News

News

Improving the management and wellbeing of political staffers:insights from Prime Minister’s Advisers in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

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A Wellness Working Group online event.

Presenter: Dr Jennifer Lees-Marshment University of Auckland, New Zealand
Time: 11:00 – 12:00
Date: Thursday 8 June 2023
Location: Online via Teams

This presentation will present suggestions for how to improve the management and wellbeing of political staffers, drawing on research conducted in 2022-23 through interviews with political practitioners, including 66 advisers for Prime Ministers Scott Morrison, Justin Trudeau, Boris Johnson and Jacinda Ardern.

It will discuss best practice recommendations made by experienced staffers who have worked in Prime Ministerial offices in Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand. These include clearer orientation, more relevant and ongoing training, as well as training of those involved in managing, effective and positive feedback to create and office culture, and the use of tools to constrain workloads, maintain motivation and support wellbeing.

This will be of interest to existing staffers, prospective special advisers, and anyone who may aspire to, or find themselves in the position of managing other staffers/colleagues.

To receive an invitation to the event, please email [email protected]

Managing Workplace Stress for MPs Staff – new training course

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A brand new training course from the Members’ Services Team.

The first presentation will be on Tuesday 13 June 2023.

For further information and booking, please visit https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2059 (parliamentary network account required)

Course Overview

  • Learn how to recognize the symptoms and triggers of stress in the workplace. 
  • Learning coping strategies and self-care techniques for dealing with stress. 
  • Learn how to support co-workers who are under stress. 
  • Learn techniques to manage pressure and improve resilience to stress. 
  • Learn how to set boundaries in the workplace. (E.g. how to communicate when your workload is too high to take anything else on, how to communicate you need a break after a stressful interaction) 
  • Learn how to access available support services.

Wellness Working Group – Clarke Carlisle (ex-England Footballer & Pundit)

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Time: 10:00 – 11:00
Date: Tuesday 9 May 2023
Location: Online via Teams

Clarke Carlisle will join the Wellness Working Group to talk about mental health and his journey.

Not only is Clarke a pundit on shows such as Match of the Day, Sky Sport and ITV Sport, he has appeared on Question Time and presented documentaries about racism and suicide in football.  Clark is also an ambassador for the Kick It Out scheme, which campaigns for inclusion and equality in football.  He is also currently on the Management Committee of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

If you would like to join this talk, please email [email protected] for a link

Apple webinar

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On Thursday 18 May from 9:30-10:30am, Apple are running a webinar for Parliament to demo how you can use the built-in features to set up your device preferences. Here you can learn some incredible accessibility features to help customer your iOS device, such as your iPhone or iPad.

This session will cover features on the below areas:

  • Vision
  • Hearing
  • Physical and Motor
  • Cognitive

There will also be a Q&A section.

To join this session please email the Digital Service Accessibility Champions who will forward on an invitation.

Vote Office Open Days

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The Vote Office is running Open Days on Thursday 4th May and Friday 5th May.  

Visit the Main Vote Office where one of our team members will welcome you and help you with:

  • A tour of our offices & printing facilities 
  • Details on what happens in the Vote Office every day
  • Opportunity to ask any questions you may have about Parliamentary and Government publications 

There is no need to register in advance. Come and meet us in the Vote Office between 8am-3pm. 

Suffragette – film screening

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Time: 18:00 – 21:00
Date: Tuesday 25 April 2023
Location: Parliament

Labour Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network’Suffragette’ film screening and panel discussion (Staff, MPs and Peers)

There are a few spaces remaining for this cross-party event in Parliament. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion which will include Helen Pankhurst. If you’d like to attend, please email [email protected] to secure a space. Places are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. 

Today! Coffee morning with MST

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Time: 09:30 – 11:30
Date: Monday 17 April 2023
Location: Attlee Suite, Portcullis House
Registration: Please email [email protected]

Following the success of the coffee morning in  February, the Members Services Team is hosting another drop-in coffee morning for Members’ staff.  This session will be an opportunity to meet the team and to network with fellow Members’ staff and to find out about the many services the House provides to support you. 

Refreshments will be provided.