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Why climate change is an inequality issue

Why climate change is an inequality issue

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 on the physical basis of climate change, could hardly be more stark in its warning for humanity. In short, human activity is ‘unequivocally’ driving unprecedented changes in the planet’s climate (no small statement from the usually conservative IPCC). Anything but the most severe of emissions cuts will see the planet heat beyond 1.5C above pre industrial levels, possibly as soon as the 2030s, with the world likely to soar past 2C of warming by the end of the century. As…
Dr Neil Thompson
September 14, 2021
When bosses are respectful, young people are more resilient at work and enjoy their jobs more

When bosses are respectful, young people are more resilient at work and enjoy their jobs more

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 for. But according to a new study, young people themselves have a different priority in the workplace — respect. Writing in the International Journal of Business Communication, a team led by Danielle LaGree from Kansas State University finds that being valued and respected by managers was the key factor in employees’ ability to positively adapt to the workplace. And, in turn, this impacted how loyal workers were to their employers, how much they engaged in their work, and how happy…
Dr Neil Thompson
September 14, 2021
My working week: ‘I wonder who buys sex from the vulnerable women I try to help’

My working week: ‘I wonder who buys sex from the vulnerable women I try to help’

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 Friday night outreach team met Marcia, a homeless woman in a violent relationship. She is sleeping with her abusive boyfriend because it’s safer than sleeping rough on her own. He forces her to share needles, and to sell sex. We talk about ways to support her, but without a phone or address it’s difficult. It’s hard to find places I can meet with women like Marcia – many cafes, where we build trust and rapport, are closed. I add her…
Dr Neil Thompson
September 14, 2021
Spotlight – Anti-racism for Beginners

Spotlight – Anti-racism for Beginners

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 wanting to understand the importance of anti-racism and guidance in taking the necessary steps. Available from here or Amazon
Dr Neil Thompson
August 17, 2021
Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Compartmentalize home and work

Neil Thompson’s Lesson for Living – Compartmentalize home and work

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 is that of ‘compartmentalization’. This means training ourselves to focus on our home pressures when we are at home and our work pressures when we are at work and having a clear boundary between the two. Many people achieve this by having some sort of ritual that symbolizes the end of the working day and the return to home life – for example, by getting changed. Different rituals work for different people, but they can all play an important role…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 17, 2021
Police–school partnerships and the war on black youth

Police–school partnerships and the war on black youth

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 schools in general, evidence on race and policing raises concerns about the disproportionate impact of such strategies on black students. Police–school partnerships enhance existing and escalating forms of multi-agency police surveillance and profiling, while also giving officers a greater role in everyday schooling matters. Thus, grassroots anti-racist movements face a developing and dynamic challenge to resist not only the militarised policing of black youth, but also the corresponding weaponization of schools and the wider welfare state. Click here to read…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 17, 2021
Four pillars to engage and support ‘hard-to-reach’ workers

Four pillars to engage and support ‘hard-to-reach’ workers

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,” whether because of their role, working arrangements, workplace stress, or other factors. Overcoming those barriers can be the key to meeting mental health needs where they’re greatest. The first step is understanding the different reasons that workers can be hard-to-reach. People in non-traditional work arrangements, such as contract, seasonal, or gig workers, often have irregular hours and may lack strong connections at work. Those regularly outside a traditional workplace, such as truck drivers, traveling salespeople, and even remote workers, may…
Dr Neil Thompson
August 17, 2021