Domestic abuse is typically a pattern of abusive behaviour towards an intimate partner or a family relationship.  The abuse can take on many forms including, but not limited to physical, financial, emotional abuse, as well as coercive control. Domestic abuse can lead to a significant impact on the victim’s life leaving them isolated and loosing their independence.

In the workplace domestic abuse can not only impact on the individual but also on colleagues. The impact of domestic abuse on the workplace may include:

• A decline in employee’s engagement, productivity, attendance, careers prospects and job security.
• Conflict between employees
• Colleagues can experience threatening or intimidating behaviours from the perpetrator
• The Domestic Abuse and the workplace – A TUC survey report identified that 47.3% of victims reported that their domestically abusive partner turned up at their workplace and 43.6% of victims reported that their domestically abusive partner stalked outside of the workplace

If you are interested in learning more about Domestic abuse and how to create a safe environment within your workplace you may consider engaging in the below training opportunities.

Workplaces based in Milton Keynes:

MK-Act deliver the workplace domestic abuse training which lasts 90 minutes and costs £35 for 1 person or £90 for 3 people from the same organisation. If you are interested in this training, please contact training@mk-act.org for further details.

Anyone working in Milton Keynes can become a registered member of the Reduce the Risk Hub (RtRH), and access FREE Domestic Abuse Champion training, as well being able to access resources on domestic abuse and become a member of the network for DA Champions across Bucks. 

The Survivors Trust

In partnership with the Home Office, The Survivors Trust has created a free, specialist training programme for employers in England and Wales that aims to create supportive and empowering workplaces for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence. For more information and to register for one of the workshops, please visit https://thesurvivorstrust.org/employers-against-abuse/.

Workplaces based in Central Bedfordshire:

Central Bedfordshire Council offer workplaces the opportunity to access the free Domestic Abuse Responders Scheme workshop. This is a full day and upcoming workshop dates can be accessed at www.safeguardingbedfordshiretraining.co.uk  

R;pple:

R;pple is a Suicide Prevention Charity advocated a safer internet, protecting individuals from online content and searches leading to self harm and suicide. R;pple are dedicated to intercepting harmful content related to self-harm and suicide through innovative technology.

More information is available on the Safeguarding Bedfordshire website. 

The Open University in partnership with the Government offer a range of FREE courses to anyone living in England. Topics range form healthy lifestyles, domestic abuse awareness, metal health and wellbeing first aid, leadership and team building skills, menopause awareness and many more. 

Raising awareness of mental health in the workplace can encourage open conversations, reduce stigma, improve manager confidence and ultimately help manage sickness absence and retain experienced and well-trained employees.

NHS Talking Therapies Services offer free mental health awareness webinars for employers and employees.

Mental Health For employees: This webinar offers guidance to employees looking to discuss mental health with their colleagues. It will equip employees with the skills to have this conversation with a colleague including how to approach them, respond and listen effectively.

Mental Health for Employers: This webinar will equip managers with the skills to recognise physical, behavioural and emotional warning signs, and approach conversations with their staff about mental health in an open, inclusive and supportive manner.

Pre-recorded wellbeing webinars on a range of mental wellbeing topics are also freely available.

For further details please see the Workplace Health and Wellbeing Service Offer

Milton Keynes Recovery & Wellbeing College (MKRWC)

At Milton Keynes Recovery College and Community Inclusion Service (RCCIS) we believe in, and work towards, a society where people with mental health or physical health difficulties have access to the same opportunities in life as everyone else. We support each other to recognise and develop our talents and resources so that we can become experts in our own self-care and do the things we want to do in life.

The new Milton Keynes Recovery & Wellbeing College (MKRWC) timetable is available now.

You can check and download our new timetable and prospectus from our website: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/services/recovery-and-wellbeing-college/recovery-and-wellbeing-college-milton-keynes

Bedfordshire Recovery College 

Promoting a positive student experience based on the principles of recovery and the values of the University of Bedfordshire and ELFT.

Bedfordshire Recovery College

Wellbeing workshops

Promoting employee wellbeing is good for people and for organisations. It can help prevent stress, enable employee engagement and create a positive working environment. Looking after people throughout the employee life cycle is key to meeting the potential challenges individuals may experience at different life stages.

A recent CIPD survey (April 2022) reported that 70% of respondents agreed that employee wellbeing is on senior leaders' agendas and around three quarters of organisations provide new or better support for people working from home.

Community Learning MK offer a range of FREE wellbeing webinars and workshops for local employers.  

The Open University in partnership with the Government offer a range of FREE courses to anyone living in England. Topics range form healthy lifestyles, domestic abuse awareness, metal health and wellbeing first aid, leadership and team building skills, menopause awareness and many more. 

Mental Health for All (MHFA) England has made a range of free Webinars · MHFA England available to all workplaces  focusing on metal health at work.

Around 6,000 people die by suicide each year in the UK and 1 in 5 will experience suicidal thoughts at some point in their life. (Mind BLMK)

This training is an introduction to basic suicide awareness for those who live or work in, Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes and delivered by Mind BLMK.

The training:

• Provides knowledge and awareness on recognising the signs and symptoms of someone who may be having suicidal thoughts
• Explores tools and techniques so you can support the person in crisis, including stayalive app
• Identifies how to communicate with a person with suicidal thoughts
• Provides knowledge and awareness of the importance of early professional help

To find out more information and to book a FREE place directly with Mind BLMK go to:

Free Training – See the Signs, Save a Life Suicide Prevention - Mind BLMK (mind-blmk.org.uk)

The Zero Suicide Alliance 

The Zero Suicide Alliance offers free suicide prevention training. This online training can be viewed in one go or in sections. It provides information on suicide, stories of personal experience and coaching on how to talk about suicide in different scenarios.

FREE Suicide Prevention Training - Provided by the Ollie Foundation

More information on the Ollie Foundation website

Mental Health for All (MHFA) England has made a free webinar available to all workplaces: ‘Creating safe workplaces: How organisations can support mental health and prevent suicide.’  

Menopause Awareness Workshops

FREE virtual reality menopause awareness workshop is now available for all small or medium workplaces across Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes!

This innovative and informative menopause workshop is bookable here.

https://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigns/menopause-xplored/

It is in a business's best interest to encourage employees to live an active and health lifestyle as it improves drive, motivation and productivity and reduces sickness absence and presenteeism. 

Milton Keynes Workplaces

• iCaSH/Terance Higgins Trust offer FREE face to face or online professional training in sexual health and wellbeing. Please contact Info.MiltonKeynes@tht.org.uk
• MoreLife Health Weight Services offer FREE manager training in how to approach the topic of obesity.
• The Stop Smoking Service provide FREE Very Brief Advice Training (VBA) and Level 2 Advisor Training to equip managers and employees to be able to have conversations about smoking, encouraging someone to quit. Training can be face to face or online. Please contact Home - Smokefree Bedfordshire (thestopsmokingservice.co.uk)

Bedford and Central Bedfordshire Workplaces

• Path 2 Recovery (P2R) provide FREE employee awareness training on drug and alcohol misuse. For further details please use the following links Bedford Borough workplaces or Central Bedfordshire workplaces.
• iCaSH/Terance Higgins Trust offer FREE face to face or online professional training in sexual health and wellbeing. Please contact sexualhealthbedford@tht.org.uk
• The Stop Smoking Service provide FREE Very Brief Advice Training (VBA) and Level 2 Advisor Training to equip managers and employees to be able to have conversations about smoking, encouraging someone to quit. Training can be face to face or online. Please contact Home - Smokefree Bedfordshire (thestopsmokingservice.co.uk)

The Open University in partnership with the Government offer a range of FREE courses to anyone living in England. Topics range form healthy lifestyles, domestic abuse awareness, metal health and wellbeing first aid, leadership and team building skills, menopause awareness and many more. 

Free Access to Work training sessions offered to all workplaces by the DWP. Visit the website for more information.

Indeed offer a range of free courses on workplace diversity and inclusion. Available here

AbilityNet is a pioneering UK charity with a global perspective, with a vision of making the digital world accessible to all.

AbilityNet offer a range of free pre-recorded webinars with topics relevant to disabled people, digital accessibility, building a disability inclusive workforce and many more, to explore these please click here. 

The Government’s Money and Pensions Service (MAPS) has developed a free pre recorded webinar to raise awareness of financial wellbeing, its importance in the workplace, actions to support employees and the range of free service MAPS offer.

The Open University in partnership with the Government offer a range of FREE courses to anyone living in England. Topics range form healthy lifestyles, domestic abuse awareness, metal health and wellbeing first aid, leadership and team building skills, menopause awareness and many more. 

Bystander Intervention

Aneemo, in partnership with Milton Keynes City Council and the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office, are pleased to offer this free Bystander Intervention e-learning course, available to all those who work or socialise in Central Milton Keynes.
Backed by the Home Office and funded by the Safer Streets Fund, this open access course aims to help staff who work in MK Central’s Nighttime Economy better understand how everyone can intervene as bystanders and be an ally in challenging Violence Against Women and Girls, in order to make our streets and communities safer for all.

Visit Aneemo's website for more information.

The HSE offer free streaming of the following webinars

Promoting Good Mental Health in the Workplace (streamgo.live)

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Managing the Risk of Manual Handling and Display Screen Equipment for Workers On Site or working from home. (streamgo.live)

The NSPCC Listen up speak up campaign hopes to empower adults to speak up if they are worried about a child or family. Free bitesize training is available for your workforce or you can host a training workshop at your workplace.

Financial wellbeing training –

STOP Loan Sharks training.

• This training session aims to educate learners about what a loan shark is, the impact to a person and the business, identifying  signs of illegal money lending and what to do if you suspect that illegal money lending is happening in the workplace.
• This training is aimed at all employees including middle managers, senior managers and HR members of staff.
• The training lasts for 1.5 hours.

To arrange a training session please contact the below representative for your workplace locality:

Bedford Borough or Central Bedfordshire –

• Bryony McDonald - Bryony.McDonald@birmingham.gov.uk

Milton Keynes –

• Nadeem Mahammed - nadeem.mahammed@birmingham.gov.uk

Acorn Community Bank - We aim to help all our members achieve financial health. We try to help people get on top of their finances by encouraging them to save money when they can, and we lend to them at affordable rates when they need to borrow.