, rushing means that we are much more likely to make mistakes – and, at times, those mistakes can have major consequences. Consider, for example, when you have made a mistake or you…
The number of people sleeping rough in the UK has multiplied since 2010. But in Finland’s capital Helsinki rough sleeping has been almost eradicated thanks to a groundbreaking scheme. What can cities in the UK learn from the Finns? Emerging…
I’m hiding in the restroom. It is peaceful here. I’m by myself. My shift just started and I know my patients need me – I’m supposed to be there to protect them. But, who’s protecting me from the attack I…
Here you’ll find advice for autistic people on looking for a job, as well as information for autistic people in work. If you’re a job seeker, read about disclosing your autism diagnosis and get a handbook covering preparing for work…
Please click on the relevant link below Facebook page Facebook Social Work Focus group LinkedIn Twitter YouTube channel Neil’s website The humansolutions website Information about Neil’s online learning community, the Avenue Professional Development Programme
Not sure what the Avenue Professional Development Programme online learning community is all about? Watch this two-minute video to find out. Based on principles of self-directed learning, this programme is geared towards developing reflective practice. It works by bringing together…
‘I couldn’t help it’, ‘I had no choice’ and ‘It wasn’t my fault’ are commonly heard comments, but how often are they actually true? How often are we unaware of the choices we have been making or are actually trying…
For years, the mantra in public services has been that patient participation and user involvement are key, and that service providers should listen to what their customers want. Here lies the route towards empowerment and cost-effectiveness. A whole literature and…
Homelessness can force people into isolation, which affects their ability to share, communicate, and work with others. When a person who is homeless gets involved in football, they build relationships; they become teammates who learn to trust and share. They…
Having high levels of emotional intelligence has been linked with improved wellbeing and resilience. With this in mind, L&D teams have an important role to play in developing collective resilience among employees through times of high pressure and disruption.Greater individuality,…
When Jessie Williams was 30, she went on maternity leave and gave birth to her first baby. But things didn’t go as planned. “My baby died during labour,” Jessie says. “It was an unexpected event and it happened two weeks…
Palgrave have kindly extended the special offer of a 25% discount on the books Neil published with them. It was due to come to an end on December 31st, but has now been extended to January 20th. Click here and…
I didn’t like to say’ is a comment commonly heard when it emerges that somebody has faced a difficult situation, but preferred not to address it. For example, imagine Person A is stereotyping Person B, but Person B feels uncomfortable…
One of the more pleasing workplace related trends of recent years is the growing acceptance of discussions around mental health. Indeed, the Thriving at Work study highlights the scale of the challenge, with 15% of people typically having mental health issues at…
United for All Ages is running five free regional workshops in the spring of 2019 to encourage more childcare and eldercare providers to bring generations together in activities and experiences. The workshops will provide interactive and practical tips on…
By early afternoon on the first Friday of 2019, the average FTSE100 CEO will have already been paid what it will take a typical UK worker all year to earn Friday 4 January 2019 is “Fat Cat” Friday. In just…
Leaders in the workplace have to wear several hats and perform a lot of procedural and cultural functions. Maybe one of the most critical, as well as the most difficult to master, is conflict resolution. You won’t like hearing this,…
Following the success of The Social Worker’s Practice Manual, we are pleased to announce the publication of two further manuals: The Learning from Practice Manual by Neil Thompson and The Care of Older People Practice Manual by Dr Sue Thompson….
Having a to do list is a long-established and very wise idea. It is so very easy to forget about something that you need to do. Important things can slip away if we have not made a note of them….
Stonewall, Britain’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, published a recent report revealing worrying trends in discrimination throughout the workplaces of Britain. The research, which was made public in April 2018, showed that “more than a third…
You’ve probably noticed that it’s hard to be motivated all the time. No matter what you are working on, there are bound to be days when you don’t feel like showing up. There will be workouts that you don’t feel…
The UK is the world’s fifth largest economy, it contains many areas of immense wealth, its capital is a leading centre of global finance, its entrepreneurs are innovative and agile, and despite the current political turmoil, it has a system…
This report looks at employers’ use of PM systems in different operational contexts. The purpose of different PM systems and the values underpinning them are explored, as are their various components and the design and implementation issues being encountered. An…
Neil Thompson is a highly respected writer and developer of online learning resources, with over 40 years’ experience in the people professions. His titles are firm favourites on the Red Globe Press Social Work list: from the popular guide to…
Sayings can be very useful ways of briefly capturing important elements of wisdom. For example, the idea of ‘better safe than sorry’ has no doubt helped many people to avoid making rash decisions or launching into situations unprepared. So, they…
Some of Britain’s biggest employers are pressing the government to honour a promise to give mental health the same status as physical health at work. Royal Mail and WH Smith are among the companies asking the PM to follow through…
A Co Down student has caused a bit of a stir in the House of Commons with a rousing speech about homelessness. Cormac Savage, 15, was elected to the Youth Parliament in March and was selected to represent Northern Ireland in the…
Perhaps it’s time to do something else. Not a new job, or a new city, but perhaps a different story. A story about possibility and sufficiency. A story about connection and trust. A story about for and with, instead of at or to. Bootstrapping your way…
Human rights are the fundamental rights and freedoms that belong to every single one of us, anywhere in the world. Human rights apply no matter where you are from, what you believe in, or how you choose to live your…
Neil Thompson is a highly respected writer and developer of online learning resources, with over 40 years’ experience in the people professions. His titles are firm favourites on the Red Globe Press Social Work list: from the popular guide to…
As human beings we are very effective information processors. Our senses are exposed to a huge amount of data every minute we are awake. If you don’t believe me, just look around the room that you are in. Look at…
We’re drowning in email. And the many hours we spend on it are generating ever more work for our friends and colleagues. We can reverse this spiral only by mutual agreement. Hence this Email Charter … Click here to read…
When somebody becomes terminally ill and begins to approach the end of their life, they are likely to need various forms of care and help. They may also have aspirations and hopes for the time they have left. It can…
Mental wellbeing at work is now top of the HR agenda in many private and public organisations, with the Office of National Statistics highlighting that stress, anxiety and depression is costing the UK economy 15.2 million sick days, with presenteeism (workers…
Why? It’s a question all of us should ask ourselves. Why do we do what we do? In particular, why do we do the work that, for many of us, occupies most of our waking hours for our entire adult…
Other books by Neil are available from here
Perhaps in an ideal world things would never go wrong. But, of course, we don’t live in an ideal world, and things will inevitably go wrong from time to time for each and every one of us. We can do…
Aspirations are often suggested as an explanation for childrens’ outcomes. This report, on the occupational aspirations of children, jointly published with the Centre for Longitudinal Studies, provides evidence on career aspirations among boys and girls of different ethnic groups, using the…
Fewer than 1% of our population works hard to divide us. To pit people against one another for their selfish aims. These are the pundits, divisive politicians, media companies and short-term trolls who have decided that schisms and fights are…
Social work employers and educators must do more to ensure practitioners are supported in handling emotional distress, according to sector leaders. Speaking at Community Care Live on the issue last week, Paul Angeli, assistant director of children’s social care and…
The CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, and Mind, the mental health charity, have today jointly published a revised mental health guide for managers to improve support for those experiencing stress and mental health issues at work….
Other books by Neil are available from here
The word ‘cynic’ comes from the Greek word for dog, so to be cynical literally means to be dog like, in the sense of not caring, of being happy to let the world pass you by. It involves not making…
This is the second annual Richard Wilkinson Lecture and will be delivered by Professor Kate Pickett. Entitled “Failing the Future: Childhood in an Unequal World” this will be an unmissable event for those interested in understanding the effects of inequality…
A quality job. What’s not to like? But what do we mean by ‘quality’ and how can we measure it appropriately so it can be improved? The CIPD has conducted a detailed and extensive survey of approximately 6,000 workers across…
An article I wrote for The Globe and Mail on ageism in businessclearly struck a nerve. At the age of 52, I could feel, hear and witness the discrimination. The response to the article was overwhelming. Ageism is not a new…
The number of people aged 85 and over needing 24-hour care is set to double, says a new study, as an expert warns the care system is “at breaking point”. The study, published in the Lancet Public Health journal, analysed…
Other books by Neil are available from here
Throughout my career I have come across people time and time again who are unhappy about one or more aspects of their lives who, when I ask them what they are doing to address those issues, respond with a shrug…
Anyone who pretends that emotional intelligence is a ‘soft’ skill has never managed a bullying claim, told an employee that their position is redundant, or been involved in an industrial negotiation. Many management tasks that are essential in today’s workplace…
Joan Jackson, 84, was admitted to Southampton general hospital earlier this month with acute stomach pains. She was diagnosed with gallstones and a liver problem. Three days later she had an operation to remove the blockage. Jackson, who has no family, says…
Employee Benefits Live, Europe’s largest two-day event for benefits and reward professionals, is partnering with mental health charity Mind for its 2018 event at ExCeL London on Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 October 2018. The charity will host the event’s…
In the first of a two-part podcast, our guests Dr. Heather Larkin and Amanda Aykanian discuss strategies designed to strengthen homeless services and empower the social work profession to assume a lead role in ending homelessness. They describe the National…
Other books by Neil are available from here
f life never changed, if everything was the same over and over again, we would be very unhappy, bored and far from contented. Same old same old is not a recipe for a life well lived. However, if everything was…
All leaders could benefit from asking questions rather than offering answers, says Tracy Kite As leaders, we want people who come to work, with maturity and awareness, responsibility and accountability. We also want them to be able to make decisions…
Have you ever set out with the goal of actually sticking to a new behavior … only to find yourself not doing it at all one week later? I know I have. Why is it so hard to form good habits?…
Unable to see the world around him, Amit Patel fitted his guide dog with a camera and set about recording evidence of the discrimination he faced but could not see. “The city is a scary place. It’s like someone put…
A dedicated charity worker who plays a vital role in keeping vulnerable children safe from trafficking and exploitation has been honoured by North Wales’s policing chief. Sian Humphreys, who works for Barnardo’s as an independent child trafficking advocate for Wales,…
Other books by Neil are available from here
What I mean by hassle is anything that causes annoyance, slows us down or in any way reduces our quality of life. And, by an audit, I mean a means of weighing up the hassles we face, considering the impact…
You’re worth nothing,” Colin’s stepfather used to tell him as a child. Even now, sleeping rough on the streets of Manchester, the words haunt him; as a child he started believing it himself, and is still racked with self-doubt. It’s easier…
Here’s a simple hierarchy: The self-driving car Cruise control Manual driving Hitchhiking Bicycling Walking The arc? As you move down the list, it gets harder and harder to coast. It moves from “set it once and forget it” to “one…
Autistic people can get overloaded by everything around them. It’s like all the senses are firing, all at once. Like there’s no filter. Like they’re getting too much information. The latest film in our Too Much Information campaign focuses on the impact unexpected changes…
Workplace conversations happen all the time of course, but “good” conversation – talking that makes change happen or calms conflict – is a real skill that often needs to be learned. As one NHS trust found, equipping managers with better…
Other books by Neil are available from here
It is commonly assumed that the more experience a person has, the more learning they will have done, and thus the more they will have to offer, but it’s important to realise that this is a very unsafe assumption to…
Family physicians in Britain are increasingly prescribing art classes, gardening clubs and walking groups — as an alternative to pills — to patients with mental health challenges. The practice, known as social prescribing, is covered by the U.K.’s National Health Service or NHS and is geared toward…
Eldercare is a growing workplace issue as the numbers of workers caring for an elderly family member rises. Carers UK reports that there are three million working carers, representing one in eight in the workplace; a significant proportion of which…
Social supermarkets have emerged in Britain in the past five years as a response to food poverty and food waste. These non-charitable initiatives sell food “surplus” to people on low incomes at heavily discounted prices, and provide social support.In new research,…
A quality job. What’s not to like? But what do we mean by ‘quality’ and how can we measure it appropriately so it can be improved? The CIPD has conducted a detailed and extensive survey of approximately 6,000 workers across…
The third edition of this highly acclaimed book has recently been published by Palgrave. Essential reading for anyone where success in their work depends on effectively connecting with people. Neil’s other books are available via Amazon by clicking here
For as long as I can remember, people have been saying that there is so much change these days, but ‘these days’ of change have been going on for a long time now for them to be seen as something new….
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it’s simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a hospice and palliative medicine physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of…
A powerful video is highlighting the different experiences of discrimination in the workplace between LGBT+ and their straight colleagues. The video, released to raise awareness of LGBT+ discrimination, shows people who identify as LGBT+ tearfully open up about being verbally…
Wednesday, 12 September 2018, Leeds Be inspired and learn from world-renowned experts This conference will give you tools and strategies to identify and provide targeted support for autistic children and adults who have mental health difficulties. With three different streams…
The Big Issue offers people facing poverty and exclusion the opportunity to earn their own money; a livelihood. The Big Issue Foundation is an independent charity working alongside the magazine distribution network. We aim to maximize the success of each…
Not a textbook, a hands-on manual of practice – a practical guide from one of the UK’s most respected social work authors. Divided into thirty sections, each covering a key area of practice, this essential handbook will be invaluable to…
A much-used literary and dramatic device is for it to be apparent to the reader or viewer that someone has strong feelings (of love, for example), but is not expressing them and is losing out in some way as a…
Ramses Underhill-Smith set up Alternative Care Services, which provides home care support to LGBTIQ+ adults in London, after a friend contracted HIV. “He was living in New York and when the carers discovered he had HIV they refused to touch…
Glenn French wanted to know the truth. After hearing countless employers saying, “We don’t have that problem here,” he decided to canvass every trade union and labour organization in Canada. He wanted to know if violence in the workplace was…
Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but what if there’s a more fulfilling path? Happiness comes and goes, says writer Emily Esfahani Smith, but having meaning in life — serving something beyond yourself and developing the best within you —…
You can train your brain to think better. One of the best ways to do this is to expand the set of mental models you use to think. Let me explain what I mean by sharing a story about a world-class thinker….
Learn with Neil by subscribing to his online learning community: www.apdp.org.uk
In the days before we had rules, the strong and powerful could do what they wished and the not so strong and not so powerful could do little about it. This left little scope for fairness, equality, dignity and other…
One consequence of the closure of so many mental hospitals since the 1960s has been the increase in the number of people being sent far from their homes when they have needed a bed to receive treatment. However, a scheme in Bradford…
The Grenfell Wall sprang up overnight. Within hours, hundreds of people had left messages of sympathy and support. Relatives of those missing brought favourite items, teddies and photos. Missing posters were plastered everywhere, bearing the faces of those still unaccounted…
One of the fundamental equations of our self-narrative is: If I only had more support, I could accomplish even more. Part of this is true. With more education, a stronger foundation, better cultural expectations, each of us is likely to contribute…
Someone from a black and minority ethnic background is twice as likely to experience poverty as someone from a white background in the UK. The Government’s developing Integration Strategy is an opportunity to right this wrong, but it currently neglects…
Learn with Neil by subscribing to his online learning community: www.apdp.org.uk
Life is a risky business. Whatever we do, whichever way we turn, we take risks. For the most part they are fairly minor risks, with relatively minor consequences if things go wrong. But, it is not at all uncommon for…
Last year, we gave information, support and advice to millions of people facing homelessness or experiencing housing issues. And we won’t stop until there’s a safe, secure and affordable home for everyone. Click here to read more
A scheme that uses specially designed cycles to take elderly people on rides in an effort to tackle social isolation is to be rolled out across Scotland.The Cycling Without Age (CWA) project sees volunteers take their passengers out on so-called…
“I spend time on my own with the blinds drawn and the world shut out.” So answered a staff nurse, one of the 3,700 public and voluntary sector workers who responded to a Guardian survey on wellbeing in the workplace,…
I first met Bob 11 years ago when he was placed in our children’s home at the age of 15. Having experienced a chaotic and often violent upbringing, I witnessed an initially reticent and timid lad gradually develop into a…
As we notified you recently, new data protection rules are being implemented soon. To comply with the legislation, we will shortly be deleting our existing databases. Consequently, if you wish to receive news of publications, events, offers and news from…
Many years ago I came across the idea that, the further away from something you are, the simpler it appears, and that idea has stuck with me. What it was referring to was the tendency for complex matters to seem…
Our new research suggests that autistic people are among the most isolated and lonely in the UK. We compared the results of our new survey of almost 900 autistic people with the Government’s own data and the findings indicate that…
Lecture given by Alan Johnson MP at JRF and Prospect’s 4th Annual poverty lecture “When I was asked to present this year’s [2017] lecture I was a Member of Parliament and the next general election was three years away. The British…
As parents, all we want for our children is for them to grow up happy. Compared to this one ultimate goal, others pale into insignificance. It doesn’t matter if your child has a school career festooned with string of A*…
Public Concern at Work is the whistleblowing charity. Established in 1993, we have led the new approach to whistleblowing that – both at home and abroad – recognises the key role it can play in anticipating and avoiding serious risks…
Now available! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Click on the box below to order your copy.
We can look back over our past and savour the beautiful and important moments as well as learn from the not so beautiful and the not so positive experiences. Equally, we can look back and dwell on the negatives, the…
When a kid commits a crime, the US justice system has a choice: prosecute to the full extent of the law, or take a step back and ask if saddling young people with criminal records is the right thing to…
As a nation, we’re getting better at opening up the conversation around mental health, with many employees opting to confide in their manager in the first instance. On the face of it, this seems like a good idea: their manager…
This Sparks of Hope website, a global initiative, includes an interesting piece on inequality in the UK. The UK has the seventh highest level of income inequality out of 30 countries in the developed world. While the top fifth of…
Shortly before she reached retirement age, Marie Burke’s husband had a stroke. After a week in intensive care, he was moved to a care home to aid his recuperation. So that he didn’t have to go into care permanently, Burke (not her…
Now available! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Click on the box below to order your copy.
It is very wise to be clear about your priorities and make sure that you attend to them. So much time, effort and energy can be wasted if you spend time on lesser matters and lose sight of the most…
Artificial intelligence, or AI, is best known for driverless cars and as the inspiration for endless Hollywood movies. We invariably see a future where robots turn from servants to oppressors of humans because their burgeoning intelligence has made them realise…
It would be funny if it wasn’t so distressing. After every recent election in the West, the reaction of so many pundits has been to ask: Why are the anti-establishment parties so strong again when GDP has been picking up recently? But…
I have been involved in youth services for more than 50 years, starting as a volunteer for a Bermondsey youth club, when the docks were still open, running summer camps for boys and girls. I believe that if the home…
It was 1955 and Disneyland had just opened in Anaheim, California when a ten-year-old boy walked in and asked for a job. Labor laws were loose back then and the boy managed to land a position selling guidebooks to visitors…
Now available! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Click here for more information and a link to order your copy. Are you a…
Communication is such a central part of our lives that we tend to take it for granted, it fades into the background, like the wallpaper. That is perfectly normal, but it can also be problematic. Consider language, for example. We…
By Gerry Skelton It has been a personal and professional contention for most of my social work career (as practitioner and lecturer) that homelessness has been something of a taboo in social work education, training and practice. Homelessness is an…
In 2015, we (British Psychological Society) issued our Call to Action and Briefing Paper on Work Capability Assessment Reform. This was the start of a prolonged campaign to push for end to end reform and better use of psychological evidence to develop…
Lenny takes his pop-up barbershop to dementia care homes, providing a much-needed service to the men who live there. But Lenny does more than cut their hair: he unlocks their emotional memories by recreating the barbershop experience of their youth,…
Tens of thousands of severely disabled and ill claimants are set to receive backdated payments of up to £20,000 after being wrongly underpaid for years by social security officials, the government spending watchdog has revealed. An estimated 70,000 claimants were underpaid about…
Now available! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Click here to order your copy now! Are you a social worker who uses Facebook? If…
Fear of failure is a very powerful emotion that can do a lot of harm. It can prevent people from trying new things and therefore lead to them missing out on some potentially enriching and empowering experiences. In the same…
We live in the most technologically-connected age, yet the rates of loneliness continue to rise, according to Marcela Slepica, Director of Clinical Services at AccessEAP. “Chronic loneliness has a negative impact on both physical and mental health and this epidemic is hurting…
I’ll never forget the day myself and a team of volunteers decided to stand outside Ashton Under Lyne jobcentre on a weekly basis.It was 2014. My daughter, who was 19 at the time and heavily pregnant, had just attended her…
A 24-hour helpline in the UK known as Samaritans helped Sophie Andrews become a survivor of abuse rather than a victim. Now she’s paying the favour back as the founder of The Silver Line, a helpline that supports lonely and…
A terminally ill man is set to take on the government – and with it, the disastrous universal credit (UC) policy. Known only as TP, a 52-year-old ex-City worker – who has non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the lymph node condition Castleman disease…
Now available! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Click here to order your copy now! Are you a social worker who…
Some people regularly stray into arrogance territory, by which I mean that they overestimate their own importance and their own capabilities. Indeed, this is a common theme in movies and dramas: the person who annoys others with their inflated self-belief…
A big thank you to everyone who took part on 25 January 2018 and helped us highlight some of the pressures that the UK’s youngest young carers are facing. The aim of Young Carers Awareness Day is to identify and raise…
While watching Silent Witness … it struck me that I’m old enough to remember Ironside, the crime fighter in a wheelchair, on TV in the 60s and 70s. As a disabled kid, I loved his van – I wanted that van. I never once thought…
Working with someone on the autism spectrum (including those with Asperger syndrome), can be an enriching experience for managers and colleagues alike, but it may also present some challenges. Here we explain how to avoid or overcome any difficulties, in order to ensure enjoyable…
It’s all too easy to develop a grudge, and let one bad experience inform how you view a person going forward. But as leadership expert Angie McArthur says, “The more certain we are, the more stuck we will remain.” A…
Click here to see the full range of our DVDs. Contact us before the end of the month and you will be able to get the DVD(s) of your choice at half price! Act now before it is too late!
I will be very happy if we ever reach a time when people are no longer naïve enough to say: ‘It must be true, I read it in the newspaper’, but I am not holding my breath. While complete falsehoods…
On average, social workers work for 9.5 hours a day, despite being paid for only 7.5 hours, research from Community Care and Unison showed in 2017. Lack of time is a huge issue in social work. A climate of austerity, fewer resources…
The 2010 Equality Act states that employers have a legal obligation to ensure their staff are not being discriminated against – over age, race, sexuality, gender or gender identity. Despite this, many companies treat transgender people as a disruptive influence…
When I was a child and got scared of something or couldn’t sleep, my granny and great aunt used to tell me stories. Their words magically carried me away from my fear and worry and allowed me to explore new…
There are over five million informal carers in the UK and their number has increased 16.5% since 2001. The economic value of their contribution, calculated from the cost per hour of providing homecare to an adult, is £132 billion a…
Coming soon! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest publication is not a textbook; it is a hands-on manual that distils his decades of experience in social work. Watch this space! Are you a social worker who uses Facebook? If so, why…
Conflict is a broad term. It can range from minor disagreements to out-and-out war, with various degrees of antagonism in between. Relatively minor conflicts can escalate to much more serious situations, and so it is understandable that people will so…
The issue of gender equality in employment has given rise to numerous policies in advanced industrial countries, all aimed at tackling gender discrimination regarding recruitment, salary and promotion. Yet gender inequalities in the workplace persist. The purpose of this research…
Our latest book Social Work with Disadvantaged and Marginalised People (Prof Jonathan Parker & Prof Sara Ashencaen Crabtree)is published by Sage. The work offers theoretical and practice based perspectives and insights into the complexities and importance of working with people at the…
It will not be a shock to those working in a charity or social enterprise that Carillion is in liquidation. Nor is it a surprise that the board and senior management of this juggernaut appear to have rabidly pursued short term…
Playing in the Ruins: Developing an Arts Based Practice in Bereavement Care This Cruse Masterclass will enable participants to exercise their creative imagination and enhance their bereavement support skills through an understanding of the relatively new field of Expressive Arts Therapy…
Are you a social worker who uses Facebook? If so, why not join Neil’s brand new Social Work Focus group? A group for discussion, support, learning and sharing. Just click here. Coming soon! The Social Worker’s Practice Manual. Neil’s latest…
Every cloud has a silver lining may well be a cliché, but that does not mean that the idea does not contain more than an element of truth. Of course, it would be an exaggeration to argue that every negative (cloud) has…
If we’re to understand the causes of loneliness among older people, we have to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes. When it comes to older people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, there’s often an assumption they live in ‘traditional’ family…
When confronted with too many good options, it’s easy to get paralyzed. The complaint is that we don’t know what to do next, because we’re pulled in many good directions–and doing one thing with focus means not doing something else….
Talking to family or friends is one thing – but speaking about your mental health at work can be really daunting. Here on Like Minds we’ve been finding out who you should tell, and how to make it a bit…
A think tank has called for the creation of hundreds of shared sites across the country designed to bring young and old people together and end Britain’s ‘age apartheid’. A new report from United for All Ages insists 500 shared…
I first met Colin in 1984. I had submitted a proposal for a part-time PhD to Keele University and I had been invited to meet with Colin, who was then head of social work at the University, to discuss it….
On the many occasions I have run managing conflict training courses I have emphasized the importance of listening. This is for two reasons. First, listening is a very good way of defusing conflict. Paying attention to what somebody’s concerns are…
What do you think would happen if you invited an individual with mental health issues who had been homeless for many years to move directly from the street into housing? Loyd Pendleton shares how he went from skeptic to believer…
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) just turned 50—but age stereotypes in the workplace abound. Experts say that organizations need to move beyond outdated labels and embrace the value that older workers bring to the table. “Our culture fears aging,”…
Children and young people can help maintain their own well-being by following the five simple ways we have developed with New Economics Foundation – and parents can help In 2008, NEF (New Economics Foundation) produced their five ways to well-being framework for…
Two decades since Runnymede was first credited with coining the term ‘Islamophobia’ in our flagship 1997 report, we look at how the phenomenon has evolved over the past 20 years, and how it manifests itself today. This anniversary report (released November…
Neil gets a warm welcome at Belfast Met! Click here to read more
As human beings we have so much in common, but we should not let that distract us from the fact that we are also very different from one another in various ways. One of those ways in which people differ…
“NO ONE ever told me that grief felt so like fear,” C S Lewis once wrote, and he was right. Stepping into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward, I tried to remain calm. But what was waiting behind those tinted-glass…
India is in the midst of a toilet-building frenzy, the government has set aside $20bn (£15bn) for the health initiative and aims to stop people having to defecate in the open by 2019. One social enterprise in one of India’s…
The word conflict carries a lot of negative baggage, and most people seek to avoid it. However, as any businessperson will tell you, conflict will eventually happen. Conflict is a natural and necessary part of doing business, so managers who…
If you need an appendectomy, it’s unlikely you’ll die during the operation. That’s because the surgeon has been trained in hundreds of years of best practices. From Semmelweis to the latest in antibiotics, she knows what’s come before. Not only…
Are you aware that Neil has written a number of e-books to complement his published work? Find out more by clicking here
‘Strategic capitulation’ is a term used in behaviour management programmes to refer to the technique of giving in to whatever is being demanded by someone who is being aggressive and potentially violent. It is intended as a last resort. The…
When a family falls into crisis — and it sometimes happens, thanks to unemployment, drugs, bad relationships and bad luck — the social services system is supposed to step in and help them get back on track. As Hilary Cottam…
On 6 November 2017, on the 800th anniversary of the 1217 Charter of the Forest, the new Charter for Trees, Woods and People was launched at Lincoln Castle – home to one of the two remaining 1217 Charters of the…
I have been in the workforce for more than three decades, and I can say without hesitation that positive cultures breed sound strategies and deliver results that exceed expectations. On the surface, it would seem like I am stating the…
In the wake of Black History Month 2017, Jane Tanner of the Women’s Resource Centre describes how helping with her niece’s school project brought the importance role models into sharp relief. Everyone needs that inspirational person; someone you can see pave the way to…
Are you aware that Neil has written a number of e-books to complement his published work? Find out more by clicking here
When anyone mentions fashion, we tend to think of clothes, the latest designer trends and so on. Indeed, there is a huge, multi-million pound business based on fashion in clothing. But, fashion is not restricted to clothes or other relatively…
“NO ONE ever told me that grief felt so like fear,” C S Lewis once wrote, and he was right. Stepping into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward, I tried to remain calm. But what was waiting behind those tinted-glass…
Sweeping education reforms have done very little to change the fact that in the UK, being born well is by far the surest route to prosperity. Since the 1980s, the degree of social fluidity in Britain has plummeted with more people experiencing…
The Disconnected Mind is a research project that aims to discover how our thinking skills change with age, and what we can do to protect our cognitive health in later life. The project is funded by Age UK. Losing our…
In workplaces up and down the UK, including the Houses of Parliament, people are rejecting the idea that those in positions of power can sexually harass – or even assault – with impunity. It’s inspiring to see so many women (and…
Are you aware that Neil has written a number of e-books to complement his published work? Find out more by clicking here
Athletes will often talk about being ‘in the zone’, by which they mean achieving optimal performance, with body and mind operating to the full. That is when they get the best results. Similarly, psychologists have talked more broadly about finding…
What defines success — and what is a failure, exactly? Readjust your expectations with these novel, refreshing perspectives on what it means to “win” and “lose”. Click here to read more
Stonewall is delighted to be delivering free Role Models programmes for people of colour who identify as LGBTQ. This programme will be running three times: once in October 2017 to celebrate Black History Month, once in December 2017 and finally in February 2018 to coincide…
Above and beyond any practical advice, the most effective way to make your workplace mental health-friendly is to talk about it. Encourage everyday conversations about everyone’s mental health. Make it OK to talk about and everything else will follow. Having…
Migrants and refugees cross borders to live among us for many reasons. Some come fleeing human rights abuses. Some come to join other members of their families. Some come to take up work or study. But when they arrive here…
Applied Sociology Presents a clear and helpful picture of how we need to include sociological insights to get an adequate picture of people’s lives and their challenges. Click here to order from Amazon UK Social Work Theory and Methods: The…
For many years there was an assumption that learning is what children do – libraries had plenty of material about child development and education, but relatively little on adult education. Then along came the ‘lifelong learning movement’ which argued that…
An elderly woman reported receiving poor quality of care from a medical professional who, on learning of her caste, considered her to be unclean and refused to touch her. This is just one of the experiences of caste discrimination taking…
Experts from the University of Warwick have contributed to new guidance on promoting positive mental health at work. Erika Kispeter and Sally Wright from the University of Warwick Institute for Employment Research (IER) examined how Suffolk County Council has responded…
The Government’s forthcoming industrial strategy offers a real opportunity to tackle the high working age poverty rate that many Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups experience in the UK today. To achieve this, it should focus on delivering three genuine…
Try these simple relaxation and mindfulness activities together and help your child learn to calm down when they feel stressed or anxious. Even very young children can feel stressed and anxious, especially during times of change or upheaval. Luckily, there…
E-books by Neil Thompson Neil’s books are well known, of course, but did you know that he now also has several low-priced e-books to his name? You will find more information at https://nti.coderra.uk/index.php/ebooks/ Neil’s latest book now published Learn how…
The demands of everyday living mean that we need to spend a fair amount of time doing fairly mundane things like earning a living and managing a household. These can be quite enjoyable, of course, and offer us some degree…
Report explores the rapid increase in evictions over the last 12 years, and the impact these have had on the lives of tenants who lose their homes. The report was updated on 3 August 2017 to use updated and backdated data…
Eldercare – a provider of elderly care support … releases new research revealing the mental, physical and professional strain that juggling a job with caring for an elderly relative is having on the UK’s workforce. The ‘Invisible Carers’ research of…
Centre for Mental Health was commissioned by the NHS Confederation Mental Health Network to explore what the mental health workforce of the future should look like. We wanted to look beyond the current strategy to identify what kind of workforce…
On August 24, 1992, in the early hours of the morning, my family and I stepped out of our temporary shelter to find our city — and our lives — forever changed. We had spent the past several hours huddled…
The following message has recently been sent to all Social Worker’s Union (SWU) members: A personal message from Neil Thompson I am delighted to be working with SWU to offer membership of my online learning programme at half price. It’s…
Many people adopt a very ‘rational’ approach to life and relegate feelings or anything to do with emotions to a secondary position, as if they are somehow less important. In reality, of course, feelings are generally much more powerful sources…
Issues with the cultures of big companies, including Uber and Google, have recently been in the news, turning the spotlight onto the subject of toxic workplaces. But few are talking about the causes. What are the indicators that a company’s culture or workplace…
Bullying and harassment means any unwanted behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated, degraded, humiliated or offended. It is not necessarily always obvious or apparent to others, and may happen in the workplace without an employer’s awareness. Bullying or harassment can…
The sort of adjectives estate agents use to describe the tiniest of homes – compact, snug, bijou – do not really cover it. But young people who have endured homelessness are jostling to become the first occupant of a unique…
A forthcoming report of a government review into deaths in custody will do little to boost public confidence in the judicial system, according to human rights campaigners. In 2015, then-home secretary Theresa May, now Prime Minister, commissioned an independent review…
The following message has recently been sent to all Social Worker’s Union (SWU) members: A personal message from Neil Thompson I am delighted to be working with SWU to offer membership of my online learning programme at half price. It’s…
It is, of course, a very common experience to have a great sense of excitement as you look forward to something, only to have a sense of anti-climax once what you have been anticipating actually comes to pass. This is…
A long-standing theme of my work in relation to leadership and management has been the importance of getting the best out of employees (supporting them, developing them, taking workplace well-being seriously), rather than making the mistake of trying to get the most out of…
If the National Crime Agency’s latest findings are anything to go by, expect many more headlines like this over the next decade: ‘Lincolnshire slavery gang forced man to dig his own grave in ‘truly shocking’ 26-year hard labour ordeal‘. We are only…
For nine months, former-firefighter Roger Moore had the image of a girl he’d seen die, hovering in his peripheral vision. The child had been killed in a car crash several years before and Moore had been one of the first…
A focal point for information relating to information and support for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and their allies. Click here to read more
The following message has recently been sent to all Social Worker’s Union (SWU) members: A personal message from Neil Thompson I am delighted to be working with SWU to offer membership of my online learning programme at half price. It’s…
Despite the common strong association between grief and death, grief is a reaction to a significant loss, and not just to a death. This means that we can have a grief reaction to any major change in our life, even…
Lying on the floor pretending to roar like a lion can do wonders for an elderly man’s well-being. That’s not a scientific fact, but it was one of the surprising and memorable moments we observed while making a television program…
The unsurprising yet still shocking BBC pay revelations of elite employees’ salaries give voice and substance to a pay gap that we know exists but to date has lacked a concrete sense of reality. Figures from the Office for National Statistics indicates…
Prison and jail staff and volunteers play an important role in facilitating visits and helping make visits a positive experience for children with incarcerated parents. Visits from family members can help promote strong family ties and have been shown to…
In July 1967, the Sexual Offences Act 1967 partially decriminalised homosexuality in England and Wales. To mark the 50th anniversary of this seminal moment in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, we highlight some of the key milestones for…
The following message has recently been sent to all Social Worker’s Union (SWU) members: A personal message from Neil Thompson I am delighted to be working with SWU to offer membership of my online learning programme at half price. It’s…
‘Learn from the past’ is an oft-quoted piece of wisdom. ‘Don’t look back, focus on the future’ is another one, despite the fact that the latter totally contradicts the former. So, where does that leave us? Well, as is often…
Reading, writing, arithmetic, and how to make friends and influence people: all in a day’s learning at St Michael’s Catholic Primary school in Sydney’s Lane Cove. The school’s Friendology program teaches kids how to make friends and how to put…
The Matthew Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices highlights the importance of effective worker voice for creating good work. We believe that having a meaningful voice is critical to better experience and outcomes of work, and therefore welcome Taylor’s inclusion…
Under-recognised chronic gynaecological health conditions are holding-back women’s productivity and could be damaging their career and earning potential. A new report launched by the Work Foundation highlights that women’s health conditions, such as endometriosis or infertility, having a long-term condition during pregnancy,…
Stop popping the balloons. Forget the dew on the grass. Bring back the conkers and the yo-yos. And ditch those hi-vis jackets that make every child look like Bob the Builder. It’s time, says the chief inspector of schools, to…
Neil has now produced a short video giving an overview of the programme. Neil will be happy to hear from you if you have any questions. Click here to view the video
It is understandable, of course, that we will seek to avoid suffering whenever possible. We look dimly on people who seek to impose suffering on others and regard wanting to inflict suffering on ourselves as a form of pathology. Clearly,…
Over half a million older people leave their house once a week or less, leaving many feeling lonely and isolated. Fraser, a 20-year-old medical student, has taken matters into his own hands and spends his spare time giving rickshaw rides…
Acas has been busy with its new guidance recently and so have the Employment team’s vacation students. Here is a cautionary piece on cyber bullying in the workplace. The unstoppable rise of social media and online networking has led perhaps…
The “shocking” case of a man with learning disabilities and terminal cancer has led to a call for the prime minister to appoint a commissioner for learning disabled people’s rights. Ian Shaw, 34, spent nine years in secure hospitals before…
If recent events in politics have confirmed anything, it is that we live in unpredictable times where old assumptions no longer hold true. Creative thinking is crucial for business success through a period of uncertainty. Upheaval presents a chance to…
Neil has now produced a short video giving an overview of the programme. Neil will be happy to hear from you if you have any questions. Click here to view the video
Over the years I have run very many training courses on conflict management and a common theme that has emerged right at the start has been a strong tendency for participants to bring with them the idea that conflict can…
What defines an organization’s culture? It’s people. Culture is shaped by the collective beliefs and behaviours of its work force. Culture is organic and lives and breathes each day. The aggregate of employees’ daily thoughts, feelings and actions creates the…
Prisons are now the largest providers of residential care for frail and elderly men in England and Wales and are increasingly turning into hospices, providing end-of-life care for older prisoners and even managing their deaths. In the first report on…
Imagine having to inject yourself thousands of times over the course of your lifetime, but never talking about it to anyone. Many people live with hidden disabilities – conditions which don’t have physical signs but are painful, exhausting and isolating….
Most people know by now social media isn’t free – it’s paid for with the collection of its users’ sometimes-sensitive information. Your GPS system keeps track of your movements, and your smart TV or webcam can watch you. Almost all the…
If you are a member of the Social Workers Union you are now eligible to join Neil’s online learning community (the Avenue Professional Development Programme) for half price. You can also sign up for e-courses at a one third off…
It is widely recognised that there is much learning to be gained from reviewing our mistakes, looking at what went wrong and how and why it did. However, what is often given far less attention than it deserves is the…
Love it or loathe it your job can play a role in defining you. When these business people faced life-changing injuries and illnesses they set about creating their own companies which would work for them. Click here to read more
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in four adults experience mental illness every year. Yet, due to a variety of factors including stigma and lack of services, many do not receive the care they need. In turn,…
The social economy constitutes a range of organisations that have a core social mission, including social and community enterprises; voluntary and community sector organisations; housing associations; co-operatives and mutuals; informal self-help initiatives; social finance and support providers; and alternative business…
Automation, artificial intelligence, the growth of the informal economy and shifts away from command-and-control power cultures are all trends that are profoundly shaping the workplace. But what will the future workplace look like? Of course, the honest answer is that we…
Well-being is an important topic which is increasingly being recognised as encompassing, but being more than, just good health. Important though good health is to a general sense of well-being, there are other factors that make a difference – a…
A life without challenges may seem appealing when we are under pressure, but in reality it would be bland, boring, unstimulating and a recipe for a miserable life. However, going to the opposite extreme of having challenges that are too…
Employee wellness isn’t simple, and it’s not a one-step process. Employee wellness is complicated because of all the factors that contribute to health and wellness. While providing fresh fruit in place of donuts for a morning team meeting is a…
The night before my first trustee meeting as chief executive of Cardiomyopathy UK, the chair gave me a call: “one of the trustees can’t make it – they’ve had a cardiac arrest”. They were fine once their internal defibrillator kicked…
Attempting to get her new business off the ground, Anna worked in public services by day and as a startup founder during every other minute she could spare. She was feeling isolated by the extreme schedule and neglectful of her…
Our expert panel discussed how citizens and services can come together to recognise and support people with dementia. Questions include: What makes a dementia-friendly community? Do dementia-friendly communities have to grow from the grassroots, or can they be fostered by…
The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about…
The term ‘vicious circle’ is one that is often used, but its significance is not always appreciated or fully understood. This is a pity, as it is an important and useful concept, and vicious circles are far more common than…
Conflict in the workplace can happen – particularly when passionate people have opposing ideas. But the approach to resolving conflict, while simple, is often overlooked. During a recent leadership course, the trainer said very matter-of-factly that “an issue isn’t an…
Most of us spend on average a third of our adult life at work – unsurprisingly, our relationships at work and our work environment are crucial to our overall wellbeing. A supportive workplace can play a vital role in recovery,…
As part of its focus on good practice in the field of work and workplaces, the Work Foundation publishes a range of reports which you might find useful. Click here to read more
There is a crisis in mental health for young people. Services are operating in silos and they are not working for over-tested, overstressed young people. Much emphasis has been placed on teenagers with low self-esteem, with behavioural and emotional issues…
The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about…
There are very many people who love music and count it as an important part of their lives. It brings them considerable joy. However, there are far more people who never seem to ‘connect’ with music – it plays little…
Separating elderly couples against their wishes when one or both move to care homes must end, Britain’s most senior family judge has said. Sir James Munby said it was “simply inhumanity” that couples who have spent decades together can be…
The CIPD have … launched their ‘Manifesto for Work’, which urges the next Government to put ‘good work’ at the heart of its thinking in order to improve the economy, boost individual welfare and prosperity – creating the conditions for…
ASDinfoWales We are hoping to promote understanding and acceptance, amongst communities in Wales in order to improve access to facilities and reduce the stigma that many individuals with autism and their parents and carers experience. As an introduction to adapting…
The idea of poverty and the meaning of the term in the UK is contested, and those working to tackle poverty are finding it difficult to shift negative public attitudes and cultivate broad public support for policies to solve it….
The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about…
Capitalist economies work on the basis of constant consumption. To keep the wheels of the economy turning people need to keep spending money. So, companies need to keep coming up with new things for us to buy, new fads and…
The average FTSE 100 CEO is now paid around 190 times the wages of the average worker, and around 400 times that of someone earning the minimum wage. Executive pay has become divorced from reality, disconnected from performance and totally detached from…
How can teachers make classrooms places of inclusion and belonging? That’s the question we should ask in light of Trump’s victory, which has legitimised misogyny, Islamophobia and racism, and the rise in hate crime in the UK following the EU…
It’s no secret that the volatile and unstable climate we face in business today takes its toll on our employees. According to a recent study, a full 42% of employees feel disengaged at work, costing U.S. businesses nearly $350 billion…
Disability campaigners will produce guidelines for social workers on how to help service users become more physically active. Disability Rights UK is producing the guidance after the charity found many disabled people don’t know what activities are available or what they…
Watch Neil being interviewed about the course by clicking here
When people are described as ‘selfish’ there is usually an element of having a preference for receiving over giving. That is, they are seen as much more interested in taking than giving. In a very real sense, selfishness is the…
The poorest areas of towns and cities do not always benefit from economic growth. They can remain disconnected from the prosperity experienced by residents of wealthier neighbourhoods in the same region. This research looks at these issues from the perspective…
Chris Wright, chief executive of Catch22, responds to criticism about large charities’ relationships with smaller ones and sets out how his charity sets out to work collaboratively with others. These past few weeks we have been exposed to media focusing…
Gareth Parry has spent almost three decades supporting people with disabilities and mental health issues find work, but a recent mental health crisis of his own has given him a personal insight into the remit of the organisation he leads….
Last year it became OK to admit that social care was in cataclysmic crisis. Yet so far there is little sign that 2017 will see any high level recognition of the scale of change needed to bring about any kind…
Watch Neil being interviewed about the course by clicking here
Life can happen in a blur if we let it. Doing things quickly can easily become the norm, adding extra – generally unnecessary – pressure to our already fairly pressurised lives. As is so often the case with life’s challenges,…
A report by EU housing organisation Feantsa has found every country in the EU in the midst of a crisis of homelessness and housing exclusion – with one exception: Finland. So how has the country done it? By giving homeless…
Every Monday morning, in a meeting room within earshot of the bells of Wakefield cathedral, a group of healthcare workers help to stage a mini-revolution. Nothing that you read in the next few minutes may strike you as particularly surprising….
The suffragist Dame Millicent Fawcett is to be the first woman to be honoured with a statue in Parliament Square, the prime minister has announced. The equal rights campaigner who dedicated her life to getting the women’s vote, will stand…
Official Households Below Average Income statistics show that thanks to modest income growth across the distribution, the Gini measure of income inequality before housing costs has increased only slightly from 34 per cent to 35 per cent. While it’s not…
Watch Neil being interviewed about the course by clicking here
Drift is the term used for when we become unfocused, when we lose sight of what we are doing or what we are trying to achieve. Ever gone upstairs and, when you get to the top of the staircase, you…
As poverty continues to be a feature of the social and economic landscape in the United Kingdom, attention is turning towards the potentially damaging role played by individual decisions made in low-income contexts. This report summarises the most recent evidence…
Plenty here of interest in this recent round up of news from Runneymede but we highlight, in particular, the report on race in the workplace. Click here to read more
The Law Commission is a statutory, independent body set up to reform the law. We want to ensure that the law is as fair, modern, simple and cost-effective as possible. Three years ago, the Department of Health came to us…
This is our full film on the opening of Wrexham’s Prison, HMP Berwyn, explaining how things are being done differently locally. With the prison opening, many have voiced a range of opinions over the balance of retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and…
Watch Neil being interviewed about the course by clicking here
People who suffer from depression often feel as though nothing matters any more. It is as if life has become so difficult or painful that they just want to be cut off from it. And yet, ironically, it is generally…
Can the story of social work be told through Objects? Might a collection of objects be more illuminating than a formal text book or a dry definition? In this engaging, photographic book, Mark Doel curates a collection of 127 objects contributed…
Discussions around what constitutes NHS healthcare and what constitutes social care can be traced back to the original post-war legislation that separated responsibilities for health (the NHS Act 1946) and (the National Assistance Act 1948). This statutory separation has been maintained…
The Equality Trust: “We are proud to launch our new activist pack: Inequality Is Not Inevitable. This guide aims to help inequality activists target key decision-makers, and those who influence them, so that action is taken to reduce inequality. In addition…
My old man said follow the van, and don’t dilly-dally on the way.” We are seated in a circle, singing. The woman next to me is lusty, her voice clear and her hands tapping out the rhythm; the man opposite…
Watch Neil being interviewed about the course by clicking here
We live in a society that seems to value youth (although not necessarily young people!). A fortune is spent on various ways of trying to make us look and feel younger. Whether or not that is money well spent is…
The poorest areas of towns and cities do not always benefit from economic growth. They can remain disconnected from the prosperity experienced by residents of wealthier neighbourhoods in the same region. This research looks at these issues from the perspective…
It started when my son was only a few months old. I had taken him downtown with me, for my weekly therapy session with the social worker I was seeing for postpartum depression counseling. There was a chill in the…
So answered a staff nurse, one of the 3,700 public and voluntary sector workers who responded to a Guardian survey on wellbeing in the workplace, when answering the question: when you feel stressed, what do you do to relax? From…
A series of animations has been created to illustrate what it is like to be LGBT in the workplace today in the UK. Until legislation was changed in 2003, it was legal in the UK to be fire an employee…
The Avenue Professional Development Programme has been developed to allow busy practitioners and managers across the people professions to maximise their learning. There are two pathways within the Programme, Silver and Gold. The Silver pathway allows members access to a…
It is quite common for people to be rated according to how secure they are, especially people who are perceived to be low on any such rating scale – that is, people who are viewed as ‘insecure’. But what does…
While recognizing stress as a major problem in the workplace, many people assume that there is no escape from such stress. The demands of most jobs are going to create stress — such is the nature of work. This assumption…
The UK is one of the most unequal societies in Europe. Even though decreasing unemployment and low inflation have reduced income inequality for now, unfair taxes, stagnant incomes and unaffordable housing risk enlarging the wealth gap. It is not only…
I got to the gate just as they closed the door and the plane began to back away. It was thirty years ago, but I still remember how it felt. I think we’re hard-wired to fear these painful moments of…
Learning Disability Voices comprises charities, not-for-profit and independent sector companies who provide learning disability services in the UK, including the likes of Voyage Care, United Response, Lifeways, The Wilf Ward Family Trust, Hft and Mencap – together representing 20% of…
The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about…
Unfortunately, there is very strong tendency for many people to think in black and white terms – a sort of ‘all or nothing’ approach. It is as if there is a strong urge to assign things to one category or…
Many households earn too little to pay for basic necessities, and to save for an uncertain future. Over a third of households now owe more in debt that they have saved, and millions more face falling into trouble in the event of…
Around half of HR professionals believe that senior business leaders don’t have the people management behaviours and skills needed to get the best from their people, according to the latest CIPD HR Outlook survey of HR professionals. Performance management and…
From a startup tackling isolation among the rural elderly population in Devon, to a veteran organisation working in a number of northern towns and cities, social enterprises are playing a part in meeting the growing need for social care services…
Friday 3 February 2017. Join over 200 people from across the public, private and third sectors to learn and share the latest best practice on creating an inclusive workplace for all of your lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) staff….
The Cancer Challenge: Coping with Cancer When Someone You Love is Diagnosed by Hannah Mann Learning that someone you love has cancer can be a devastating experience. It can generate a wide range of emotions and leave you quite unsure about…
Sadly, I have known several people who had various things they were keen to do when they retired, but died either before being able to retire or soon after they retired. What I learned from that is that I really…
Modern life can be challenging and, at times, stressful. Young people are struggling to get on the property ladder while the so-called ‘sandwich generation’ has to juggle supporting both children and elderly relatives. It’s no surprise that the difficulties of…
Charities working with women released from prison say that some are breaching their parole conditions or committing further crimes so that they will be returned to jail – because their lives on the outside are so bleak. Many of the…
From a startup tackling isolation among the rural elderly population in Devon, to a veteran organisation working in a number of northern towns and cities, social enterprises are playing a part in meeting the growing need for social care services…
Getting involved with World Autism Awareness Week (27 March–2 April 2017) will change lives. We are asking you to raise money and awareness so that as many people as possible learn about autism. So we will quiz, bake, walk, collect……
Neil has now produced a short video giving an overview of the programme. Neil will be happy to hear from you if you have any questions. Click here to view the video
Some you win, some you lose is a well-known saying. We can’t realistically expect to succeed in everything we do, so we have to learn to take the rough with the smooth, of course. However, my concern is that life…
One in four of us will experience a mental health problem every year – that means that, right now, one of your friends, colleagues or loved ones is going through it. But too many people with mental health problems are…
In France and Spain support programmes are helping vulnerable young people access employment and secure housing, or continue with education. More than 4.5 million young people in the European Union – approximately 20% – are unemployed, and long-term youth unemployment…
Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, or at least, it should be. Managers should begin to worry as soon as they start noticing their workplace is free from conflict. You might be reading this and thinking, “Why should we invite…
Seth Goodburn seemed fit and well until two weeks before he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died just 33 days after diagnosis, spending much of that short time in hospital. In the emotional whirlwind of coping with the poor…
Neil has now produced a short video giving an overview of the programme. Neil will be happy to hear from you if you have any questions. Click here to view the video
There are many occasions when it is useful, if not essential, to have a record of our thoughts and/or the events to which they relate. Some people seem never to make notes; they simply rely on their memory, which, of…
Brexiters spoke of ‘taking our country back’. But that was based on a false notion who we are as a people, and of our history of immigration Why has Britain’s response to the dismantling of the refugee camp in Calais been…
Stonewall’s latest research into LGBT people’s experiences of discrimination and public attitudes towards LGBT equality Click here to read more
No official record exists of children of prisoners as neither the courts, governments, nor local services ask routinely about them. They are unlikely to reveal themselves for fear of social stigma and bullying and so remain hidden from local services….
When Ruth Ibegbuna looks back at her two years as a foster carer, one social worker’s visit stands out. “I had two young girls living with me, they both loved Disney. The social worker came round, sat down cross-legged on…
Neil has now produced a short video giving an overview of the programme. Neil will be happy to hear from you if you have any questions. Click here to view the video
‘It’s important to forgive and forget’ is a widely used piece of folk wisdom. However, it’s not that simple. For someone to feel under pressure to forgive, they must have been hurt, betrayed or abused in some way. It is…
In a bizarre recent story a woman was told by the Government that she was to have her social security withdrawn due to a suspected fraudulent claim. The private company contracted by HMRC to search for fraud in the tax…
This report explores the relationship between disability and poverty among the older population. It emphasises the additional living costs that disabled people face, and the importance of taking disability costs into account when making poverty assessments in the older population….
Is there anything more difficult? Showing up day after day, week after week, sometimes for years, as your movement slowly gains steam, as your organization hits speed bumps, as the news goes from bad to worse… Showing up, it turns…
Ten years ago, the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (later replaced by the Equality Act 2010 on 1 October 2010) were introduced, marking the beginning of greater legislative efforts to tackle the unfair treatment of UK employees of all ages. Since then,…
Introducing the MSc Advanced Practice in the Human Services Neil is delighted to be able to announce the launch of the MSc Advanced Practice in the Human Services at Glyndwr University. The programme is part-time and fully online and based around…
‘Grace’ has two main definitions. It can refer to elegance and poise. But it can also mean decency or honour. Both of these aspects can be helpful to us, especially the latter. Let’s consider each in turn. A graceful person,…
LONDON — The British capital was barely stirring when the nine black-rights activists stormed the runway. Just before 5:40 a.m., the protesters used small inflatable dinghies to slip across the marina that surrounds London City Airport on three sides. Once…
At least half of the world’s 65 million school-age children with disabilities are kept out of the classroom because little to no money is budgeted for their needs, disability rights groups said in a report … Light for the World,…
The National Autistic Society website always has a lot to offer those people on the autistic spectrum, and a whole range of people who support them to live fulfilling lives. As well as news about campaigns and personal experiences, it…
A free Community Care webinar in November will help social workers ensure they are up to date with legislation, guidance and best practice to protect victims of child trafficking. Swati Pande, assistant manager of the NSPCC Child Trafficking Advice Centre,…
Introducing the MSc Advanced Practice in the Human Services Neil is delighted to be able to announce the launch of the MSc Advanced Practice in the Human Services at Glyndwr University. The programme is part-time and fully online and based around…
I have always had my doubts about the psychological notions of introversion and extroversion, as if we can simply pigeonhole people into one category or the other. Sociology teaches us that people will generally behave differently in different circumstances. Someone…
This week Nottingham city council’s poster campaign on homeless begging – suggesting that money to beggars funds booze, drugs, and fraud – was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority for being discriminatory. The ruling is good news, but the fact that…
Get better at setting and honoring deadlines Help one more person, each day Sit in the front row Ask a hard question every time we go to a meeting Give more and take less … Click here to read…
Women who weigh even slightly more than their peers are more likely to face discrimination when applying for certain jobs, a recent study from Scotland finds. In the study, researchers found that people were less likely to say they’d hire…
“The problem with austerity is that it’s too expensive. Before we allow another library to close, we must ask: Is this a saving?” Big Issue founder Lord Bird has warned that the government must be ready to build more prisons…
Putting things off is something we all do from time to time and is not necessarily, in itself, a problem. However, it can become a problem if we get into the habit of procrastinating regularly as a way to avoid…
At the end of my first year at university, my tutor said to me: ‘Neil, you have a lot of strengths, but the trouble is that you are always playing to them’. He went on to explain that what he…
Babble has been created by Carers Trust as an online space where those aged under 18 who are caring for a family member or friend can chat, share their experiences and access information and advice. The site aims to bring together young carers…
The UK has a very high level of income inequality compared to other developed countries. Households in the bottom 10% of the population have on average a net income of £9,277. The top 10% have net incomes over nine times that…
On 5 October 2012, we reached the last date that anyone will retire on the grounds of reaching ‘the default retirement age’. A change in the law in 2011 meant firms can no longer ask employees to leave on grounds…
Now is your chance to vote for your favourite tree in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland as we reveal the shortlists in our Tree of the Year contest. Every vote will be entered into a prize draw for a chance…
Written and presented by Neil Thompson, this course offers a sound understanding of the problems associated with stress. Equivalent to a full day’s continuous professional development, the course provides helpful strategies for preventing pressure from overspilling into stress and responding…
I have been involved in studying (and tackling) stress for decades. A number of things have stood out for me from my activity in this area. One important one is that there is a danger that, when pressures start to…
Local government plays an important role in all our lives: it provides vital care and social services, influences economic development in our neighbourhoods and is a vital part of the UK’s democratic system. • Local councils spend around £95bn a…
Integrating music with supportive care of the dying is becoming more common in hospice and palliative care programs. The conscious use of music as an adjunct support service is good example of how the multidisciplinary approach to hospice care seeks to…
Most employers will at some point have to confront allegations of bullying at work. Putting procedures in place as well as managing difficult conversations with the individuals involved is beneficial, not just in the short-term by resolving conflicts, but also…
Britain is becoming more segregated due to high house prices, a report reveals, as it emerged that the number of new “social rent” homes funded by the government fell to fewer than 10,000 last year. Official figures show that 70% fewer…
The sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Anti-Discriminatory Practice has now been published and the second edition of The Professional Social Worker Anti-discriminatory Practice The Professional Social Worker Other titles by Neil Thompson are available from here Neil Thompson Amazon author page
These days so many people seem to lead very busy, pressurised lives. One of the results of that can be a narrow focus on the last mistake, the next deadline and so on. It can so easily become the case…
The UN CERD (Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination) committee concluded there has been an outbreak of xenophobia and discrimination against ethnic minorities, particularly since the referendum campaign: “Many politicians and prominent political figures not only failed to condemn it…
If your work has never been criticized, it’s unlikely you have any work. Creating work is the point, though, which means that in order to do something that matters, you’re going to be criticized. If your goal is to be…
Are your organisation’s buildings and facilities accessible to autistic people? Could you be missing out on customers and visitors? Find out more about our new standard for autism-friendly spaces, and how to get it. Click here to read more
New research released by the TUC has shown that rail fares have risen twice as fast as wages since 2010. For those who rely on trains to get to work each day, they will be feeling this hit as they…
The sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Anti-Discriminatory Practice has now been published and the second edition of The Professional Social Worker Anti-discriminatory Practice The Professional Social Worker Other titles by Neil Thompson are available from here Neil Thompson Amazon author page
When I undertook my management training many years ago we were taught the importance of a ‘strategic’ approach, which meant at all times being clear about what we were trying to achieve – that is, what our strategic goals are….
Two thirds of lesbian and bisexual women have experienced discrimination in the workplace, research has found. The study, conducted by the British LGBT Awards, interviewed 1,200 lesbian and bisexual women in the UK to analyse their experiences at work. 64 per…
Sense, the national deafblind charity, has responded to new research which reveals that one in 10 businesses within the UK believe they are unable to employ disabled people. The survey, which was commissioned by Disability Rights UK, highlighted a range of…
A comprehensive online database featuring the latest scientific evidence on what works in dementia care and treatment has been developed by the researchers at the Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science (PSSRU at LSE)….
Several kids had been targeting Beth for weeks. Beth was sweet, absent-minded, easygoing and resigned to being mistreated. Some of her fellow eighth-grade students were using social media to call her fat and stupid, and they would drop dirty tissues…
Being invited to a job interview is a big deal for most people because it holds the promise of something we aspire to, but also requires that, in a short timescale and in unfamiliar circumstances, we present ourselves in the…
As a student, I did everything right to land a job in financial services. High GPA…check. Leadership roles on campus…check. Polished resume…check. Networking pitch…check. Mastery of interviewing techniques…check. Jobs came easily through referrals by professors, peers, and career services. I was…
Marc Jones, an employment law specialist and a partner at at full service law firm Turbervilles Solicitors, shares his expert advice on the thorny and often overlooked issue of discrimination. Over the past 40 years, a number of laws have been passed –…
Sarah Hendrickx and Matthew Tinsley discuss the potential links between autism and alcohol addiction, and the need for improved autism awareness amongst alcohol support services. Throughout my time of working in the autism field, the subject of alcoholism in relation…
Black and minority ethnic (BME) medical graduates are less likely to succeed than their white counterparts, according to research by the General Medical Council (GMC). Analysing exams and recruitment data, the GMC found graduates from ethnic minorities performed less well in…
The sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Anti-Discriminatory Practice has now been published and the second edition of The Professional Social Worker Anti-discriminatory Practice The Professional Social Worker Other titles by Neil Thompson are available from here Neil Thompson Amazon author page
To hear people talk about willpower you would think it was some mystical power that we all have to varying degrees. Those with a lot of will power are able to do difficult things like give up smoking or lose…
History was made … as the top human rights body at the United Nations voted to create the world’s first global-level envoy position focused on the human rights of LGBTQ people. In a resolution passed … a plurality of members of…
Social scientists have long known that women working in numerically male-dominated occupations like physics and firefighting report experiencing workplace stress, but men who work in numerically female-dominated occupations like nursing and child care do not. But why? Is it something about…
It’s been 15 years in the making but the Babayagas’ House, a name taken from Slavic mythology meaning “witch”, has just been inaugurated in Montreuil, on the east side of Paris. It’s a self-managed social housing project devised and run by…
Every day, we change. We move (slowly) toward the person we’ll end up being. Not just us, but our organizations. Our political systems. Our culture. Are you more generous than the you of five or ten years ago? More confident?…
The sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Anti-Discriminatory Practice has now been published and the second edition of The Professional Social Worker Anti-discriminatory Practice The Professional Social Worker Other titles by Neil Thompson are available from here Neil Thompson Amazon author page
Having little or no sense of control is a key factor in stress. People who are under immense pressure will often not get stressed while they have some degree of control over those pressures. At the same time, some people…
Public spaces can be overwhelming for an autistic person trying to deal with too much information. Many autistic people and their families give up using shops, restaurants and other high street outlets because they do not find them accessible, and…
Realistic workloads and ongoing emotional support are essential if social workers are to manage stress and perform their job effectively, according to new research. The study examined the relationship between emotional intelligence — the ability to identify and manage emotions…
Race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust launch new report on Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) population’s attitudes Ethnic minorities in Britain have very different views on immigration and Europe, according to a new report by the Runnymede Trust. The…
A memorial statue believed to be the UK’s first in honour of a named black woman has been unveiled in London. Mary Seacole was a Jamaican-born nurse who cared for wounded British soldiers during the Crimean War in the 19th…
The sixth edition of the bestselling textbook Anti-Discriminatory Practice has now been published and the second edition of The Professional Social Worker Anti-discriminatory Practice The Professional Social Worker Other titles by Neil Thompson are available from here Neil Thompson Amazon author page
It is Edward de Bono’s name that is most closely associated with the notion of lateral thinking, although the basic idea behind it (the importance of thinking creatively and not getting stuck in tramlines) long predates his work. What de…
Bob Holman, who has died aged 79 after suffering from motor neurone disease, earned a unique place in social work, when, in 1976, he resigned his professorship in social administration at Bath University to become a community worker on the…
Britain’s equality watchdog has criticised British airlines and British Airways (BA) in particular – for their treatment of disabled customers as legal action is taken by an actor over alleged damage to her wheelchair. Chris Holmes, the disability commissioner on the…
It has been a hectic few weeks for our Health and Wellbeing team as this newsletter shows. With participants from across the UK and from as far away as Poland, Ukraine, Spain and the USA we have been driving our…
Just a third of employers (34%) have a formal, written policy or an informal, verbal policy in place to support working carers in their workplace, according to a new survey published today. With estimates suggesting that 3 in 5 people…
The sixth edition of this bestselling textbook has now been published. And it won’t be long before Neil’s The Professional Social Worker will be published – just a few weeks https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-Discriminatory-Practice-Practical-Social-Work/dp/1137586656/ref=dp_ob_title_bk https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21?_encoding=UTF8&node=12
Many years ago, a trusted mentor said to me: ‘Neil, you have a lot of strengths, and you keep playing to them. How will you develop new strengths if you are constantly focusing on what you are already good at?’. …
“I bought the diet book, but ate my usual foods.” “I filled the prescription, but didn’t take the meds.” “I took the course… well, I watched the videos… but I didn’t do the exercises in writing.” Merely looking at something…
Cross-country skier Janine Shepherd hoped for an Olympic medal — until she was hit by a truck during a training bike ride. She shares a powerful story about the human potential for recovery. Her message: you are not your body,…
There has been significant expansion of flexible working arrangements (FWAs) in the last two decades, driven to some degree by the work-life balance agenda. However, in practice work-life balance and flexible working continue to be viewed as a ‘women’s issue’, as women…
Autism-Europe’s international congresses are dedicated to sharing advances in practical and scientific knowledge about autism to as wide an audience as possible, including researchers, professionals, parents and self-advocates. The theme of the 2016 Congress is Happy, healthy and empowered. The Congress…
The sixth edition of this bestselling textbook has now been published. And it won’t be long before Neil’s The Professional Social Worker will be published – just a few weeks https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anti-Discriminatory-Practice-Practical-Social-Work/dp/1137586656/ref=dp_ob_title_bk https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21?_encoding=UTF8&node=12
The term, ‘magical thinking’ is one generally used to refer to an aspect of child development. It describes a form of wishful thinking that is characteristic of young children. In principle, we grow out of it as we develop through…
Some of the most vulnerable people in the UK are regularly refused access to a doctor, according to a report. Pregnant women, children and homeless people are among those who have been wrongly turned away from practices. Medical care is also…
Workplace safety is a big issue for many companies. There are frequent briefings, lots of charts and drills, and copious safety gear. But until recently, the emphasis has mostly focused on physical health and well-being, rather than mental health —…
… want to find out what you can expect from the Getting in on the Act programme over the forthcoming year? The 2016/17 national training programme for the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act builds upon last year’s awareness-raising training…
With people living longer and fewer young people entering the labour market, Britain’s employers are increasingly reliant on the skills and talents of older workers to boost productivity. However, the ageing population also means that there will be an estimated…
Announcing an important one-day conference on Social Aspects of Death, Dying and Bereavement in Glasgow on Saturday 5th November, 2016. Speakers include Robert Neimeyer, Kenneth Doka and Neil Thompson. The conference is hosted by The International Work Group (IWG) for Death,…
Every one of us on the planet is a unique individual, a person in our own right, with our own unique perspective. Of course, there are various things that people can have in common – the influence of culture and…
Children’s rights are consistently violated in the context of environmental pollution, which is why Human Rights Watch has submitted a report with a loud and clear message to the United Nations. It’s time to take action. One of the worst environmental…
Tens of thousands of patients are having “do not resuscitate” orders imposed without their families’ consent, an audit has found. Hospitals are failing to tell relations that they do not intend to attempt potentially lifesaving techniques to save their loved ones,…
It’s great to dream like a kid, but no fun to be treated like one. It bristles because we feel that, even if the person involved has best intentions, we’ve outgrown being treated like a child. Some behaviors to consider…
The Trussell Trust’s latest statistics show that food bank use in the UK remains at record levels, and that the supply of emergency food parcels has increased by 2% in the last year. Amid the passionate discussion that these figures arouse,…
Well-being is an important topic which is increasingly being recognised as encompassing, but being more than, just good health. Important though good health is to a general sense of well-being, there are other factors that make a difference – a…
Some people cause problems for themselves and for others by simply ‘looking out for number one’ – that is, putting themselves, first, second and last. One of the problems with this approach to life is that it contributes to a…
NICE – the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – has updated its workplace guidance to include recommendations that will improve the health and wellbeing of older employees (people aged over 50). New recommendations focusing on older employees include:…
The Women’s Sport Trust #BeAGameChanger Awards recognise those individuals and organisations doing the most to progress women’s sport. Following a public nomination process and shortlisting by our Board of Trustees, the finalists in each category were chosen by our Expert…
Life is a practice and what you choose to practice is what will make up your character. It’s worth considering what you value in life and then making an intention and plan to live alongside those values. This is the direct…
The loss of a loved one is a universal human experience. How thoughts and feelings about the loss are expressed vary by culture. We encourage you to adapt information in this site to what fits for your beliefs and customs. Information…
See this amazing short video about self-directed learning – it says so much in just 90 seconds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOegfbhXzlk
There are some people who can be so insensitive, dismissive and even abusive towards others that they have the effect of disempowering them, by which I mean putting them down, taking the wind out of their sails and undermining their…
As part of The Children’s Society, the Include Programme reaches out to young carers from all communities through our national and local programmes, helping voluntary and statutory services supporting young carers. We also campaign for change and promote best practice with central and…
Ever since the role of personnel management evolved to human resources, employers have struggled to ensure that the people they employ are treated as humans and not resources. Although it may be logical to assume that staff don’t like to be treated as numbers on…
I think that’s always been a little true, but now it’s a lot true. Everyone reading this has an enormous amount of power. Cultural power, mostly. The ability to speak up, to paint a picture of a different way, to…
Workplace experts, Acas, have launched a new guide to help employers and managers identify, tackle and prevent sex discrimination in the workplace. Over the past year, the Acas helpline has dealt with over 7,000 calls related to sex discrimination in…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
There has been some scaremongering going on that involves suggesting that reading and writing are dying out, in their present form at least. I’m not so sure that I would go that far, but things are certainly changing. Let’s start…
There are thousands of minority groups living in the UK who are disadvantaged in some way. Instead of spoon-feeding them towards success, a better policy exists to ensure their vulnerabilities are protected These days, almost everyone is familiar with the…
There’s been plenty of evidence … to suggest that the UK is suffering from very poor mental health. The injection of funds promised by David Cameron to help boost NHS mental health services is a welcome development, but it still raises the…
Almost everyone in the UK (99.5%) has heard of autism but, despite this, only 16% of autistic people and families think the public understands them. The National Autistic Society is set to change that, and we need your help. With…
This unique project is the story of one woman’s bid to be a good neighbour. It explores how little acts of kindness can make a big difference to communities. Based on audio diaries recorded over a six-month period, this short…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
We are well aware, of course, that if something doesn’t work, we should stop doing it – although that knowledge doesn’t necessarily prevent quite a few people from pressing on regardless with tactics that just don’t deliver the required results….
David Cameron is leading a charge into land that was once undisputed Labour territory: tackling racial inequality. His recent comment that the failure of top universities to recruit black students “should shame our nation” has been followed by the appointment…
Life is a practice and what you choose to practice is what will make up your character. It’s worth considering what you value in life and then making an intention and plan to live alongside those values. This is the direct…
Since the Dying Matters Coalition was set up in 2009, we’ve created a wide range of resources to help people start conversations about dying, death and bereavement. These have been a great success: to date, we have distributed more than…
This report identifies and discusses evidence about the relationship between poverty and child abuse and neglect. It explores the economic costs of child abuse and neglect and outlines broad policy implications, with a particular focus on the UK. The report…
Click here to see what is available and email us your choice. We will then send you the DVD(s) and an invoice for £99 + VAT per DVD.
I’ve never given any credence to the idea that you ‘make your own luck’, as if chance in life can be ruled out in some way. But there is a very real sense in which we can affect the luck…
Too many people are lonely. And isolation is very bad for our health and wellbeing. That’s according to experts and academics. With the recent John Lewis ‘man on the moon’ advert, we have also seen the issue achieving ‘cut through’…
Rowena Kincaid asks why we don’t talk about dying “Death is a certainty for us all, but it’s still something we often don’t want to talk about. So how should we plan and communicate about the final event of our…
The disability market is worth billions of pounds – and companies are coming up with ever more “disruptive” ways to break into it. Last summer was one of those rare occasions on Dragons’ Den when someone pitches, nails the numbers…
Over the past 20 years, the richest 10% have had their transport subsidised 4 times more than the poorest 10%. And yet it’s the poorest who rely on public transport most. The Campaign for Better Transport yesterday reported that Councils throughout…
Putting things off is something we all do from time to time and is not necessarily, in itself, a problem. However, it can become a problem if we get into the habit of procrastinating regularly as a way to avoid…
Why put off until tomorrow what you can put off to the day after?, as the old joke goes. But the price we pay for procrastination is no laughing matter. We have known for a long time that one of…
I’m looking to create a book that tells social work’s story – in 40 objects. Is it possible to represent social work through a collection of objects and what would these be? For this project I’m looking to choose forty objects that, taken…
You are the first person to really listen and not criticise me” This is a comment a social worker halfway through a motivational interviewing programme received from a young person in Merton. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a structured approach to…
The House of Lords has voted to keep targets aimed at reducing child poverty, forcing the government to reconsider its plan to abolish them. The bishop of Durham, supported by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, led the effort to retain…
“You can never get over it if you truly love someone,” says Kathleen, 86. “I am old fashioned and I think you can only truly love one person in your life.” With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Kathleen is one…
The following courses by Neil Thompson are now available for just £1 each, but you will have to be quick. The offer closes on Friday 5th February. Once enrolled you will have lifetime access to the course materials. To purchase…
Consumerist messages are all around us: buy, spend, consume. Underpinning these is the powerful message that success in life is defined by your spending power. But it’s more than that; there is a strong message too that we should be…
A newly released Runnymede Trust report reveals differing public attitudes amongst ethnic minority Britons on immigration and Europe. In the coming EU referendum, addressing the prevailing concerns of BME voters would substantially shape the debate. Click here to read more
Unacceptably short 15-minute home care visits to elderly and disabled people are still plaguing the care system in England, a report suggests. Research by Unison found “distressing” cases of care being compromised after surveying councils and care workers. Councils are…
One in every eight UK employees– some 4 million people – are working with a mental health condition … we take a moment to look at some of the numbers around mental health and work, and the provision of workplace…
“If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B … ” began spoken word poet Sarah Kay, in a talk that inspired two standing ovations at TED2011. She tells the story of her metamorphosis…
Two new e-learning courses by Neil Thompson: ‘Risk Assessment and Management’ and ‘Outcome-focused Practice’. Click here to find out more. Learn with one of our most highly respected authors and educators.
A lot of what has been written about goal setting is simplistic and misleading, as if to suggest that if you set goals, somehow your life will be transformed. But, despite this hype, there is much value in setting goals…
Do you believe that you’re being bullied or discriminated at work because of your sexuality or gender identity? No one should have to put up with such behavior, but what exactly you can do about it depends on where you…
Three years ago, at the age of 45, I was diagnosed as autistic. It made complete sense to me, like being short-sighted all my life and finally getting a pair of glasses! As an active trade unionist – I was on…
British ethnic minorities differing views on immigration and Europe explored in new report. Race equality think tank the Runnymede Trust launch new report on Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) population’s attitudes Ethnic minorities in Britain have very different views on…
Monitoring poverty and social exclusion is a regular, independent assessment of progress in tackling poverty and other types of disadvantage across the United Kingdom. The report, written by the New Policy Institute, uses official data from a range of sources…
So much to do but so little time! That is such a common scenario these days. Developed by leading author Neil Thompson, this e-learning course is the equivalent of a full day’s continuous professional development. It explores the four principles…
How busy someone is and how productive they are can be two very different things. Being busy can become a vicious circle. We can get so busy and have so many plates to keep spinning that we don’t actually manage…
Child Rights Partners brings together Unicef UK and local government to put children’s rights at the heart of public services and ensure all children have the same opportunity to flourish. The programme, launched as a three-year pilot in November 2013,…
There is growing evidence that an individual’s relationships – their ‘social capital’ – can help reduce poverty. For disadvantaged people from ethnic minority backgrounds, there is also evidence of a limited but significant relationship between less diverse social networks and…
Last Saturday saw a very large and enthusiastic gathering of Equality Trust supporters and activists at Inequality Today, our annual conference. They came to see a preview of the beautifully filmed and thought-provoking documentary, The Divide, (produced by Dartmouth Films) which…
Bilbo Baggin’s great quote about being stretched thin (“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”) reveals a profound truth: Most individuals and organizations complain of not having enough butter. We need more resources, we say, to…
Two new e-learning courses by Neil Thompson: ‘Risk Assessment and Management’ and ‘Outcome-focused Practice’. Click here to find out more. Learn with one of our most highly respected authors and educators.
Assertiveness is a widely misunderstood term. Many people use it to mean being stroppy or difficult, unaware that this is a significant distortion of the philosophy underpinning the idea of assertiveness. For example, on training courses I have been running…
More than 30,000 people over 60 in Wales are victims of domestic abuse, the older people’s commissioner has said. Sarah Rochira said more needs to be done to support them. The Welsh government said it was “committed to supporting all…
Bullying can happen to anyone at any age. Being bullied at school, home or online might involve someone pushing you, hitting you, teasing you, talking about you or calling you names. Nobody has the right to hurt you or make…
The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful to discriminate against employees (including workers) because of a mental or physical disability. Under the Equality Act 2010 a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a…
Though the following short video focuses on high school/college students, the message it promotes has relevance for a much wider audience. Wherever people work with people, there is the potential for miscommunication, or a lack of communication, about differing perspectives….
Neil’s book, The Authentic Leader, has now been published by Palgrave Macmillan. It uses existentialist theory to show how leadership needs to be based on making genuine human connections. Click here to buy from the neil thompson bookshop
There are two ‘sides’ to our brain and nervous system. One deals with routine matters that we don’t have to think about – the things we just do, like walking and breathing. Then there is the part of our brain…
Did you know that 750,000 people of working age are living with cancer in the UK? And, every year, another 120,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer. With survival rates improving and people retiring later, these figures are…
There is growing evidence that an individual’s relationships – their ‘social capital’ – can help reduce poverty. For disadvantaged people from ethnic minority backgrounds, there is also evidence of a limited but significant relationship between less diverse social networks and…
Silver Robin is a lively and light-hearted meeting place for us oldies to share and discuss interests, views, experiences and connect with like-minded people. It’s here to find useful information, new ideas, have fun, and when necessary, have a good…
Type your country into the search box to find out how it ranks for gender equality. The figures are based on the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s annual Global Gender Gap report, which measures countries according to where women are more…
Neil’s book, The Authentic Leader, has now been published by Palgrave Macmillan. It uses existentialist theory to show how leadership needs to be based on making genuine human connections. Click here to buy from the neil thompson bookshop
No one has 360-degree vision. When we are focusing on something, everything else is out of focus, so there will be many important things that are there, right by us, but we don’t see them. That is fine most of…
The prime minister was still at the despatch box last week, having moments before announced that he and Nicky Morgan had asked me to review the residential care of children, when the emails, Linked-In messages, and tweets started to rain…
Gendered Intelligence offers transgender awareness training across the UK, which can help address issues and questions professionals encounter when working with trans people … These sessions cover issues surrounding inclusion of transgender & transsexual people, gender reassignment and gender diversity….
Aboard an overloaded ship carrying more than 500 refugees, a young woman becomes an unlikely hero. This single, powerful story, told by Melissa Fleming of the UN’s refugee agency, gives a human face to the sheer numbers of human beings…
Dementia disproportionately affects women, but their experiences and voices are missing from research and literature. This project aimed to inspire people to think differently about women and dementia by using stories and reflections from individual women to inform the debate…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
We all have certain things that get under our skin, things that are likely to get us annoyed, irritated or distressed. These are known as ‘triggers’. Some triggers are shared by a wide range of people (if not by everybody)…
Runnymede’s Director, Dr Omar Khan, spoke at the 5th OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, ‘Transforming policy, changing lives’ held in Guadalajara, Mexico 13-15 October. Among the questions the conference addressed were how we can or should measure…
As you work on your project (your presentation, your plan, your speech, your recipe, your…) imagine that it’s the sort of thing that could be reviewed on Amazon. Now, write (actually write down) two different reviews: First, a 5 star…
One in five staff in Yorkshire and the Humber admit to checking emails on the loo New research from Mind makes for uncomfortable reading – the mental health charity has found that nearly 1 in 5 workers in Yorkshire and…
I can tell you that, for most executives, interpersonal drama is the least fun part of their job. I spend a lot of time helping people through challenging situations at work. One thing I see time and again is the…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
Owen Jones has established himself as a highly respected social commentator, first in his column in The Independent and more recently in The Guardian. This book extends and consolidates that reputation. In a clear, well-written text he provides a powerful…
The gap between the richest and the rest of us is less of a gap, more an interplanetary divide. Executive pay, in particular, has reached dizzying heights, stretching far away from the salaries of the mere mortals they employ. Research…
I don’t personally have a big history of playing with dolls, and as a large, bearded male who enjoys violent sports, I might not even be the sort of customer that doll manufacturers have in mind when creating their products….
Feeling like a failure has little correlation with actually failing. There are people who have failed more times than you and I can count, who are happily continuing in their work. There are others who have achieved more than most…
Sadly there are many people who seem to feel that they can – or at least should – get through life without support. For many people, asking for support is seen as a weakness, as if only inadequate people need…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
A stereotype is a distorted and often exaggerated depiction of some aspect of reality. As such, stereotypes are potentially very dangerous because they can influence our thoughts, feelings and actions in misleading ways. Confusing an oversimplified and distorted picture of…
Guest post by Dr Sue Thompson The discriminatory treatment of minority groups is something that still exercises us to this day, but it has a long history. A significant part of this history is the way Native American nations were…
COMPASS is looking for contributors to the annual guide to social work and social care. As the largest publication in social work and social care, we are looking for articles to keep our readers informed with the most current information…
Ken Leech, who has died aged 76 of cancer, stood firmly in the proud tradition of radical prophetic priests in the English Catholic, rather than Roman Catholic, tradition – one that comes closest to Latin America’s liberation theology. His commitment…
Join us on the afternoon of Saturday 21st November to watch an exclusive, preview screening of “The Divide”; a powerful and thought-provoking film inspired by “The Spirit Level”, that explores the human stories behind the inequality statistics and graphs. We…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
To be described as a ‘narcissist’ is generally to be insulted. Narcissus was someone who was in love with himself. But being ‘in love with’ yourself and loving yourself are two different things! In my career I have been called…
YoungMinds are really excited to share our first ever activist showcase, celebrating some of the young activists that have been campaigning with us over the last year. Everybody working on the campaign agreed we had to create something to give…
From tiny community gardens to sprawling city farms, FCFCG helps grass roots groups create genuine benefits for their community. And in turn, we are constantly inspired and amazed by the people and the places that we support. Since FCFCG was…
In 2010 we know that the leaders’ wives got more attention than female politicians, so over the 2015 election Fawcett kept an eye on the media to see if things have improved. Fawcett is investigating if reporting about the economy in the media,…
Racial inequality in the workplace has worsened over the last decade, despite the fact that ethnic minorities now outperform white British students in education, research shows. The Runnymede Trust, the charity behind the study, believes the findings point to institutional…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
On the one hand, it is very easy to get bogged down in details and lose sight of the bigger picture – to not see the wood for the trees. On the other hand, though, it’s also very easy to…
Anyone who works in the care sector knows how serious their job can be and often times the idea of fun just doesn’t come into it. However, here Simon North suggests some small changes you can make which will improve…
If you caught even part of BBC Three’s Defying the Label season – the channel’s biggest ever season of disability related programming – it was easy to sense the relish of the commissioning editors. Over the past month, there have…
Some people are able to reflect the light that lands on them, to take directions or assets or energy and focus it where it needs to be focused. This is a really valuable skill. Even more valuable, though, is the…
At Unseen we are working towards a world without slavery. It’s a big aim and a big task, but we believe we can do it. By concentrating our efforts on three main areas – supporting, equipping and influencing – we…
Neil’s Effective Writing e-book is now on Kindle (and other e-book platforms) as are his two brand new e-books, A Career in Social Work and How to Do Social Work. For a limited period they are available for only 99p…
The mantra of being ‘balanced in all things’ is a well-established idea, but there is a paradox here. If we are aiming to be balanced in all things, doesn’t that mean we are being extreme (and therefore unbalanced) about being…
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published new guidelines which are aimed at helping to improve employee health and wellbeing. The guidelines were developed in response to recent research indicating that 27 million working days were…
My 16-year-old son with autism has two loves in his life: teddy bears and music. He likes the same Top 40 pop songs most kids like; it’s something he gets lost in. He dances with his head. Sometimes, his body…
There’s the obvious sort of laziness, the laziness of not trying very hard, of avoiding strenuous tasks or heavy lifting, of getting others to do your work or not showing up for many hours each day. We’re quick to point…
We are launching our new campaign to reduce inequality and poverty across the UK. Under the banner of Make My Council Fair we are calling on people everywhere to lobby their local councils to make concrete and practical changes that will reduce…
For a limited period Neil is offering membership of his online learning community at a discount of 2/3 rds off – just £40 for a full year! There is more information about the Programme at https://www.avenuemediasolutions.com/the-avenue-professional-development-programme/. Interested? Questions? Email Neil…
Communication is so fundamental to most of the things we do in our work as well as in our private lives. One of the most potent forms of communication is body language, the subtle – and sometimes not so subtle…
Do you feel your age? In his wistful series “Mirrors,” Dallas-based photographer Tom Hussey captures the discrepancy between how old we look and how young we feel with sharp tenderness. The phoographer arrived upon the concept for his bittersweet series…
Why do so many people with caring responsibilities feel forced to give up work? “When the call came in to say mum had had another emergency episode, my employer was concerned all wasn’t well. It had been another episode in…
Immigration is not a problem. How we deal with it is. And I don’t mean to suggest that talking about immigration is simply racist. Some of it is xenophobic too. We hear about enforcement, border controls, increasing numbers, a small…
At Easter, Jenny McMurtary was given just days to live. At Christmas, she had been diagnosed with a sarcoma, a rare cancer, in her shoulder, and it had spread. But now she is making the most of the summer, with…
Click on the link below to view the many books available in The neil thompson Bookshop https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21
It is often said that trust needs to be earned, and that implies that we start off not trusting people until they reach the point when they have done enough to convince us that they are trustworthy. But is it…
We worry that IM, texting, Facebook are spoiling human intimacy, but Stefana Broadbent’s research shows how communication tech is capable of cultivating deeper relationships, bringing love across barriers like distance and workplace rules. https://www.ted.com/talks/stefana_broadbent_how_the_internet_enables_intimacy
In setting out its six top tips for managing mental health in the workplace, Acas point out that mental health issues not only affect people’s personal lives, wellbeing and morale at home, but can also impact on their performance at…
The Netherlands could become the first country to pave its streets with plastic bottles after Rotterdam city council said it was considering piloting a new type of road surface touted by its creators as a greener alternative to asphalt. The…
The Scottish National Party have hit out at the UK Government … accusing them of just paying “lip service” to the issue of gender equality. This comes as figures, that whilst publicly available have only now been examined by the…
Click on the link below to view the many books available in The neil thompson Bookshop https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21
As human beings, we are, of course, emotional creatures just as much as we are rational, if not more so. This means that any attempt to understand human actions without taking account of the emotional dimension is likely to be,…
In a culture where being social and outgoing are prized above all else, it can be difficult, even shameful, to be an introvert. But, as Susan Cain argues in this passionate talk, introverts bring extraordinary talents and abilities to the…
Ask a hundred students at Harvard Business School if they expect to be up for a good job when they graduate, and all of them will say “yes.” Ask a bright ten-year old girl if she expects to have a…
Understanding the new demands placed on workers and how to manage a stressed workforce is challenging. Gender differences compound the problem. According to a new study by Erin Reid, a professor at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, organizational pressures…
Public transport is a significant and escalating cost for many people. But while transport may be a drain on the finances of some, for others the cost is far more debilitating. This matters, as it means the poorest in society…
Click on the link below to view the many books available in The neil thompson Bookshop https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21
A widely accepted way to build muscle strength is to exercise just beyond what you are comfortable with (extend), give yourself time to get back to normal after the exertion (recover) and then start the process again when you are…
In 2003, Allison Ellis was in a new job after taking some time off to have her first child. She had been hired as an independent marketing consultant to get a new website off the ground for a company and…
This report was commissioned by the Civil Service Talent Action Plan: Removing the barriers to success which called for further independent reports to examine the barriers faced by those: who declare disabilities are from a minority-ethnic background are lesbian, gay,…
The purpose of the site is to assist social workers, social care practitioners, foster carers and advisers find the current law relating to social care for children and young people in Wales. We use the term ‘children’s social care’ to…
Fewer than two in 10 people with learning disabilities are in employment. For people with Down’s syndrome, it can leave them demoralised – but are things changing? “I have a friend with [Down’s syndrome] who actually pays someone £40 just…
Click on the link below to view the many books available in The neil thompson Bookshop https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21
Positive psychology and its promotion of optimism have become firmly established in the popular imagination now. The idea that people who are optimistic will fare better than people who are pessimistic has received a great deal of coverage and has…
As we expect more from technology, do we expect less from each other? Sherry Turkle studies how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication — and asks us to think deeply about the new kinds of…
Since my last child was born five years ago something else has bred in my house. Toys. We started off with a few rattles, and as the years progressed the plastic proliferated into an army of Playmobil figures, a soup…
Occupational stress poses a risk to most businesses and compensation payments for stress are increasing. Employers need to meet the challenge by dealing with excessive and long-term causes of stress. It is well recognised that excessive or sustained work pressure…
Adult social care has become the poor cousin of the NHS. Those of us in the sector may not feel comfortable with this assessment, but few would disagree with it. While the NHS was the key issue in the general…
Click on the link below to view the many books available in The neil thompson Bookshop https://astore.amazon.co.uk/neilthomp-21
The idea that we should be true to ourselves has a long and honourable history, and also has much to commend it. However, much depends on how it is interpreted. A very common interpretation is that it involves being clear…
You’ve probably heard a lot about Mindfulness in the media recently. Perhaps you think it means sitting cross-legged on the floor and meditating. Maybe you think mindfulness means to simply concentrate on your breathing. You may have even heard that…
At first glance, it seems 2015 may be the year the British Armed Forces is truly embracing diversity and promoting gender equality. Last month, Staff Sergeant Kate Lord received the prestigious Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service, for challenging the opinions…
British Association of Social Workers – Guy Shennan, chair: “We want to see a return to a commitment to social justice. Social workers have had to deal with the fallout of the austerity agenda. It’s time for government to play…
To be actually trapped is to have no options, no choices, no possible outcomes other than the one you fear. Most of the time, when we think we’re trapped, we’re actually unhappy with the short-term consequences of making a choice….
Neil has run his Time and Workload Management course in various parts of the country to great acclaim. It is now available online as an e-learning course. Why not sign up now and see what a positive difference it can…
We live in a world of soundbites and dumbed-down media messages. Having so many people competing for our attention and trying to capture that attention in a short time is bound to lead to an oversimplification of complex issues much…
The Community is here for people on the autism spectrum, their carers and relatives, professionals working around autism and other interested people to share their thoughts and experiences. Click on the link below to read more. https://www.community.autism.org.uk
It is generally known that greater democracy is conducive to greater equality but the mechanisms whereby inequality undermines democracy are perhaps less well understood. It is therefore welcome that the IPPR think-tank has produced a report … that sheds some much-needed light on…
A new report … from the Work and Pensions Select Committee lays out the case for conducting a full review of sanctions in the UK’s benefit system. It highlights the fact that “there is currently no evidence” on whether a…
A protein supplement company has come under fire for its “beach body ready” ad campaign featuring a bikini-clad model. Performer and body image campaigner Juliette Burton is one of those who took issue with it. When she tweeted the company,…
Neil has run his Time and Workload Management course in various parts of the country to great acclaim. It is now available online as an e-learning course. Why not sign up now and see what a positive difference it can…
For over two years now I have been producing the Tip of the Week and I have been pleased with all the positive feedback I have received about the tips during that time. As we now move to our new…
Every fortnight or so, 58-year-old James Clark hosts a ‘tea and teach’ session at Barclays’ high-street branch in Ealing Broadway, west London. Clark, a community banker with the retail bank, takes customers through the basics of everything from online banking…
Who gets included in the story? Runnymede’s History Lessons project asks this question and looks at the importance of presenting diverse stories when teaching history. You can download both a Runnymede Perspectives Paper, which lays out the research, argument and…
In this touching talk, Ash Beckham offers a fresh approach to empathy and openness. It starts with understanding that everyone, at some point in their life, has experienced hardship. The only way out, says Beckham, is to open the door…
There are many benefits to a positive workplace – including workers who are happier, more motivated and more productive. From an organizational perspective, too, there is a ripple effect – increasing overall performance, sustainability and resilience within the institution. This informative…
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