I think someone I know has been discriminated against
If you think someone you know has been discriminated against, there are lots of ways in which you can help them. Understanding the behaviours associated with discrimination is a good place to start. Most people will be able to describe what has or is happening to them and how it's making them feel.
Unlawful discrimination takes place when an individual or a group of people are treated less favourably than others based on a protected characteristic such as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership (in employment), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex or gender, sexual orientation.
Discrimination is contrary to the Equality Act 2010 and the University Diversity and Dignity at Study and Work Policy.
Think
- What is discrimination? It might be useful to think about what constitutes unlawful discrimination.
Talk
- Listen. Just taking the time to listen to someone and talk about what has happened can help. These five active listening tips might help you support them.
SHUSH - active listening tips
1. Show you care - focus on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone. To really listen to somebody, you need to give them your full attention, maintain eye contact and be engaged. When starting the conversation resolve not to talk about yourself at all.
2. Have patience - It may take time and several attempts before a person is ready to open up. Effective listening is about creating trust with the other person. The person sharing shouldn’t feel rushed, or they won’t feel it’s a safe environment. If they've paused in their response, wait, they may not have finished speaking. It might take them some time to formulate what they are saying, or they may find it difficult to articulate what they're feeling. Through non-judgemental listening, you are allowing the person to relax into the conversation and to use it as a place to reflect or work through difficult emotions.
3. Use open questions - Use open questions that need more than a yes/no answer, and follow up with questions like 'Tell me more'. An open-ended question means not jumping in with your own ideas about how the other person may be feeling. These questions don't impose a view point and require a person to pause, think and reflect, and then hopefully expand. Avoid asking questions or saying something that closes down the conversation. Open-ended questions encourage them to talk, the conversation is a safe space that you are holding for them and nothing they say is right or wrong. Try asking, 'how are you feeling today'?
4. Say it back - Check you’ve understood, but don’t interrupt or offer a solution. Repeating something back to somebody is a really good way to reassure them that they have your undivided attention. And you can check to see that you’re hearing what they want you to hear, not putting your own interpretation onto the conversation.
5. Have courage - Don’t be put off by a negative response and, most importantly, don’t feel you have to fill a silence. Sometimes it can feel intrusive and counter-intuitive to ask someone how they feel. You’ll soon be able to tell if someone is uncomfortable and doesn’t want to engage with you at that level. You'll be surprised at how willing people are to listen and how, sometimes, it is exactly what somebody needs to be able to share what is going on their mind.
*Based on the Samaritans guidelines for active listening
1. Show you care - focus on the other person, make eye contact, put away your phone. To really listen to somebody, you need to give them your full attention, maintain eye contact and be engaged. When starting the conversation resolve not to talk about yourself at all.
2. Have patience - It may take time and several attempts before a person is ready to open up. Effective listening is about creating trust with the other person. The person sharing shouldn’t feel rushed, or they won’t feel it’s a safe environment. If they've paused in their response, wait, they may not have finished speaking. It might take them some time to formulate what they are saying, or they may find it difficult to articulate what they're feeling. Through non-judgemental listening, you are allowing the person to relax into the conversation and to use it as a place to reflect or work through difficult emotions.
3. Use open questions - Use open questions that need more than a yes/no answer, and follow up with questions like 'Tell me more'. An open-ended question means not jumping in with your own ideas about how the other person may be feeling. These questions don't impose a view point and require a person to pause, think and reflect, and then hopefully expand. Avoid asking questions or saying something that closes down the conversation. Open-ended questions encourage them to talk, the conversation is a safe space that you are holding for them and nothing they say is right or wrong. Try asking, 'how are you feeling today'?
4. Say it back - Check you’ve understood, but don’t interrupt or offer a solution. Repeating something back to somebody is a really good way to reassure them that they have your undivided attention. And you can check to see that you’re hearing what they want you to hear, not putting your own interpretation onto the conversation.
5. Have courage - Don’t be put off by a negative response and, most importantly, don’t feel you have to fill a silence. Sometimes it can feel intrusive and counter-intuitive to ask someone how they feel. You’ll soon be able to tell if someone is uncomfortable and doesn’t want to engage with you at that level. You'll be surprised at how willing people are to listen and how, sometimes, it is exactly what somebody needs to be able to share what is going on their mind.
*Based on the Samaritans guidelines for active listening
- Give options. When they have finished talking ask them if they are okay to talk through some possible options and next steps.
- Request to Speak to an adviser on Report + Support. An advisor can talk through the University's procedures, inform you on how to make a complaint and let you know what support is available, in confidence.
- They may also wish to report the incident through the options below:
Report
- Report and Support Students can report an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support from an advisor. If you choose to talk to an advisor they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you, in confidence.
- University Procedure If you choose to make a formal complaint to the University about a student there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow.
Support at the University
- Request to Speak to an adviser on Report + Support. An advisor can talk through the University's procedures, inform you on how to make a complaint and let you know what support is available, in confidence.
- Residential Life. If you are a student in University Halls, all of the residences have Residential Assistants living in-house, who are senior students specially selected and trained for these roles. They are available weekday evenings and weekends if you wish to talk things through. Contact them via e-mail at general.ra@outlook.com
- Your Personal Tutor can support you with your studies and can put you in touch with services that can further support you.
- Counselling Service. The University’s team of professional counsellors, psychotherapists and mental health workers offers confidential support.
- The Disability Advisory Support Service. The University’s dedicated disability advisors can provide advice, guidance, and support to students about a range of practical adjustments to your work or studies.
- Mitigating Circumstances. If you feel your studies have been affected by what has happened, you can consider applying for mitigating circumstances.
Other sources of support:
- The Student’s Union Advice Service can help you understand the University procedures and think about how you wish to respond to your situation.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Take care of yourself. It’s important that you take care of yourself. If you’ve heard something distressing or if something is troubling you, the University's Counselling Service offers confidential help.
- Samaritans Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. They are there 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- Find out more on the support available for mental health and wellbeing.