Humansolutions Bulletin - June 7th 2023

“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 people address their problems and realise their potential. Part One provides an extended essay on the nature and significance of problem solving to lay solid foundations of understanding. Part Two then offers guidance on using 101 problem-solving tools that can be used in a wide variety of circumstances. Available from https://neilthompson.info/shop/ or Amazon

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. Sadly, many people have little trust in themselves, little self-belief, and so they will approach new situations and challenges with an attitude that says: ‘I can’t do this’. People who believe in themselves, by contrast, will approach new situations with the attitude: ‘I don’t know whether I can do this, but I am going to have a damn good try’. That is, they do not write themselves off. Click here to read more

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 crisis in living standards. Against this backdrop, the IMF has forecast that the UK economy will not suffer a recession in 2023 and has recommended the Government should look to alleviate sectoral and skilled labour shortages. While other economists have stated that inflation remains ‘sticky’ and warned that the UK could face a recession in 2024. Click here to read more

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 much trouble, ask if it will be on the test, try to stay off the hook, so what… On the other hand, caring can lead to heartbreak. Caring is the chance to make a difference, to actually be involved in what happens next. Click here to read more

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 your own can be a real challenge. Less than half of single parents receive money from their child’s other parent, and children in single parent families are twice as likely as children in couple families to live in poverty. The majority of single parents are working, but two-thirds of them say finances are still a constant struggle at best. And even though there’s no such thing as a typical single parent, nearly three quarters have experienced stereotyping or prejudice. Click…

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