Training and staff development sessions
» Tuesday 13 March 2012
Hate Crime Awareness
10.30am-11.30am S302 at Kedleston Road
"Harassment is part of our everyday lives, because of who we are and what we look like. The name-calling, spitting and isolation grinds you down and spirals into physical attacks. That's why hate crime has a worse effect on you, because you know it can, and probably will, happen again and again"
By the end of the workshop, participants will
- understand the national legal and policy context of hate crime
- understand what is meant by 'hate crime'
- recognise the importance of the identification and accurate recording of hate crime and hate incidents
- understand what is being done/available in Derbyshire and how the University can help
- have a greater knowledge of particular barriers to reporting and recording of hate crime with special emphasis on disability hate crime
Marriage in Different Cultures: Forced and Arranged Marriages
12 noon -1pm S302 at Kedleston Road
Come and find out the difference between an arranged and forced marriage; because there is a HUGE difference! Let's dispel the myths!
» Wednesday 14 March 2012
Dyslexia at Work
10am - 12 noon N401 at Kedleston Road
Understanding the difficulties faced by dyslexic staff in their work and implementing reasonable adjustments
Book now!LGBT and Faith
1-3pm N409 at Kedleston Road
It may come as a surprise to some that the Christian Faith and LGBT are not incompatible. God made us who we are, and we are affirmed and sanctified through the Incarnation and redeemed by the Resurrection.
Anyone can come along: The Chaplaincy is open to everyone, student and staff, regardless of religious beliefs. We honour and respect a wide range of experiences, and welcome different viewpoints in our discussions.
Book now!Belly Dancing Class
1.30-2.30 pm K006 at Kedleston Road
An introduction to the beautiful Middle Eastern dance commonly mistermed 'bellydance'. The session will cover some basic core moves associated with the Egyptian cabaret style, with a little history of the dance and introduction to how the dance varies across the Middle East. Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
» Thursday 15 March 2012
Mental Health Awareness Workshop
11am-2pm S110 at Kedleston Road
The Winning Mentality initiative is raising awareness of mental health issues and attempting to reduce the stigma attached to them by delivering a Mental Health Awareness workshop. The workshop, which uses football as a vehicle to raise awareness and improve people's knowledge, was piloted with Derby County in the Community staff in June 2010 and is now being delivered to a range of organisations across the county and the region. The key focus of the workshop is to develop working practices which encourage positive mental health and to support people with mental health issues.
DCFC - Winning Mentality Initiative
3pm-5.30pm Outdoor/Astroturf Football Pitch
As part of the Winning Mentality Initiative, Derby County in the Community and Derbyshire FA support five teams across the county, which provide football coaching and training sessions for people who have mental health issues. The sessions offer a positive environment for players to enjoy the nation's favourite game and also build relationships with their team mates.
The monthly fixture programmes offers both inclusive and competitive playing opportunities for all players involved in the initiative, moving around the county each month every team plays home and away fixtures. No scores or points are recorded; the emphasis of the initiative is purely on playing the game, with pathways into teams for those who wish to pursue it further.
No booking required! Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
» Friday 16 March 2012
British Sign Language and Deaf Awareness
9.30am-12.30pm S110 at Kedleston Road
The purpose of this training is to provide basic deaf awareness and deaf communication skills, including sign language to frontline staff who deal with deaf people. It will include:
- an introduction to basic deaf awareness and skills to enhance their communication with deaf people - lip-reading, sign language, writing
- basic sign language - finger spelling; basic signs - welcome signs, questions, numbers and time, days and simple dialogues
Better Together - an Introduction to Equality and Diversity
1-4 pm Room to be advised
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- have an understanding of the broader issues of equality and diversity
- understand how equality and diversity can help to develop strong relationships and positive behaviours
- understand your rights and responsibilities as a member of our University community
- understand how negative stereotyping and unconscious bias can lead to subjective decision making
- know how to challenge inappropriate behaviours, jokes etc
» Tuesday 20 March 2012
Drum Circle
12 noon-1pm Multifaith Centre
Drumming helps to celebrate, have fun, de-stress, make friends, work out, create, release, access, express, increase confidence and self esteem, build community, combat loneliness, reconnect, find yor voice, lay to rest, and is accessible to everyone whatever your ability or age ...... this is the magic of the drum. A great team event! Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
Introduction to Paganism
2-3pm S310 at Kedleston Road
What is Druidry? As a Pagan belief, how is it relevant in the modern world? How do we learn to live our spirituality in these difficult times? This introductory workshop will focus on how the tools contained with Druidry help us reconnect with this land, our ancestry and us.
Widely known as the ancient faith of the British Isles and Europe, modern Druidry is a nature-based spirituality, recognising the sacred in the world around us and the presence of deeper connection within our everyday lives. The spirit of Awen (Inspiration) guides our path as we move forward as a community in these troubled times. We are guided by the stories we tell in order to make our own story meaningful, working with our ancestors to create our own tale as we move forward, reawakening and reviving what is truly important to us as individuals and as part of a great universe.
» Monday 26 March 2012
Bollywood Keep Fit Class
12noon-1pm Gym, Kirtley Building
Yuva - a chance to dance and revitalise your youth, have some fun learning Bollywood, Bhangra and a hint of western fusion. Giving you a good work out and learn a new style of dance in 60 minutes. A great team event! Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
Book now!Serving Diverse Customers
9.30am-12.30 pm S310 at Kedleston Road
Participants will be able to:
- share and reduce fears about diversity-related misunderstandings
- use models to spot potential causes of misunderstanding
- apply tools to prevent misunderstandings and feel more confident working with diverse customers
- consider different interpretations of body language, phrases and tone, for example, link to disability and culture
- identify comments and jokes which may exclude people, stigmatise or cause offence
- challenge inappropriate comments and jokes in a positive way
- idenfify an action point to make a difference in your own area of work.
Understanding the Needs of Disabled Students/Staff/Visitors
1-4pm S310 at Kedleston Road
This session will help you answer questions such as:
- What is disability?
- What is the law around disability in the workplace?
- How do I avoid discrimination, stereotyping and unconcious bias?
- How do I support a disabled person without trying too hard or doing too little?
» Tuesday 27 March 2012
International Students - Cultural Awareness
9.30am - 12.30pm N410 at Kedleston Road
Aimed at academic and support staff.
A half day course aiming to raise awareness of the following:
- Educational issues and barriers faced by international students (focussing particularly on Chinese students and those from Arab countries)
- Developing a greater understanding and awareness of the culture shock faced by international students arriving in the UK
- Making the transition: why international students have to adjust to UK learning techniques and the issues raised
- Cross cultural communication issues
- Culture: common misconceptions
- Religious aspects that can impact on learning
- Good practice from other UK univerisities
- Ways forward: what we can do to overcome cultural and educational barriers
Wheelchair Basketball - CANCELLED
12.30 - 1.30pm Gym, Kirtley Building
Wheelchair basketball is going to be big this year: as one of the Paralympics main showstoppers, we'll be seeing plenty of it on our screens. This is your chance to have a go! Local team, Derby Wheelblazers, will be coming to the University with some of their specialised equipiment and run through the basics, culminating in a live game! A great team event!
Book now! Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
» Wednesday 28 March 2012
The Learning Experiences of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Students: Exploring Student and Staff Perspectives and Needs
11am-12.30pm N103 at Kedleston Road
This session explores staff and student perspectives on the needs of LGBT students with respect to teaching and learning, presenting the findings of a small-scale study conducted at the University of Derby for a 'Teaching Informed by Research' (TIR) project. A range of views were gathered from students and staff, indicating often contradictory views regarding whether or not LGBT students share in common the same needs as other students, or whether there may be specific needs associated with the fear of homphobic responses from peers and academic staff and previous negative experiences of bullying and homphobia.
After presenting and probing the spectrum of views which participants shared, the session will offer a space for discussion of such themes as, what does it mean to be LGBT-inclusive and how might this be achieved? How should we respond to homophobic language and remarks in teaching and learning settings? How do we meet the needs of all students, taking for example, the possible tensions between religion and belief and sexual orientation equality frameworks?
All welcome, whatever your perspectives on and experience of this aspect of teaching and learning.
» Thursday 29 March 2012
FA Talent ID Workshop
1-4pm MS017
6-9pm MS014
Derbyshire County FA and Derbyshire Sport in partnership with the FA are offering a free CPD workshop to all those who may be involved in the identification of talented footballers. The workshop, as part of the FA commitment to enhancing knowledge of disability football within the county, is open to University employees. It will cover themes such as:
- the FA Disability Talent Player Pathway
- what is talent?
- classification and eligibliity of players
- how can we find talented players?
- prominent player case studies
Book now! Please note that this session will not count towards your mandatory equality and diversity staff development requirement.
» Thursday 31 May 2012
Better Together - an Introduction to Equality and Diversity
930am-1230pm Room to be advised
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- have an understanding of the broader issues of equality and diversity
- understand how equality and diversity can help to develop strong relationships and positive behaviours
- understand your rights and responsibilities as a member of our University community
- understand how negative stereotyping and unconscious bias can lead to subjective decision making
- know how to challenge inappropriate behaviours, jokes etc

