‘Leading by example?’

[Background] [Aims] [Audience] [Programme] [Event Information] [Application Conditions] [Application Form]

Background

Why is it that, despite progress made to improve participation and achievement in learning for people with mental health difficulties, the mental health and wellbeing of staff working in the FE sector is still largely an ignored issue? Why is it that what we are prepared to do to support our learners, we are unprepared to do for ourselves?

In 2008, The Commission for Disabled Staff in Lifelong Learning highlighted that fear of stigma and ignorance about mental health resulted in a lack of support to staff who experience mental health difficulties at work. Not surprisingly there is a reluctance to disclose mental health difficulties. In 2009, Lifelong Learning UK reported that only 0.02% of staff declared a mental health difficulty – a statistic which needs to be seen in the context of research which estimates that 30% of employees across the UK workforce will experience mental health difficulties during a year.

Such is the scale and cost of mental ill-health to society and the economy that the government response to Dame Carol Blacks report on Health, Work and Wellbeing in 2008 ‘Improving health and work: changing lives’, sets out a vision for creating a society where the positive links between work and health are recognized by all, where everyone can aspire to a healthy working life and where health conditions and disabilities are not a bar to enjoying the benefits of work. Furthermore, the Department of Health has also funded the development of a Healthy FE programme with the aim to promote health and wellbeing to all who learn and work in the learning and skills sector.

The arguments that we must do more to promote positive mental health in the FE workforce are compelling. We know that work is good for mental health and wellbeing, and we also know that the health and wellbeing of employees is crucial to the success of any business. Employees are at their most productive and creative when they are in an environment that supports their mental health and wellbeing and even a small investment of time and/or money can lead to many benefits. People with mental health difficulties are hugely discriminated against in the labour market and as a sector we are increasingly concerned with the development of skills for learners to get into and get on at work. We cannot hope to challenge the inequities of the labour market if we cannot show by example how to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all. To do that makes good business sense.

The issues to be discussed at the event affect all staff, all staff as well as leaders and managers. Much of the work in relation to mental health must start with senior management taking the issues seriously and giving a strong lead to middle managers and practitioners who will in practice be very involved with any implementation of policies around mental health issues. The conference will discuss how a change of focus in relation to mental health can be implemented by all staff and throughout a learning and skills organisation.

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Aims

The conference will:

• Provide a policy context to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in FE
• Promote the business and social case for better mental health and wellbeing for staff in FE
• Be an opportunity to hear about good practice in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for staff in the FE sector.

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Audience

This conference is for:

• Trade unions representatives in the FE sector
• Principals, Senior Managers, HR Managers and Governors in the FE sector.

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Programme

10:00 Arrival and registration (tea/coffee available)

10:30 Introduction to the conference from the Chair
Dr. Peter Lavender, Deputy Chief Executive, NIACE

10:35 Health, work and wellbeing: why promoting mental health in the workplace makes sense
Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work, Cross-Government Health, Work and Well-being Strategy Unit

11:00 Why staff wellbeing must be a part of Healthy FE
Sam Mellor, Head of Healthy FE Programme, Department of Health

11:20 Being a Healthy FE College and what the benefits have been
Michele Sutton, Principal, Bradford College and Chair of the Healthy FE Steering Group, Excellence Gateway, LSIS

11:40 Round table discussions with text wall
Having heard the arguments for promoting mental health in the FE workplace:
(1) What will be the major challenges in making it happen?
(2) Who should lead this work in the sector and within organisations?

12:30 Questions to speakers

12:40 Sandwich lunch and an opportunity to visit stalls

13:30 Welcome back from the chair and a recap of the morning

13:40 UCU stress and bullying surveys - what do they tell us?
Stephen Court, Senior Research Officer, UCU

         UCU policies on Mental Health: a health and safety issue
John Bamford, Health and Safety Officer, UCU

14:00 Why staff mental health and well-being is a quality issue
Helen Pettifor, Director for Programmes, LSIS

14:20 Round Table discussions and text wall
Having heard the arguments for promoting mental health in the FE workplace, discuss:
(3) What can we take away from today that will make this happen in our own organisations?
(4) What key messages do we want to feed back to policy makers about this issue?

15:10 Summing up
Sasha Callaghan, UCU NEC member and Chair of the Disability Equality Implementation Group, LLUK,

15:30 End of conference (tea/coffee available)

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Event Information

• Arrival and registration is at 10:00am for a 10:30am start. The event will end at 3:30pm
• Event Fee per person:
  UCU Members: Free places on provision of UCU membership number
  NIACE Members: £50
  Others: £75
  (includes sandwich lunch, tea/coffee and a certificate of attendance)
  NB: NIACE does not charge VAT on conference and course fees
• If you wish us to invoice your employer we require a copy of the Purchase Order
• Please note that the absence of a Purchase Order / Order Number will delay the processing of your application form
• Only application forms with the payments section completed will be processed
• Places will be allocated in order of receipt of completed application forms (one form per person)
• Participants should be prepared to take their own notes as there will not be handouts for all sessions
• If you have not received an e-mail confirming your attendance and joining instructions 4 working days before the event please contact the NIACE Events Team.

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Application Conditions

Event: Tuesday 1 February 2011
Closing Date: Thursday 20 January 2011

• Cancellations are non-refundable
• The full fee is payable prior to the event
• Substitutions are to be advised 5 working days prior to the event
• A 10 working days notice period is required for provision of electronic note-takers, sign language interpreters and transcription to Braille
• Completed and signed application forms must be faxed or posted to NIACE by the closing date. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted
• Application forms are individually acknowledged by e-mail. Joining instructions, including map and directions, will be e-mailed out one week before the event
• All delegates will receive a copy of the ‘Working Well Staff wellbeing in the post-16 education and training sector’ training pack.

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Application Form

(For people not using the online reservation system above)