Gender, Uncategorised

Women and Water

Women and Water

From carrying coal to transporting tourists, the canals of the North have taken a variety of loads, but a new narrowboat is bringing something unusual to the waterways – a women-only arts centre.

The Idle Women project, aimed at addressing “the urgent need for women’s space” and providing “a radical redress of power, acknowledgement and voice”, has been put together by caretakers Rachel Anderson and Cis O’Boyle.

It centres around the Selina Cooper, a renovated butty with both a living area and an arts space which will travel the canals for the next two years, giving women a chance to “take off armour and just relax and breathe a little”, Anderson says.  More

Ethnicity, Uncategorised

BAME Cadet Receives Sword of Honour

BAME Top Soldier

A top-performing officer cadet at Sandhurst has thanked the Army for putting him on the right track.

Officer cadet Kidane Cousland, who grew up on a housing estate in Tottenham, says had he not signed up as a 16-year-old he would be dead or in prison.

Now 24, he served in Afghanistan in 2011 with 29 Commando, Royal Artillery.

He is among only a handful of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) cadets to be awarded the “sword of honour” for coming top of his intake.  More

Equality, Gender, Uncategorised

Shared Parental Leave

New Baby

Fathers are not taking advantage of rules that allow them to share leave with their partners, according to research published a year after the rights came into force.

Shared parental leave (SPL) was introduced on 5 April 2015 to give parents more choice and flexibility in caring for their children during the first 12 months after their birth. Parents can split 52 weeks’ leave, receiving some payment for 39 of those weeks. That is on top of the two weeks’ statutory paternity leave available to fathers.  More

Disability, Diversity, Ethnicity, Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month

Inspirational Diversity Champion of the Month – April 2016

Trishna Bharadia photo

Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week starts on 25 April and with that in mind we have chosen Trishna Bharadia as our Inspirational Diversity Champion for April.

Trishna was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2008, at the age of 28. She has since worked tirelessly to help and support others with MS, putting aside her own health issues to help raise awareness and inspire others with the illness. She has worked particularly hard within the Asian community, where she feels that disability is often hidden away and discriminated against, as well as with young people who have been diagnosed with MS.

Trishna volunteers with several MS charities, including the MS Society, Asian MS and the MS Trust and in 2013 she was named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ at the MS Society Awards. As well as fundraising, Trishna is also editor of the Asian MS quarterly newsletter; writes for MS and disability-awareness magazines and speaks at both local events and large pharmaceutical conferences about MS (something which was initially very hard for her due to her fear of public speaking). She is keen to put a ‘face’ to MS, rather than being viewed as a statistic.

Outside volunteering, Trishna works hard to ensure MS doesn’t stop her leading an active life – she plays hockey and attends regular Zumba classes.

Find out more about Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week here https://www.mstrust.org.uk/

 

 

Diversity, Uncategorised

Diversity and Wellbeing Week 14-18 March 2016 ‘In Someone Else’s Shoes’

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shoesLinked to the University’s EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) and People Strategies, Diversity and Wellbeing Week 2016 promoted awareness and understanding of our diverse student and staff population by bringing together an array of internal and external engagement activities and exhibition stalls which will helped us to share, learn and stay informed.

In collaboration with the University Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team, Students Union, GK Unions and Student Services, the week’s theme looked at situations from a different point of view to empathise and understand by changing perception. Here are some of the activities that took place:

14 March – Greenwich Campus

At our Greenwich Campus we could take part in the ‘EDI Key Inspirational People’ photography campaign. What does EDI mean to you? #Equality

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Or find out about the‘Inspirational Women’ Poster display which lightlighted the nominated role models from the University of Greenwich. #SheInspiresme

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There were also stalls and information relating to Sustainability, Healthy Eating, Safety Unit, Stroke Association, LGBT+ stallholders and many more…

14 March – Greenwich Campus

Our LGBT+ Staff Network held a LGBT+ Rights in the Commonwealth evening seminar.

16 March – Medway Campus

Joining together with our friends from the GK Unions and their Diversity Fayre , we enjoyed Traditional Bhangra dancing, Chinese cultural dancing, demonstration of various martial arts, sign language choir and more. IMG_1088 IMG_1090 IMG_1098 IMG_1099We were able to sample World Cuisines including: Moroccan style couscous, Tandoori chicken curry, Greek salad, Mexican nachos, Chinese sweet and sour chicken, Thai spring rolls, French crepes and let’s not forget, the traditional English tea with scones, cream and jam.

IMG_1087      18 March – Avery Hill Campus

At Avery Hill we were joined by a selection of stallholders such as Diabetes UK, Student Wellbeing, Information Library Services, Cancer Prevention, Student Voice, LGBT+ Staff Network, Sustainability and many more.

IMG_1243 IMG_1225 IMG_1205 IMG_1184 IMG_1163 IMG_1174 IMG_1173 IMG_1156 IMG_120818 March Greenwich Campus – ORNC Chapel

Favourite Choral Classics Concert.

The University Choir and Orchestra in collaboration with the Blackheath Halls Youth Choir  celebrated the diverse music played by composers of both genders and all sexualities plus the Choir  demonstrated their sign language skills.

19 March David Fussey Sports Hall 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm

Our Students Union organised a five a side football session to hightlight the ‘Kick It Out’ campaign (reducing discrimination in football).

There was also the following campaigns running throughtout the week.

#takeastand week is part of BUCS’ Take a Stand Campaign #teamgreenwich

Equality Facebook Campaign #Equality

Rainbow Laces Campaign

The week was very successful and we would like to thank all those who took part and came along and joined in.

Age, Uncategorised

Pop songs ‘derogatory about growing old’

BeatlesPop records set a bad example by portraying ageing and old people in a negative light, focusing on dying and physical decline, according to a study in a nursing journal.

UK researchers trawled the musical archives from the 1930s to the present day for any tracks mentioning old age.

The majority – 55 out of 76 songs – focused on “bad” aspects of ageing.

The Beatles and Elton John feature on the “negative list”, along with Pulp and The Who.   More

Equality, Gender, Uncategorised

Gender pay gap: women earn £300,000 less than men over working life

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Women are likely to earn £300,000 less than men over their working lives, according to a new analysis that has sparked fresh calls for more shared parental leave to close the UK’s stubborn gender pay gap.

Before International Women’s Day on Tuesday, figures show a gap of £5,732, or 24%, in average full-time annual salaries between women and men – more than four decades after the Equal Pay Act of 1970 was introduced.

Over a career of 52 years, that gap translates into a lifetime earnings shortfall of £298,064 for female employees, according to the analysis by the recruitment company Robert Half.   More

Mental Health, Uncategorised

University Mental Health Day 2016

university mental health dayUniversity Mental Health Day 2016 will be taking place on campuses across the UK on Thursday the 3rd of March.

University Mental Health Day is a great opportunity to bring together all of the key players in student mental health. By being part of a national initiative, we can work together to reach a wider audience and make a noise about mental health on campuses across the UK. The day is also an opportunity to get more students involved in volunteering projects and events, helping to build up a larger base of students and staff to support future health promotion and campaigns.

​The initiative was started by UMHAN (University Mental Health Advisers Network) in 2012 and is supported by Student Minds and members of the Alliance for Student-Led Wellbeing. ​ More

Just another University of Greenwich blog