The Latest Bulletin

January 11, 2024

Dementia virtual reality experience – Age UK

As part of our dementia awareness training, we offer an innovative and thought-provoking virtual reality dementia experience. Our state of the art VR headsets enable you to explore our virtual residential home and domestic kitchen environments to gain further empathy and understanding of the daily challenges people living with dementia can experience. The immersive experience includes a filter to replicate reduced vision which is a common symptom of dementia. We also highlight how more considered design choices can provide a better quality of life for those living with dementia.

Working with our partner VR-EP, we have developed an exciting shared VR session where you will be in virtual environments at the same time as other colleagues

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December 13, 2023

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 https://neilthompson.info/shop/ or Amazon

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December 13, 2023

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Who is being awkward?

It is not uncommon for us to find ourselves in situations where we are wondering: ‘Why is so and so being so awkward?’. In such circumstances we tend to focus on their behaviour or attitude, but this can be misleading. That is because the chances are that, while we are thinking they are being awkward, they are probably thinking we are being awkward. So, what can often happen is that a situation that is rooted in a conflict between two parties is not recognized as such by either of them, each putting the difficulties down to the other’s ‘awkward’ behaviour. While some people are often uncooperative for their own reasons, in the majority of cases believing that someone is being awkward should alert us to a conflict situation which should be addressed as such – that is, we need to look at the situation in terms of the interactions between us (and any conflicts of interest, perspective, goals or values that might be underpinning them) and not simply in terms of the other person’s behaviour.

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Sociological insights to help understand people’s lives and their challenges

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December 13, 2023

Christmas and mental health

There are lots of reasons that someone in your life might find Christmas difficult. They might worry that they’re a burden, or feel like they can’t participate. Or they might have mental health problems that make some parts of Christmas more difficult.

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December 13, 2023

How effective are climate protests at swaying policy?

As yet another United Nations climate summit approaches in the shape of COP28, which kicks off in Dubai this week, signs of public exasperation with the failure of climate policymaking are plain to see. After three decades of negotiations, greenhouse-gas emissions are still rising and time is running out to stop global heating from reaching catastrophic levels. In response, people around the world are trying to work out how best to get their voices heard.

September, for example, saw protests across more than 65 countries. Demonstrators demanded “less talk, more action” outside the first Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya — a nation where climate change has already exacerbated insecurities in water and food supplies. In Libya, where flooding killed thousands of people after dams burst, protesters demanded accountability. Worldwide, more than 600,000 people took part in actions linked to the Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels, including 75,000 people marching in New York City.

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

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December 13, 2023

5 ways leaders and managers can promote work from home wellbeing

Many tout the concept of working from home as a means to boost overall productivity and wellbeing, and for good reason. It permits greater flexibility around family and personal commitments, allows you to work in a comfortable space, and reduces the stress of commuting time and its associated expense.

However it’s essential to bear in mind that this working from home is only beneficial if undertaken correctly, and remote work can negatively impact mental health and physical wellbeing instead of promoting it, depending on the individual and the structures put in place.

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November 17, 2023

Spotlight – The Problem Solver’s Practice Manual

“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

It’s all about people: visit Neil Thompson’s humansolutions website

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November 17, 2023

Neil Thompson’s Lessons for Living – Head and heart work at different speeds

From time to time we find ourselves in situations where we are finding it difficult to comprehend what has happened – times of loss, crisis or sudden change, for example. It is as if our head knows, but our heart hasn’t caught up, and so ‘it doesn’t seem real’ can be a thought that runs through our mind. This is a perfectly normal phenomenon and nothing to be concerned about in itself. However, we need to be wary of two potential problems. One is that, when we find ourselves in such a situation, we may make decisions that we later regret because we have been destabilized by the change that has occurred. For example, some people can respond quite rashly in situations where they are confused about what is happening. Second, if we are trying to help somebody who is in a ‘heart hasn’t caught up with head’ situation, we have to bear in mind that they may not be taking on board what we are saying to them because of the sense of emotional shock they are experiencing. We therefore have to choose our moments carefully in interacting with someone in such circumstances.

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A Career in Social Work: Part biography, part overview of social work careers

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