The Latest Bulletin

December 13, 2021

5 checks to see if you’ve been greenwashed by a ‘sustainable’ product

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 is as it seems. While some products and brands are making environmentally-friendly changes, others are simply capitalising on the moment, without actually making a meaningful difference.

This marketing ploy is known as greenwashing – when companies make spurious environmental claims about their products or services. And as journalist Sophia Smith Galer pointed out, even some of the sponsors of the COP26 climate conference are guilty of it. Greenwashing is not a new trend and brands have been in trouble in the past for disingenuous eco claims. So, how exactly can you spot signs of it?

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A practical guide to supervision of students & other forms of workplace learning

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November 30, 2021

Spotlight – The Managing Stress Practice Manual

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 practitioners and managers.

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Effective Teamwork: The importance of working together

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November 30, 2021

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – There’s no point rushing

‘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 error rate goes up significantly and our sense of control goes down significantly – and, of course, losing our sense of control is a major step in the direction of stress. What is also significant is that, when we start rushing, we start giving people the message that they are not important, that we have more pressing things to do than to listen to them and take in an interest in them. Working slightly faster than usual is one thing, rushing is quite another. If we find ourselves in a position where we feel the need to rush, that is the time to start reordering our priorities – taking our thinking up a gear, rather than letting it go down a gear by rushing.

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November 30, 2021

Seth Godin’s Blog – Books unread

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 something to share. All of that focus and insight, generously shared with anyone who wants to take the time.

It reminded me of how much is out there, just waiting for us to explore and understand. We have a chance to learn and move forward if we care to.

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Not a textbook, a hands-on manual of practice guidance. An essential resource!

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November 30, 2021

Trussell Trust – Research and Advocacy

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 and campaigning are rooted in evidence from food banks in our network across the UK, and the people they support.

We use our evidence to campaign for change so that in the future no one needs to use a food bank. We do this by sharing our evidence with policy makers and the public to ensure they understand fully the state of hunger and poverty in the UK.

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How to Do Social Work: A basic guide from one of social work’s leading authors

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November 30, 2021

Rising poverty among children and pensioners shows why Covid inquiry must consider its impact

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, Director of JRF said:

“Going into the pandemic, 14.5 million people were trapped in poverty, with 600,000 more children and 500,000 more pensioners pulled into poverty in the last six years. Around half of all lone parents and people from Bangladeshi and Pakistani backgrounds were living in poverty. In a society like ours, this is indefensible.

“The evidence we have so far from our own research and conversations with people experiencing poverty shows that the pandemic has made an already difficult situation much tougher. Millions of people who were already locked in poverty by insecure low-paid jobs and expensive housing found themselves at an increased risk of catching the virus.

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November 18, 2021

Spotlight – The Spirituality and Religion Practice Manual

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 people professions, broadly defined – that is, professions based on helping people tackle their problems and fulfil their potential.

Available from here or Amazon

The Professional Social Worker: An essential text for all social workers

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November 18, 2021

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Allow time for recovery

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 our lives more broadly) without giving ourselves time to recover, we run the risk of doing ourselves harm, potentially significant harm. Exertion plus recovery plus more exertion can produce growth and development (of muscles in the direct physical sense or of learning in our more metaphorical sense). Exertion followed by more exertion without recovery time in between can produce muscle strain and/or psychological stress. Time for recovery is therefore not an optional extra of we are to take our physical and mental health seriously.

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