Fife Centre for Equalities

Building a collective voice to champion equality, diversity, inclusion and social justice.

Category Archives: Equality News


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Equality News Update: Two in five UK workers say they have experienced workplace bias

A survey of over 2,000 public and private sector employees has revealed that two in five workers in the UK say that they have experienced workplace bias, and one in five have hidden their age, disability, social background or sexuality when applying for a job.

The research, conducted by Badenoch & Clark, a staffing business owned by the world’s largest recruitment firm, Adecco, also shows that fewer than half of all employees questioned say that they think that their organisation embraces diversity and inclusion at a board level.

Almost a third say that they have not read their company’s diversity and inclusion policy and more than one in ten say that their company does not even have one.

“Whilst it’s great to see that employees are, in some cases, positive about the level of diversity and inclusivity in UK organisations, there is still a long way to go,” says Nicola Linkleter, president of professional staffing at Adecco.

Just over a fifth of those questioned said that diversity and inclusion training would be the most effective way for an organisation to achieve progress in the field, while 18 per cent said that hosting more social events would help the cause.

 

#EqNews #Workplace #Prejudice

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/employment-uk-workplace-bias-disability-sexuality-ageism-prejudice-workers-staff-adecco-badenoch-a7791686.html

 


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Equality News Update: Virgin Trains’ Matt Litton Honoured For Standing Up To Racism

Virgin Trains employee who intervened to stop the racist abuse of mum Sanaa Shahid and her four-year-old son has been honoured in a prestigious awards ceremony.

Matt Litton, 42, was commended in the Frontline Employee of the Year category at the Scottish Transport Awards, organised by Transport Times, where he was praised for “standing up to intolerance”.

His actions were praised by Sanaa, who said: “Matt’s actions restored my faith in humanity and gave my son and I immense comfort during a very difficult period.”

Matt, a Preston-based train manager, was working on a London to Glasgow service on December 29 when Sanaa and her son Zayn were subjected to racist abuse by fellow passenger Alexander MacKinnon.

Matt stepped in to prevent any further abuse from MacKinnon, ensuring he was taken from the train and arrested at Carlisle, and stayed with Sanaa and Zayn to offer comfort and reassurance.

Mackinnon later pleaded guilty to a Racially Aggravated Public Disorder offence and was fined more than £1000.

A career railway man, Matt was recruited as a trainee for British Rail in 1991 and has worked through in number of roles at Warrington, Wigan and Preston stations before taking on the job of Train Manager on Virgin Trains’ Anglo-Scottish route 15 years ago. He lives near Wigan with his wife and two children.

 

#EqNews #Racism #VirginTrains

http://premierconstructionnews.com/2017/06/18/virgin-trains-matt-litton-honoured-standing-racism/

 


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Equality News Update: Help Musicians UK launches Jazz Promoters Fellowship

Help Musicians UK (HMUK) has launched the Jazz Promoters Fellowship, a new pilot programme aiming to increase gender equality in the world of jazz.

The pilot programme has been unveiled with internationally recognised jazz composer, educator and producer Issie Barratt.

This fully-funded HMUK Fellowship has been developed out of the need to create a gender balance within the jazz scene in the UK and provide a framework for best practice in training for promoters.

Issie has conducted research over the last four years showing that women are underrepresented in jazz, often excluded from performance opportunities, rarely booked as often as their male counterparts, and infrequently considered in development initiatives.

The fellowship will aim to equip the next generation of male and female promoters for a career in the industry by working closely with many of the UK’s best jazz promoters, venues and festival directors.

 

#EqNews #GenderEquality #Jazz

http://www.m-magazine.co.uk/genres/jazz-genres/help-musicians-uk-launches-jazz-promoters-fellowship/

 


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Equality News Update: Half of homeless in West Dunbartonshire are fleeing domestic abuse

Council figures revealed of the 880 properties let out over the 2016/17 period, a total of 417 homes – 47 per cent – went to applicants registered as homeless. And of those homeless applicants, 223 cases cited a “dispute within household: violent or abusive” as one of the reasons for becoming homeless.

The statistics cover all levels of abuse, not solely abuse stemming from a spouse or cohabiters.

 

The news comes as housing chiefs have pledged to continue tackling the homeless challenge in the area, among the plans include tackling poverty, inequality and providing services and assistance to fit the individual needs of homeless people.

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse don’t hesitate to contact one of these organisations for support and advice;

www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk

www.mensadviceline.org.uk

#EqNews #DomesticAbuse #Homelessness

http://www.clydebankpost.co.uk/news/15345275.Half_of_homeless_in_West_Dunbartonshire_are_fleeing_domestic_abuse/

 


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Equality News Update: Suicide epidemic must be tackled by new government

Mental health charity Samaritans is calling on the government to make suicide prevention a top priority and to deliver on election promises.

Throughout the election campaign, Samaritans appealed to voters to urge anyone standing for parliament to sign up to its campaign to make effective suicide prevention a priority in every part of the UK.

The charity will be following up with all the successful candidates who took part and holding them to that pledge.

Suicide is currently the biggest killer of men under 50 and of both men and women aged 20-34.

Samaritans chief executive Ruth Sutherland said: “Every week, Samaritans hears from thousands of people facing difficult life challenges, often coupled with dire economic circumstances. Suicide and inequality are inextricably linked. Disadvantage can aggravate difficult thoughts and feelings and make people more vulnerable to taking their own life.

 

#EqNews #MentalHealth

http://thirdforcenews.org.uk/tfn-news/suicide-epidemic-must-be-tackled-by-new-government

 


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Equality News Update: Scottish Government promises new measures to tackle hate crime

The Scottish Government has laid out new measures to tackle hate crime in Scotland.

The commitments include the launch of a national campaign to raise awareness of what hate crime is and how to report it, a refresh of the bullying strategy in schools as well as more training for teachers on equality, and work with the STUC and others to collect evidence of hate crime in the workplace, particularly against frontline workers.

The Government will also work with transport providers and disabled people’s organisations to deliver a hate crime charter for public transport, to include steps such as consistent retention of CCTV footage to help police follow up on incidents.

The Scottish Government is already working with Police Scotland around data with a view to producing more detailed hate crime statistics.

The measures are a response to the recommendations of the Independent Advisory Group on Hate Crime, which were published in September 2016.

 

#EqNews #HateCrime #PoliceScotland

https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/scottish-government-promises-new-measures-tackle-hate-crime

 


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Equality News Update: Boozy Cow restaurants bring charity to the menu

A national youth charity that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is set for a funding windfall after a benevolent restaurant group said it would give it a share of its profits.

The Boozy Cow group, which gives its profits to charities, has today announced that it is adding LGBT Youth Scotland to the list of good causes it is supporting. The announcement comes ahead of this Saturday’s Pride Edinburgh march, which takes place on Saturday.

LGBT Youth Scotland said the money would be used to support mental health work as part of the #MindOurHealth campaign.

Jane Griffin, LGBT Youth Scotland’s Senior Fundraising Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to have the support of The Boozy Cow and are looking forward to the team joining us on the Pride Edinburgh march. During Pride this year young people will be raising awareness of the #MindOurHealth campaign, focusing on poor mental health experienced by LGBT young people due to prejudice or discrimination.”

 

#EqNews # #Diversity

http://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/in-the-news/boozy-cow-adds-lgbt-youth-scotland-to-charity-list/