t2 Achievers Edge edition 41 - Nov 19 - Jan 20

t2group.co.uk

November 2019 - January 2020

edge achievers

edition 41

Inside This Issue

Why study through the medium of Welsh?

Ways to Stop Workplace Bullying The Rise of Veganism

INSIDE

WHAT IS FORCED MARRIAGE? How to safeguard against online radicalisation - See inside for details

What’s

ESDGC and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

around the UK?

events 2019 - 2020

On? November

1

11

16 25 – 26 26 – 8 28 – 1

All Saints Day Remembrance Day Brecon Beacons Ultra Marathon Royal Welsh Winter Fair Snooker - UK Championship, York Hay-on-Wye Winter Food Festival

December

25 25 26 31 31

Christmas Day Peter Pan Cup, Hyde Park Tenby Boxing Day swim Nos Galan Road Races, Aberdare London New Year’s Eve Fireworks

1 Barry Island News Years Day Swim 25 St Dwynwen’s Day 25 Robert Burns Night

events 2019 - 2020

November

November

7 - 13

9

11

16 16 - 22

19

20

1

2

13

14

17

25

National Recycling Week World Freedom Day Armistice Day International Day of Tolerance Alcohol Awareness Week World Toilet Day International Children’s Day

World Vegan Day Stress Awareness Day World Kindness Day World Diabetes Day TAKE a Hike Day, World Prematurity Day Flossing Day

December

December

1

9

10

11

18

World AIDS Day, Antarctica Day International Anti-corruption Day, LOST and FOUND Day Human Rights Day International Mountain Day International Migrants Day

January

Health & Well-being

January

4 19 26 26 27

World Braille Day World Religion Day Spouses Day Australia Day National Geographic Day

1 Eat a Red Apple Day, World Aids Day 3 International Day of Disabled People 10 International Human Rights Day

January

2

4

16

22

Motivation and Inspiration Day / Personal Trainer Awareness Day Hypnotism Day Women’s Healthy Weight Day Celebration of Life Day

SAFEGUARDING events 2019 - 2020

November

December

January

4 International Stress Awareness Day

2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

6 National Stress Awareness Day

8 Wear Blue for Bullying Day

3 United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities

1-31 t2 Online Safety & Cyberbullying Awareness Month

11 - 15 Anti-bullying Week 11 - 17 Alcohol Awareness Week 12-18 Financial Capability Week

16 International Day for Tolerance

25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

30 International Computer Security Day

17 International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

20

International Human Solidarity Day

11

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day

23

Online Safety Conference 2019 – Bristol

Online radicalisation, often referred to as ‘online grooming’, is increasingly being used to target and radicalise individuals or groups of people who can be easily led towards terrorist ideologies.

Why do extremist groups use the internet to target people?

The internet can play a large role in online radicalisation. It can be used to create initial interest in extreme groups, activities and ideologies and is often used to reinforce messages that may have happened face to face.

The internet is used as: • Large numbers of people can be reached • It can cover wide geography, stretching across the world • It involves less effort on the perpetrators part

How are people targeted online?

The influence of social media is well-known and includes platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, What’s App, Instagram and Snapchat amongst many others. Extremists can use these platforms to find vulnerable people through the information contained in their profiles, posts and from photographs and friend lists.

Online chatrooms, forums, emails, texts and direct messages are examples of other online channels that could be used for online grooming.

What we can see on the internet is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the activity that happens online. The ‘Dark Web’ is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines and is often encrypted. This leaves it open to criminal use and is often used by extremists and other criminals to communicate. Its unregulated use means that extremists can groom people out of the public domain, which makes detection and intervention almost impossible.

Who might be vulnerable to online radicalisation?

There are a number of factors that can lead to increased vulnerability to being radicalised and people with mental health conditions could also be at increased risk. A combination of the factors below may increase the vulnerability to extremist activity and radicalisation: • Struggling with a sense of identity • Becoming distanced from their cultural or religious background • Questioning their place in society • Family issues • Experiencing a traumatic event • Experiencing racism or discrimination • Difficulty in interacting socially and lacking empathy

• Talk to children and young people in your life about how they use online technologies – take an interest in what they visit, play or post online getsafeonline.org advises the following; • If you are approached or groomed, think long and hard about the consequences of radicalisation to yourself, your family and friends, and your basic values.

•

Keep an eye on family members, friends and others you think may be susceptible to radicalisation. Have their behaviour patterns changed? Have they become withdrawn or introvert for no apparent reason? Has their belief structure altered? Are they making unusual travel plans? Are mutual friends and acquaintances also concerned?

How do I report concerns about radicalisation and extremism?

If you have concerns that you or someone you know is being radicalised or is at risk of being drawn into violent extremism or terrorism you can contact t2’s Safeguarding Team for advice and support.

Immediate threat If you have seen a person acting suspiciously or if you see a vehicle, unattended package or bag which might be an immediate threat, move away and call 999.

No immediate threat If you’re concerned about possible terrorist activity or risk of radicalisation and there is no immediate threat, you can: • call your local authority • call the Police on 101 • complete an online report form at https://www.met.police.uk/tua/ tell-us-about/ath/possible-terrorist-activity/ Please try to provide as much information as possible.

Information found online If you’ve found illegal or harmful information, pictures or videos online, you can report your concerns anonymously at https://www.gov.uk/reportterrorism

t2 Safeguarding Team contact details:

• Difficulty in understanding the consequences of their actions • Low self-esteem

Safeguarding Officer:

Deputy Safeguarding Officer:

How to safeguard against online radicalisation

Stacy Preston

Jessica Wool

There are a number of ways you can help yourself and others:

02920 799 133 / 07876 824 157

07881 093 512

• Educate yourself about online safety

stacy.preston@t2group.co.uk

jessica.wool@t2group.co.uk

• Ensure privacy settings are used correctly on your online platforms • Keep up to date on with technology

safeguarding@t2group.co.uk

We sometimes take for granted our right to choose who we marry, when we marry or if we marry at all.

Forced marriage is when someone faces physical pressure to marry (for example, threats, physical violence or sexual violence) or emotional and psychological pressure (for example, if you’re made to feel like you’re bringing shame on your family).

Forced marriage is illegal in England and Wales and forcing someone to marry can result in a sentence of up to 7 years in prison. This includes: • taking someone overseas to force them to marry (whether or not the forced marriage takes place) • marrying someone who lacks the mental capacity to consent to the marriage (whether they’re pressured to or not) Forced marriage is not a problem specific to one country or culture. Since 2011, the Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) has handled cases relating to over 110 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.

In 2018, the FMU gave advice or support related to a possible forced marriage in 1,764 cases. 75% of these cases related to women and 17% related to men, with the gender in the remainder of cases being unknown. 33% of cases related to individuals below the age of 18 (FMU Statistics 2018).

Where can people get help?

If you’re trying to stop a forced marriage or you need help leaving a marriage you’ve been forced into, contact the Forced Marriage Unit. Trained professionals can provide free advice, help people find a safe place to stay and also stop a UK visa if you’ve been forced to sponsor someone.

Forced Marriage Unit fmu@fco.gov.uk Telephone: 020 7008 0151 From overseas: +44 (0)20 7008 0151 Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm Out of hours: 020 7008 1500 (ask for the Global Response Centre)

Forced Marriage Protection Orders Courts can be asked for a Forced Marriage Protection Order. Each order is unique and is designed to protect people according to their individual circumstances. For example, the court may order someone to hand over an individual’s passport or reveal where they are. In an emergency, an order can be made to protect them immediately.

Disobeying a forced marriage protection order can result in a sentence of up to 5 years in prison.

Forced Marriage Abroad If someone you know has been taken abroad to be forced into marriage, contact the FMU. The FMU will contact the relevant embassy. If they’re a British national, the embassy will try to contact the person and help them get back to the UK if that’s what they want.

Support for victims The following link will take you to a handbook about being a survivor of forced marriage. It has details of organisations that can give you help and advice. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/ system/uploads/attachment_data/file/727408/forced-marriage-survivors-handbook.pdf

IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR NEED SUPPORT RELATING TO FORCED MARRIAGE OR ANY OTHER SAFEGUARDING ISSUE PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH THE SAFEGUARDING TEAM

Safeguarding Officer

Stacy Preston 02920 799 133 / 07876 824 157 Deputy Safeguarding Officer

Jessica Wool 07881 093 512 safeguarding@t2group.co.uk

Unfortunately, for some of us, bullying doesn’t end in the school playground. Bullying at work, amongst grown adults, is a reality. And it’s a reality which, if not dealt with in the right way, can lead to serious difficulties for everyone involved. Many cases of workplace bullying go unreported or misunderstood and, as a victim, it can be hard to know where to turn.

Here are some practical ways to identify if you or anyone you know is the victim of bullying at work, and how to deal with it.

Are you being bullied at work?

As any accusations you make are likely to be taken extremely seriously, the first thing is to ascertain whether you are actually being bullied.

Identifying the difference between bullying and performance management can be difficult, especially if your role is goal-orientated or target-driven. However, it’s important you consider this distinction before you decide to take your claims any further.

What’s more, as bullying is almost always carried out on a repetitive basis, it’s important to ascertain whether your situation is the result of an isolated incident or a prolonged episode of bullying.

Bullying at work comes in a variety of shapes and forms and may be carried out at various levels.

It could come from a manager, a supervisor, a co-worker or anyone else from around the organisation.

Although this is by no means a comprehensive list, some examples of bullying in the workplace might include: • Insults, rudeness or intentional embarrassment • Spreading rumours or stories about individuals • Excluding and ignoring people or any other form of victimisation • Unwarranted personal or professional criticism • Overworking • Making staff members perform demeaning, degrading or pointless tasks • Threatening behaviour • Unwanted sexual advances and harassment • Preventing promotion or other professional development • It is important to remember that, just as bullying can come in a variety of different forms, it can also be carried out in a variety of different ways which may not necessarily be limited to face-to-face communications.

If you’re being bullied via e-mail, telephone, text message or any other type of written or verbal communication, it’s no less serious.

Effects of bullying at work Bullying can have a number of negative consequences for the victims, having a significant effect on both their professional and personal lives.

Aside from the obvious loss of motivation at work, it can also lead to anxiousness, sleeplessness, loss of self-confidence and other self-esteem issues.

For example, victims of regular bullying often find it difficult to maintain concentration, making it hard for them to cope with daily tasks and continue working effectively.

Bullying can also lead to a deterioration in health, mental illness, stress and depression, all of which can lead to extended periods of absence, which could have serious repercussions for an employer’s business.

To put it simply, if not dealt with properly, bullying has the potential to cause serious damage to all aspects of your life – including your career.

What can I do?

Talk to the bully. The first thing to try to do is talk to the guilty party.

The person in question may not have realised how badly you’ve reacted to their behaviour and the complaint might not have to go any further.

If you don’t feel comfortable approaching them alone, ask a colleague to come with you and act as a mediator.

Although this won’t always be enough to change their behaviour, a large number of workplace issues can be resolved informally and needn’t be taken any further.

Talk to the right people If talking to the bully isn’t an option, then find the right people to take your complaint to.

Ask to speak to your line manager or someone from your employer’s Human Resources department.

Explain how the issue is causing you to feel unmotivated and affecting your performance in the workplace.

Discussing the issue with other people will not only mean the issue gets resolved more quickly, but it can also be extremely comforting and cathartic.

Seek formal help If it’s got to the point where no-one else will listen, then you could take the matter further by seeking external assistance.

A good place to start is ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service). Their main aim is to improve working life through better employment relations, and they offer free and impartial advice on the subject.

Advice can also be sought from the Citizens Advice Bureau and many other independent bodies. However, following more formal procedures may only exacerbate the situation, and this option should only ever be used as a last resort.

For more information on who to speak to, visit the directgov website or contact us at info@t2group.co.uk.

Studying through the medium of Welsh and bilingually will develop your skills and give you an advantage in the jobs market, not only over people who are able to speak one language, but also over candidates who are able to speak Welsh, but haven’t developed their skills to a QCF Level.

The benefit to your educational development Continuing to receive your education through the medium of Welsh after you’ve studied in the language at school or college gives you a valuable advantage in terms of your personal development. There are opportunities within our programmes for students who are fluent and confident in their Welsh language skills as well as for those who are less confident or are pure learners.

By continuing to study the whole, or part, of your course through the medium of Welsh, you’ll develop your skills in both languages – Welsh and English – and enable yourself to contribute fully to the bilingual community in which we live.

To further your career, recent research has shown that being able to converse and write in both Welsh and English is an important advantage. Public services in Wales must, by law, treat English and Welsh on an equal basis. Llinos Evans the Policy and Partnership Officer in Carmarthenshire County Council told Careers Wales.

“Being bilingual is an advantage to getting employed in Wales today. The Council’s policy is that we only appoint employees to our Call Centres and Customer Centres who can speak Welsh and English. It is important that those who answer the phone and deal with queries face to face with the public can speak their preferred language”.

The Welsh Assembly Government has identified six priority areas where demand for people with bilingual skills will increase.

• Child Care • Health and Social Care • Business and Information Technology • Tourism and Leisure • Media and Performing Arts • Agriculture

Get ahead of the game and give Welsh a go in 2020 visit www.whylearnwelsh.co.uk for more information.

From “bleeding” burgers to macaroni cheese to sausage rolls, everywhere you look right now, all of these items — previously laden with animal products — seem to have the word “vegan” in front of them.

If you walk into a restaurant, it’s more possible than ever before that you’ll see items clearly marked with “ve;” and on your weekly shop, you’re likely to see several products marketed as plant-based or dairy-free.

If you asked for vegan food 20, 10, or even five years ago, you’d be met with surprise or even an eye-roll. Fast forward to 2019, and times have changed. Times have really, really changed.

Ask for the vegan menu these days and it’s quite plausible your server will eagerly hand you a card packed with veggie burgers, dairy-free pasta, quinoa bowls, and if you’re lucky, some vegan dessert too. But why the sudden shift toward meat-free and plant-based foods? Has everyone become suddenly radical in their views? The likeliest answer to that is no, but they have become more open to change.

One of the reasons more and more people are reducing their intake of animal products is because the range of alternatives on offer is significantly larger — and more appealing — than it has ever been before.

It’s not just all about tofu and broccoli anymore (although these foods, of course, have their place). We now have an ever-growing range of vegan “bleeding” burger options — looking at your Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Quorn, and Moving Mountains.

Made from ingredients such as soy, pea, or mycoprotein, they’re the closest to the real thing we’ve ever had; each

with a strikingly similar appearance, taste, and texture to traditional beef burgers.

Pubs up and down the UK feature the Moving Mountains B12 Burger and the Beyond Burger, and Burger King was so impressed with Impossible Foods’ Impossible Burger it added it to the menu in the form of an Impossible Whopper, which is set to roll out across the U.S. later this year.

But innovation isn’t just limited to burgers. Quorn recently took the UK by storm with its vegan sausage roll filling for bakery chain Greggs; the pastry became the chain’s best-selling new menu item, helping to push sales above £1 billion.

Every day there is seemingly more on offer; from JUST vegan eggs, to creamy vegan Oatly milk, to Sophie’s Kitchen fish-free salmon and prawns. Thanks to Quorn realistic vegan chicken products line supermarket shelves and many consumers are unable to tell the difference between a real chicken nugget and a plant-based one.

It’s not only their own health that is motivating consumers to ditch animal products but the health of the planet too. People are becoming more and more aware of the impact that animal agriculture has on the environment.

Last summer, the world’s biggest-ever food production analysis announced that following a vegan diet is “the single biggest way“ an individual can reduce their impact on the planet.

Source: livekindly.co

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