New statistic shows the scale of forced marriage in the UK

The Forced Marriage Unit has today released figures showing it was involved in nearly 1500 cases during 2012. There was a piece on the Today programme this morning about this issue including an interview with a spokesperson from the Freedom charity who campaign against forced marriage. Listening earlier, the debate touched on issues of child protection, domestic violence, sexuality and culture; a combustible mix indeed.

If you'd like to hear the interview then it's available here and the Freedom charity website is definitely worth a look too. If you'd like more information on this issue then I'd be glad to offer some recommendations.

The National Student Survey

I know forms are nobody's idea of a good time. My wife on occasions has resorted to filling in forms for me and giving me the pen to sign my name at the bottom, just to get the things done.
Now I think of it this is probably why she has all the money.

Anyhow. Can I ask any final year students who haven't yet filled in the NSS form to please do so?
We find that as a rule the more students fill in the form, the more accurate the picture becomes as to how happy you are.
When the response rate is lower it's possible to get a false picture. A bit like when there's a low turn out in elections and UKIP end up being taken seriously. Please don't let that happen.

So get it filled in and tell us what you think. It's how we learn to improve things.

Thanks.

Dyslexia and all that.

One of the things I've learned whilst doing this job is that 50 people who have dyslexia can be as different as 50 people who have a car. Or a cat. Or an Adele CD. Actually scrub the Adele bit, but you take my general point.

The symptoms are different from person to person and so is how someone may react to a diagnosis of dyslexia. The two extremes of which seem to be shame and elation. The reaction of elation is reminiscent of someone coming out as they embrace their dyslexia with both hands (I've seen it and it is terrifically entertaining!), but those aren't the people this post is really aimed at. I've met with a few students recently who seemed quite upset by their new found status as dyslexic (personally, I prefer to say that someone has dyslexia) so to those students and to anyone who has dyslexia I'd like to say this;

You are as smart and fabulous as you were the day before your diagnosis.

Now. If you think you may be dyslexic or are interested in seeing how the university supports people with this issue, have a look here.

Women's rights in India

I'll keep this one short as I'm on holiday.

I was listening to Women's Hour this morning and it turned out to be about the protests of women in India following the much discussed gang rape of a woman on a bus.

It's very moving and you can find it here.

A green paper on education and young offenders

I saw this story in the newspaper today and thought it worth sharing.

Frankly, I'm glad to find ANY story which don't don't involve horsemeat at the moment.

Anyway. Chris Grayling, the justice secretary, is about to release a green paper proposing major changes to how youth offenders may be educated whilst in detention.

You can read the Guardian's take on the story from here. 

You just know it's one of those policy decisions that's going to create a stink, but I'll link to the green paper when it's released in a few days time.

E-books on demand update

Hello.

This is (yet) another reminder to exploit the hell out of the scheme we've currently got running whereby you can rent/buy your own e-books. We're expecting the money to last about 3 more weeks, but don't quote me on that. There will be an official announcement when the money's gone.

I've sat with a few final year students recently who've found highly relevant books for their dissertations and rented them through Dawsonera. So I can know this opportunity can really pay off.

I don't want you to miss out, in fact I'm a bit surprised that more people haven't used the scheme already; free e-books. Forever. On the subject that you want. What's to think about?????

Now go in through DISCOVER and get renting.

*whispers this bit* and remember it needs three of you to click on the same book to trigger an automatic purchase...

Troubled families online discussion

Hello.
I missed this when it was live, but it's still worth a look if you're interested in the government's 'Troubled Families' scheme. The Guardian does these 'online discussions' (a panel of experts answers questions from the general public) quite often and they're usually good value.

You can reference it of course as a webpage if there's anything in there that is worth including in assignments.

Now I've explained what it is, you can read full online discussion here.