Introduction

In December 2019 a novel coronavirus, now termed COVID-19, was reported in Wuhan, China. In early March 2020 it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) (Huang et al 2020, WHO 2020a, Wu et al 2020) and since then healthcare workers in the UK and across the world have been working in unprecedented circumstances.

Managing workforce stress during a crisis is challenging for leaders as they try to support staff in terms of their mental well-being and resilience (Health Education England (HEE) 2019). Most research on coping with crises in the NHS and other healthcare systems, however, centres on topics such as nurse shortages, an ageing workforce and financial restrictions (Hart et al 2014, Hudgins 2016). Nevertheless, although there is little research on staff resilience during a pandemic, nurse leaders can consider how to support their workforce by looking at other experiences of disasters (Turner 2015).

Resilience involves rebounding and carrying on, self-determination, maintaining positive relationships, self-esteem, self-efficacy and hopefulness, and can support clinicians during stressful events and periods

Nurse leaders can support resilience in themselves and their staff by using healthy coping strategies, positive language and managing their own efficacy

Nurse leaders should focus on skilled communication, collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition of staff, and authentic and transparent leadership to support and improve staff, and organisational resilience

COVID-19 can be a mild illness, but it can also be deadly, causing massive alveolar damage and progressive respiratory failure (Chan et al 2020, Huang et al 2020, Wu et al 2020). At the time of writing there is no consensus on the case fatality rate in the UK due to difficulty in accessing detailed data from hospitals, care homes and the community. There may be factors, such as patient demographics or co-morbidities (Oke and Heneghan 2020), that account for high death rates in different areas and tracking data helps NHS trusts prepare for potential demand on services. There is also as yet no definitive treatment or vaccine (Cascella et al 2020) and treatment of patients with COVID-19 consists of supportive measures, while prevention and control are based on social distancing and strict personal hygiene (Public Health England 2020, Rothan and Byrareddy 2020).

Although this is a recent and at the time of writing ongoing public health crisis, early data on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic reveal organisational issues such as concerns about the adequacy of pandemic planning, the effect of redeployment and training new staff to support staffing capacity, and staff concerns such as fear of transmission (Emanuel et al 2020, Wu and McGoogan 2020).

The NHS has used data from Asia and Europe to support planning decisions (Lai et al 2020, Phua et al 2020); healthcare providers in England, for example, have been advised to develop strategies to manage space, staff and supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide optimum care to patients (Wong et al 2020). However, this has caused additional stress because it has resulted in shortages and rationing of scarce resources (Emanuel et al 2020, The Lancet 2020, WHO 2020b).

Lack of PPE is of particular concern. Lai et al (2020), for example, highlight the traumatising effect on clinical staff in Asia and Italy of the high workload and intermittent lack of protective equipment, while Newman (2020) suggests that staff could leave their jobs, or die, because of the lack of such equipment. In the UK at least 100 healthcare workers had died of complications of COVID-19 as of 20 April 2020 (Marsh 2020).

The continual flow of new information to NHS decision-making bodies from countries that are further along the pandemic trajectory is obviously helpful, but it means that quick decisions may have to be made and disseminated rapidly to staff (WHO 2020c), which can further increase their anxieties.

Nurse leaders must therefore support clinical staff who are experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress during the pandemic (WHO 2020d, Xiao et al 2020), as well as non-clinical front-line staff who can be affected by what is known as vicarious traumatisation (Lai et al 2020). To achieve this, they must attempt to strengthen organisational and workforce resilience.

Resilience can be defined as an individuals ability to bounce back despite adverse circumstances (Rutter 2008) and as a process in which someone recovers quickly from a specific event (Zautra et al 2010). Some authors consider it a personality trait (Fredrickson et al 2003, Campbell-Sills et al 2006) while others regard it as a process (Egeland et al 1993, Luthar 2006). Hudgins (2016) has suggested that resilience is an important skill for leaders, and successful leaders understand the difference between being strong in the face adversity and being resilient. Being strong is about enduring a tough situation, while resilience uses this strength as well as experience and intuition to cope effectively with adversity.

McKinley et al (2019) suggest that resilience can be difficult to conceptualise, and found in a systematic review of what influences resilience levels in medical doctors that important points include demographics, personality factors, organisational or environmental factors, social support, leisure activities, overcoming previous adversity and interventions to improve resilience.

The importance of workforce and organisational resilience has been highlighted by Kotze and Lamb (2012), who assert that measures that increase these will help nurse leaders to make sound decisions in critical moments.

Research into previous pandemics and other disasters discusses what resilience means in healthcare workers. For example, Ling et al (2017) identified resilience in staff as a critical attribute of a strong healthcare system following the 2014-15 West Africa Ebola epidemic, but concluded that it requires long-term investment and sustained attention once a crisis abates. Kruk et al (2015), who also wrote about lessons from the Ebola epidemic, suggested that a resilient healthcare system is one that can prepare for and respond effectively to crises, learn from such events and improve services. Admasu (2016) has proposed that such a system is also forward-thinking, problem-solving, innovative and focused on implementing solutions, all of which rely on strong leadership.

An examination of resilience in nurses in the context of the 2011 US tornado disaster in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Turner 2015) concluded that more research is required on the reasons for increased resilience in nurses. This is important because research shows that nurses can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following events such as the epidemics of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) (Tam et al 2007, Shih et al 2009, Kim and Park 2017).

Before the COVID-19 pandemic there was already concern about nurses mental health and well-being in relation to depression, anxiety, anger, irritability and burnout (Tahghighi et al 2017, Guo et al 2018). Critical care nurses, for example, are at risk of burnout if they have reduced resilience (Jackson et al 2018) and are at a high risk of developing PTSD (Mealer et al 2012), which is a particular concern for nurse leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. This shows the need for clear and definitive leadership to determine staffing levels, organise staff rotas that include extra time for rest and recuperation, and ensure adequate provision of equipment (Ross et al 2020, WHO 2020c).

Building resilience in the nursing workforce has long been considered important (Gray 2012), but recently there has been a shift to supporting organisational resilience (HEE 2019). In the current context, organisational resilience is important as the NHS has had little time to prepare for the COVID-19 pandemic (Qian et al 2020). Organisational resilience is defined by McManus et al (2008) as a function of an organisations overall situation awareness, management of keystone vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity in a complex, dynamic, and interconnected environment. Its components include contextual integrity, strategic capacity and strategic action, and lead to organisational evolvability (Kantur and eri-Say 2012). Resilience is considered a positive organisational factor that results in improved productivity, improved well-being and reduced absenteeism and staff turnover (Andolo 2013), while Di Sipio et al (2012) suggests that positive personal resources or characteristics and organisational well-being are distinct entities that interact, leading to positive outcomes.

The WHO (2020d) recommends that all healthcare staff be protected from developing chronic stress and poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests that leaders focus on long-term occupational capacity rather than short-term crisis responses. Resilience is one of the foundations of good mental health (Lai et al 2020) so building personal resilience in all healthcare professionals across primary and secondary care should be a priority (McAllister and McKinnon 2009, Foureur et al 2013, Matheson et al 2016).

Research into resilience in clinical practice has highlighted the fact that rebounding and carrying on, self-determination, positive relationships, self-esteem, self-efficacy and hopefulness can support clinicians during stressful times (Earvolino-Ramirez 2007, Gillespie et al 2007). This is supported by Hart et al (2014), who found that personal characteristics including hope, self-efficacy, coping, control, competence, flexibility, adaptability, hardiness, sense of coherence, skill recognition and not focusing on deficiencies supported increased levels of resilience in nurses.

A high level of emotional intelligence enables individuals to adapt to various adverse conditions while maintaining a sense of purpose, balance and positive mental and physical well-being (Sergeant and Laws-Chapman 2012).

Hudgins (2016) suggested that nurse leaders can support resilience in themselves and their staff by practising healthy coping strategies, using positive language or supporting their self-efficacy. Work-based education programmes that teach resilience techniques and support personal development have also been shown to improve resilience (McAllister and McKinnon 2009, Foureur et al 2013, McDonald et al 2013). Even if these programmes do not focus on resilience specifically during a pandemic, they will still be beneficial for the workforce.

Bonanno (2004), writing about loss, trauma and human resilience, suggested that people develop personal resilience in a number of ways, such as by finding meaningful purpose in life, the belief that one can influence ones surroundings and the outcome of events, and the belief that one can learn and grow from both positive and negative life experiences. In essence, understanding what you are doing, or having a meaningful purpose or a strong belief system, helps people become more resilient during stressful situations (Bonanno 2004). This is important for all healthcare staff, including nurse leaders.

In earlier work, Bonanno et al (2002) suggested that positive emotions and laughter promote resilience, and camaraderie in healthcare teams has been evident on social media during this pandemic. The ability to find positive meaning in adverse situations helps curb negative emotions (Tugade and Fredrickson 2004), and Bright (1997) has noted that emotional awareness and self-care are important in developing resilience in nurse managers, in addition to optimism, autonomy and empowerment. Shimoinaba et al (2015) has further shown that nurses working in palliative care developed resilience through self-nurturing, which included being self-aware, coping adaptively and accepting limitations.

Nurses spend most of their time caring for others, but they must develop self-care as well to improve their personal resilience (Bright 1997). McGee (2006) suggested that nurses can support their own mental and spiritual well-being by sharing their experiences of vulnerability and resilience through reflective journals and debriefing. This can also enhance emotional insight, according to Giordano (1997), and can be done individually or as a team (Siegel and Schraagen 2017).

Nurses and nurse leaders must practise self-care but they must also remember that they are part of a community in which there are social support networks (Uddin et al 2020) that are a significant component of resilience (Tugade and Fredrickson 2004). Building positive and nurturing professional relationships is therefore crucial for nurse leaders as they navigate this crisis. During this pandemic nurses and nurse leaders will undoubtedly struggle to achieve a work-life balance, which supports resilience (Kim and Windsor 2015), so it is important to develop other methods of connectedness to maintain some kind of anchoring force (Giordano 1997).

Nurse leaders should focus on skilled communication, true collaboration, effective decision-making, appropriate staffing, meaningful recognition and authentic leadership (Hart et al 2014, WHO 2020d) and encourage and support debriefing sessions to address the ethical and moral distress, for example about who is and who is not eligible for treatment, that nurses are facing (Rushton et al 2015).

In an article on supporting the healthcare workforce during COVID-19, Adams and Walls (2020) suggest that honest and transparent conversations with front-line caregivers can help to relieve the stress and anxiety they feel. Topics for discussion can include planning for home separation, childcare, protocols for arrival home after duty, and decontamination of surfaces.

There are also significant challenges for leaders as they support newly deployed staff, those returning to work and newly registered nurses. The WHO (2020d) suggests that nurses should regularly rotate from areas of high stress to those with less stress, and that inexperienced staff should be partnered with more experienced colleagues.

Nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 are at risk of developing psychological problems including PTSD, but resilient individuals will cope better (Tam et al 2007, Adriaenssens et al 2012, Mealer et al 2012). Once the number of cases of COVID-19 falls, there needs to be further research on trauma-informed resilience, post-traumatic growth and PTSD in the nursing workforce. Business magnate Bill Gates (2020) has said: In any crisis, leaders have two equally important responsibilities: solve the immediate problem and keep it from happening again. All staff, including nurse leaders, need to be aware of where and how they can access mental health and psychosocial support services (WHO 2020d).

A summary from various sources of how nurse leaders can support organisational and staff resilience is shown in Box 1.

Support organisational resilience during a crisis

Develop personal resilience

Nurse leaders must attempt to support resilience in the nursing workforce and in their organisations during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and consider the long-term effects of such crises.

Although there is a wealth of research on resilience in the context of stressors such as staff shortages, the ageing workforce and financial restrictions, there is a need to consider how events such as the COVID-19 pandemic affect the nursing workforce.

Building resilience in healthcare professionals across primary and secondary care should be a priority, while increasing workforce and organisational resilience will help nurse leaders to make sound decisions in critical moments.

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What the COVID-19 pandemic tells us about the need to develop resilience in the nursing workforce - RCNi

Triona Carters birth of her first son, in a county jail in Alabama, was one of the most hurtful things to ever go through. The pain was both physical and emotional. She was handcuffed to the bed, aware that she would soon be separated from her child. [I was] holding him, knowing that I dont know when Ill be able to hold him again, Carter said. But the birth of her second son during her 20-year stay in Julia Tutwiler Prison was even more devastating because I didnt have much time to hold him: You had your child that day, the next day youre going back to the prison you dont have time to heal at the hospital.

Giving birth to her two sons while in the carceral system left Triona emotionally broken. Triona was one of approximately 1,300 women who give birth while incarcerated every year in the United States.

The number of incarcerated women has increased exponentially in the last four decades, with a rate over eight times higher than it was throughout most of the 20th century, according to a 2019 study by the Prison Policy Initiative. In prisons in particular, incarceration rates for women have more than doubled since 1978, compared to the rate for men. There has also been remarkable growth of incarcerated women at the state leveland as the incarceration rate of women continues to rise, so will the incidence of pregnancy behind bars.

Mothers define the carceral landscape of women in the U.S. Yet health standards for pregnancy care in prison remain inconsistent at best.

Dr. Diane Morse, an internal medicine physician and associate professor in psychiatry and medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, told me, Most prisons and jails do not give people birth control, even though the rate of unintended pregnancies is much higher among women who have been incarcerated. The rate of unintended pregnancy is as high as 83 percent among recently incarcerated women, in contrast to the national rate of 45 percent.

According to an American Public Health Association study, Pregnancy Outcomes in US Prisons, 20162017, which studied 22 state prison systems and all federal prisons, [t]hree quarters of incarcerated women are of childbearing age (between 18 and 44 years) and [t]wo thirds [of incarcerated women] are mothers and the primary caregivers to young children. In other words, mothers define the carceral landscape of women in the U.S. Yet health standards for pregnancy care in prison remain inconsistent at best.

While prisons are constitutionally obliged to provide health care to those in their custody, no mandatory standards to guarantee health care provision exist. As a result, there is tremendous variability in pregnancy care in prisons, writes the American Public Health Association. When I asked Triona if she had any support after giving birth to her eldest son in prison, or received any prenatal care, she was quick to reply, We had none of that. A 2004 Bureau of Justice Statistics study found that 54 percent of pregnant women received some type of pregnancy care, but does not articulate the scope of such care.

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Yet over the course of Trionas 20 years in prison, a number of nonprofit pregnancy support organizations have been filling the gaps in the system. When Triona was in Tutwiler, Aid to Inmate Mothers facilitated the strengthening of her bond with her sons through visitations and recording bedtime stories, and encouraged personal development through book clubs and parenting classes.

More recently, over the last decade, nonprofits that specifically connect women who are incarcerated and pregnant with doulas have emerged. The Alabama Prison Birth Project (APBP) began providing support to pregnant women in Tutwiler in 2016. The organization offers weekly visits to the prison, during which they provide support and information about childbirth and the postpartum experience, and provide a healthy meal for expectant mothers. They also match pregnant women with a doula who provides informational, physical, and emotional support throughout pregnancy, labor, and the immediate postpartum period. This allows for continuity of care.

APBP was also instrumental in the establishment of a lactation room in Tutwiler. In 2018, a room that previously served as an isolation cell was turned into the Serene Expressions room, where women can pump breast milk that will be delivered to their newborns. Once a week, Chauntel Norris, one of APBPs doulas, retrieves the stored bottles of milk and delivers them to the respective caregivers.

In creating a space for breastfeeding, and in serving as a constant presence from pregnancy to the postpartum experience, the doula supports mental health, well-being, and maternal empowerment among women in prison.

Maternal health outcomes in the carceral system map onto maternal health disparities writ large in the U.S.

Similar organizations have emerged in other states, such as the Minnesota Prison Doula Project, founded in 2008; Motherhood Beyond Bars, founded in 2013 in Georgia; and the Michigan Prison Doula Initiative, which was founded in 2017 and officially launched its program to support pregnant women in Womens Huron Valley Correctional Facilityalso the states only womens prisonin February 2019. The mission of the organization is to provide compassionate birth and parenting support to incarcerated people, Kate Stroud, the doula program director for the Michigan Doula Prison Initiative, told me. Since launching, they have provided support to about 30 women.

Maternal health outcomes in the carceral system map onto maternal health disparities writ large in the U.S. According to the American Public Health Association study, black women are incarcerated at twice the rate of white women. The interaction of poverty, substance abuse, and limited access to health care prior to incarceration means that when women enter the carceral system, they bring with them pre-existing health vulnerabilities that can only compound in the prison environment. And what passes for health care within prison is often the provision of over-the-counter medication rather than serious attempts at diagnosis and adequate treatment.

When people are released from prison, poor health trails them. A 2007 study by The New England Journal of Medicine looked at formerly incarcerated people who were released from 1999 to 2003 from the Washington State Department of Corrections, and found that the mortality rate among this population was 3.5 times that among state residents of the same age, sex, and race.

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Research shows that the pairing of pregnant women with doulas results in positive health outcomes, from shorter labor with fewer complications. In the setting of prison, doulas also help new mothers navigate the grief that comes with the inevitable separation from their newborn.

While these different doula initiatives operate in their respective state-specific contexts, we do work together, and bounce ideas off each other I am in touch with Amy Ard [of Motherhood Beyond Bars] down in Georgia, and Rae Baker [of the Minnesota Prison Doula Project] up in Minnesota in the 20 years that Ive done doula work, its always been a collaborative effort, Stroud told me.

As women typically take on child-rearing responsibilities, when the mother is removed, it upturns the whole system of the family, Stroud told me. This upturning, which in many prisons occurs only 24 hours after birth, has tremendous implications for the long-term mental health and well-being of women behind bars.

In working within the maternal care gap, the doula initiatives and parenting support organizations operating in states across the U.S. are trying to bring both health and humanity to women in prison. Triona credits Aid to Inmate Mothers Storybook Project for the strong bond she has with her sons today. She recorded storiesoriginally through cassette, then videoup until her last day in prison in February 2018. When she was released and reunited with her sons, she told me, it was like I never left home.

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Filling the Maternal-Care Gap in Prison - The American Prospect

Faizan studies Aerospace Engineering with Industrial Experience here at Queen Mary, and recently took part in the Careers and Enterprise QMentoring programme. We asked him to blog about his experience, and any advice he has for others thinking of taking part in the programme.

Applying for QMentoring

Although I was confident in my choice of degree when I started university, the difficult nature of my course, coupled with insecurities about my interpersonal skills, led to a decline in my overall motivation towards succeeding in my studies. I, therefore, decided that I needed guidance and encouragement from someone who had been in my position. Someone who would guide me in my academic and professional development to help ensure that I reached my full potential.

Working with my mentor

Visiting Rolls Royce Derby was a truly inspiring experience. Through touring the site with my mentor, I caught a glimpse of a general workplace atmosphere at one of the biggest global defence companies and found it was quite different, in a good way, to what I had imagined. The somewhat dull impression I had gotten of engineering had been mitigated through experiencing a friendly and synergetic environment.

I am grateful to enjoy a casual but structured relationship with my mentor, one that allows us to work together on a more personal level. Though our face-to-face communication is limited due to them being situated outside London, the good chemistry that we share has prevented this from being an issue, as we enjoy maintaining regular conversation over the phone.

Even coming in with high expectations, I did not anticipate the full scope that working with someone who was once in a similar position to myself would have on my personal development. Questions about approach to university life, mental health, and future career paths, which I had brushed aside, are being settled through information and advice from a more experienced person who is empathetic with my mind-set. Though the exact nature of each partnership will vary, everyone stands to gain from having a mentor.

Advice for future mentees

The success of the QMentoring programme lies within having a firm set of objectives that you want to achieve by the end, which you should communicate well to your mentor from the get-go. Although more tangible aims, such as securing placements or graduate roles, are easier to evaluate, many mentees such as myself look to our mentors for guidance in selecting career paths, improving confidence and communication skills. However, it is not only possible but likely that these goals will adapt as the programme advances and I would, therefore, advise new mentees to be open to such change and view it as a sign of progress.

Take a look at our QMentoring page to find out more about the programme and how you can get involved.

If have any questions or concerns about the current job market, please do take a look at our new#AdaptToSucceedpage,where we outline all the latest information and advice.

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How QMentoring motivated me to reach my full potential - stopthefud

Though our doors have been closed, we have switched gears with our programming here at Bekkum Memorial Library. Through our two-year grant with PBS Wisconsin, weve already hosted two online STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) learning sessions, and hope to continue the format throughout the summer (or until our doors re-open).

The program is focused on ages 4 through 8, and families are encouraged to take part in the hour-and-a-half sessions filled with discovery and fun. In our April session, participants discovered fantastic bridges and what it takes to build them. They then built their own bridges out of simple materials in their own homes and shared their creations with the group. Our May session focused on ramps, friction and motion with Cat in the Hat and more great investigation and giggles! Follow us on Facebook @bekkumlibrary or our website wrlsweb.org/westby/ for further updates on more fun PBS virtual learning programs.

Are you finally bored with video binging and need a spark in your life? We continue to build our website with free virtual resources for all ages. Try an online Gale Course on our websites news Home Learning Support tab. With your library card, these free courses cover hundreds of interests including college readiness, law and legal, healthcare and medical and design and computer. Popular personal development courses include Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search and Listen to Your Heart and Success will Follow. Discover Sign Language and Speed Spanish are just two of the many language options. The next sessions begin on May 13 and June 17, just go to our website and sign up today. As always, we are here to help you with any questions you may have, just call 608-634-4419 Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Bekkum Memorial Library: Off the Shelf - The Westby Times

BACK IN THE MIX: Mathias Andre

MATHIAS ANDRE and CJ Webley, two previous members of Lightpost Theatre Company, have now successfully been employed in leadership roles.

In 2015, Birmingham Repertory Theatre took part in an initial pilot scheme Up My Street, a partnership project funded by Mind, to help strengthen mental health in young black men through theatre. This scheme was developed in response to statistics that show young black men in the UK are much more likely to develop serious mental illness than any other demographic.

Lightpost is not just a theatre company its a movement

Motivated by the scheme, participants formed Lightpost Theatre Company.

Addressing the effects of racism, discrimination, negative self-image and invisibility, Lightpost Theatre Company helps to strengthen the mental health resilience and wellbeing of those involved, improve self-belief, raise mental health awareness, assist personal development, and encourage inclusion and friendship.

With three years funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, Lightpost Theatre Company has since welcomed hundreds of participants aged 18-26 from across the West Midlands who have gone on to create their own productions, perform to sell-out audiences, gain employment and training within the industry and create new leaders for a new generation of members.

CJ said It has always been the goal for Lightpost Theatre Company to create new Leaders. Because we understand what these young men experience outside of the company, we can help to empower them and support resilience against perceived and proven barriers including lack of opportunity, racism and related stresses.

Mathias added: Lightpost is not just a theatre company its a movement. This is an experience like no other. If you are an 18-26 young male of black heritage and have a keen interest in theatre, then you should join us. Dont allow others to write the narrative for you. Get yourself in the room and take ownership, you deserve to be here as much as everyone else.

Ahead of Mental Health Awareness Week, Alex Summers, Creative Learning Director at The REP added We are delighted to welcome back Mathias and CJ to lead Lightpost Theatre Company. This progression is what the company is all about, providing participants with the support to recognise their talent, help them with their career and provide a voice within the wider community.

Mathias and CJ will be supporting new members, organising workshops, writing and rehearsal sessions and leading the creative team into realising their artistic vision.

The company work with professional directors and writers to create, rehearse and stage outstanding productions reflecting their own personal journey or themes affecting the wider community. These have included a sell-out run of Scenes From A Brummie Iliad based on Homers epic poem, an original performance reflecting on mental health for the 2019 BEDLAM Arts and Mental Health Festival and a performance in a secure unit through Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Lightpost Theatre Company usually meets at The REP once a week but thanks to REP RELOADEDs digital offer the company can continue to work on their current project Constructed during the current lockdown period. Constructed is a play about Black British male construction workers, using the construction site as a metaphor for new beginnings. The play will premiere at The REP and tour community spaces.

Further Lightpost Theatre Company success stories include receiving paid employment as actors for The REPs Creative Learning project Toy Theatres working with primary school class groups, several members going on to leading drama schools gaining places at the Italia Conti School and Guildford School of Acting and working professionally in the industry.

Lightpost Theatre Company is part of Shifting The Dial a unique scheme funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and is a partnership between Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Centre for Mental Health and First Class Legacy.

Centre for Mental Healths Kadra Abdinasir, Head of Children and Young Peoples Mental Health says This ground-breaking partnership offers young black men a range of holistic and culturally-informed activities to engage with to help boost their mental resilience.

This includes youth-led creative opportunities, such as the productions developed at Lightpost Theatre Company.

The programme also empowers young men by building their skills and confidence and creates leadership and employment opportunities to enable them to transition into independence.

The Voice Newspaper is committed to celebrating black excellence, campaigning for positive change and informing the black community on important issues. Your financial contributions are essential to protect the future of the publication as we strive to help raise the profile of the black communities across the UK. Any size donation is welcome and we thank you for your continued support.

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Lightpost Theatre company appoints new artistic leaders - Voice Online - The Voice Online

SINGAPORE - Students at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) can take up massive open online courses (Moocs) as part of their undergraduate studies.

The university said on Thursday (May 14) in a statement that all 23,000 undergraduates, except medical students, can earn academic credits from completing selected online courses offered on Mooc platforms Coursera, edX and FutureLearn.

Students can earn credits worth up to 12 academic units - equivalent to three to five courses - that can be counted towards their graduation requirements. Depending on their courses, they need between 108 and 140 academic units in total to graduate.

For a start, 86 Moocs have been approved. Many are offered by top universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US and Britain's Imperial College London.

These include courses such as The Analytics Edge offered by MIT, Machine Learning by Stanford Universityand Business Strategies for Social Impact by Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

NTU said these courses provide students with the opportunity to supplement their learning beyond what is available at NTU, in areas of their interest or chosen specialisation.

The National University of Singapore also allows its students to count completed Moocs as part of their curriculum.

In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Coursera, one of the largest providers of online learning with more than 3,800 courses, had recently announced that it is allowing its partners, including NTU students, to obtain a certificate for some Moocs free of charge if they register by July 31 and complete the courses by Sept 30.

Normally, graded assignments and certificates need to be paid for.

Professor Ling San, NTU deputy president and provost, said: "Ultimately, we hope that this new initiative will inspire our students to become self-directed lifelong learners and enhance their personal development and potential. Applying the knowledge gained from Moocs to real-life problems will also give students a competitive edge in their career."

Students can take the courses at any time - like during the holidays before the new academic year begins in August - and at their own pace.

New students starting their studies at NTU, and future batches of freshmen, may also earn credits for the Moocs on the university's pre-approved list that they successfully complete within three years before their matriculation.

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NTU students can earn credits from taking online courses offered by top universities abroad - straits times

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Life in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic has not been an easy one. With the circuit breaker period in full swing until June 1, it is not unusual for boredom, cabin fever and stress to set in. Technology has played a vital part in bridging the gap left by the lack of social connection and activity, with popular apps like Zoom, TikTok and YouTube keeping us connected, entertained and informed. Weve rounded up a selection of apps that can help make life more bearable during this limiting and rather distressing time for humanity.

While Netflix has always been the favoured video-streaming platform for serious series-bingers and movie-watchers, its time to take it up a notch. We get ityoure tired of watching your favourite shows alone. WithNetflix Party, you dont have to! The extension allows different users to watch the same shows at the same time and together, synchronising playback and allowing people to talk via the group chat feature as they enjoy the movie. Or check out Quiz Up, a comprehensive trivia app offeringa wide variety of topics ranging from general knowledge, logos, sports, movies, internet, video games and much more. Play online with friends or strangers!

For those longing for a taste of arts and culture, dont despair. Just because youre stuck at home and cannot visit your favourite museum in person doesnt mean that you cannot enjoy the experience of art virtually. Google Arts & Culture presents over 1,200 museum collections from all over the world, all of which you can peruse and enjoy from home. Search by museum name or by location, and get that dose of culture youve been missing.For opera lovers, The Metropolitan Opera offers regular free streaming of well-loved opera classics in different languages.

If you feel like the current global situationthe COVID-19 pandemichas had a negative effect on your mental health, you are definitely not alone. The isolation from family and friends, the lack of physical contact and connection, and the general uncertainty of what is going to happen next can bring about feelings of anxiety and stress. Dont forget to take care of your mind and emotions, too. The Calm app offers guided meditations that are designed to help you get deeper and better sleep, achieve a more peaceful mental state, and deal with negative thoughts more effectively. Or try theHappifyapp, which uses science-based research, activities and games to help you overcome stress and anxieties and reach a healthier place in your mind.

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With all this extra time on your hands, its understandable that you are trying to keep occupied. Its not a bad idea to learn some new skills in the meantime. Why not learn a second, third or fourth language? Language learning apps such as Duolingo or Babbel make it easier and more fun to do so, and you can do it from anywhere. For professional and personal development, head over to Udemy, which offers nearly 100,000 individual coursesranging from photography to finance, health and beauty and web developmentfor very reasonable prices. Why not come out of the circuit breaker period with a new skill?

As easy as it might be to scroll endlessly through social media or fall into a trance-like state in front of the television, there are other things you can do with your time while you are stuck at home. Thanks to the plethora of apps and services available, there are options to help you achieve and maintain a better quality of life, COVID-19 be damned.

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Apps that can help you during the COVID-19 pandemic - The Independent

One of Facebook's most important executives has explained how employees can create their own application programming interfaces (APIs) to maximize their career development.

The idea is the brainchild of Andrew "Boz" Bosworth vice president of augmented and virtual reality at Facebook who spelled it out in a post on his personal blog Wednesday.

It's a slightly labored analogy perhaps, but APIs are a bunch of features that developers can use as building blocks for their own apps. Apple, for example, offers an API for the iPhone camera which means anyone building a photo app doesn't need to build the camera software from scratch.

As such, Bosworth reckons that if employees write their own APIs and define how others should best interact with them they'll enable colleagues to get the most out of their abilities. More specifically, he listed four ways people can do this.

"First, engage your manager," he wrote. "Rather than being a passive participant in the relationship you should be actively steering it. Make your manager into your sponsor.

"They should be sharing your narrative in rooms you aren't in. Tell them what kinds of problems you'd like to be working on and check up with them regularly on their progress finding you more opportunities.

Boz continued: "Second, master the art of the humble biography. When you meet a new colleague, introduce yourself and add a sentence about what kinds of things you love to work on and maybe give an example. The goal here is not to impress them but rather to enlist them so they are able funnel interesting work your way if they see it."

Bosworth also described opportunism and the ability to set your own boundaries as key parts of your personal API.

"Third, don't miss the opportunities that do come by. When you are in a meeting and a problem that interests you comes up don't hesitate to speak about your enthusiasm to work on it. Ask teams who are working on interesting things what kinds of problems they have that you might be able to help with.

Bosworth's last piece of advice is to try and avoid anything you think might fail.

"Finally, learn when to say no," he wrote. "Just as important as finding more work you are interested in is avoiding a reputation for doing work you aren't interested in, especially if you don't think you will do it well."

The confident, outspoken nature of Bosworth's post is typically in character, too, as he's far from averse to sharing his views on a range of topics.

In a 2016 internal company memo leaked to BuzzFeed News, Bosworth famously described Facebook's "ugly truth" as a "de facto" faith in connecting people even where such connections could be used to facilitate bullying or terrorism.

More recently, he warned his fellow Facebook employees against using their power to stop Donald Trump's possible re-election for a second term as president.

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Facebook executive Andrew Bosworth on writing a 'personal API' for your career - Business Insider - Business Insider

Waymo, the autonomous driving unit of Alphabet, announced Tuesday that it has raised a further $750 million in external investment. This investment is right behind the $2.25 billion financing the company raised in March its first-ever non-Alphabet investment.

Waymos idea of raising $3 billion in external investment when its parent company is cash-rich Alphabet might raise some eyebrows. However, companies like Waymo and Cruise, the autonomous vehicle (AV) unit of General Motors, going for external funding only highlights the financial strain that autonomous driving technology development can place on companies.

The massive investment that Waymo has raised also signifies the trust investors have in Waymo, as it continues to be a market leader in the AV market. With investors consistently rewarding more prominent companies than smaller startups in the AV segment, market consolidation can be an expected outcome in the future.

That said, the AV segment has only found new wings amid the economic slowdown, as the concept of social distancing plays to its advantage cue the driverless taxis that will become conceivable with the introduction of truly autonomous cars.

Surveys of urban residents have shown that people who use public transport for short trips would look to shift to driverless taxis if given an option considering the new normal of social distancing. Waymos self-driving minivans that have operated across Arizona and California would likely find more takers once operations resume post-pandemic.

In its statement, Waymo mentioned that the financing was an extension of the previous $2.25 billion investment. This round, like the previous one, was advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Perry Creek Capital and Fidelity Management & Research Co. while including participation from external investors.

Well use this injection of capital to deepen our investment in our people, our technology, and our Waymo One and Waymo Via operations, said John Krafcik, the CEO of Waymo, in his statement. COVID-19 has underscored how fully self-driving technology can provide safe and hygienic personal mobility and delivery services. Were grateful these partners share our mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where theyre going.

Krafcik mentioned that Waymos recent interest in external investment was not rooted in concerns about a pandemic slowdown. Waymos sentiment is in line with the current market scenario in which Cruise has raised over $7 billion from external investors, including Honda Motor Co., while Ford-backed Argo AI committed Volkswagen to an investment of $2.6 billion.

Over the past decade, Waymo and Cruise have steadily widened their lead in the AV segment, with the companies needing the fewest human interventions for every 1,000 miles driven. Waymo vehicles currently clock 13,219 miles on average before they require human intervention, while Cruise vehicles clock 12,221 miles on average before taking assistance.

The financial enormity and the technologys complexity would mean that several smaller firms will either fold or will consolidate with bigger rivals. Recently, Starsky Robotics, an autonomous trucking startup, had to shut its doors after the company was overwhelmed by the unmet promise of artificial intelligence to focus on a practical solution. This, combined with investment drying up, proved to be too much for Starsky.

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Another fundraise, as self-driving startup Waymos investment hits $3 billion in 2020 - FreightWaves

May 14, 2020 08:03 ET | Source: Neocase Software

Neocase Software, a global HR service management platform vendor, announces a new 6 million fundraising round led by Entrepreneur Venture, alongside Sofiouest, the management team and historical shareholder Iris Capital.

This fundraising will allow Neocase Software to boost its R&D and sales programs, to expand beyond large enterprise clients to now also serve mid-market companies and to accelerate its international development, including in Germany and the Nordics.

The SaaS company now had a growth of 22% in 2019 and targets more than 20% in 2020 despite the Covid19 crisis.

Neocase Software opens its HR digitalization service to medium size companies in new regions

A leading provider of HR service management for nearly two decades, Neocase Software has spread its offer and team in key regions to address large companies needs. With offices and teams in Paris (where the company is headquartered), London, Amsterdam and Boston, Neocase Software is now reinforcing its offer and footprint in the DACH region, the UK as well as the Nordics, where the company already serves clients in the automotive, security and financial services industries.

Neocase Software will also foster its R&D and sales teams, to develop and attract midsize companies, as the HR digitalization offer was originally developed to increase efficiency for companies employing over 10,000 employees with remote HR needs.

The company will use the funds to fuel its expansion and help smaller structures by making its offer available for organisations of 1,500 employees and more, allowing HR services in these businesses to digitalise and soften their workload with an HR Ready platform.

This new development will be supported by a strong network of partners composed of Software Companies.Neocase Software serves today more than 150 clients worldwide operating in 180 countries, directly and through integrators.

Digitalizing HR services to allow professionals to focus their attention on key roles rather than ticket management.

Companies of all sizes have been faced with serious HR challenges recently: high-speed remote work normalisation, paperwork digitalisation, employees with personal situations, part-time management, etc. Their daily jobs have been shaken and their workload, especially towards remote employees, has increased and diverted in unprecedented ways.

HR service management is now in high need of efficiency and improvement for the HR professionals who are eager to focus their attention at work on career development, recruitment, projects managements rather than ticket processes. Neocase Software allows them to digitalize many day-to-day tasks with a digital platform accessible anywhere and everywhere to all employees at distance, relying on a solid AI-based Talents and Employees management platform, leveraged by Big Data to ensure a personalized experience and answer to every request.

Neocase Software CEO Didier Moscatelli said: "Neocase Software is a global expert for HR services helping global structure digitalise their employees-HR communications across large organisations HR digitalization is now a must have and our 15 year of experience in HR systems is key to enable the companies to strengthen their Employees experience. This new fundraising will allow us to address a high demand of midsize companies for our SaaS solution as well as growing our R&D and sales efforts toward new markets such as the DACH region, the UK and the Nordics. Were looking forward to this new chapter alongside solid investors such as Entrepreneur Venture, Iris Capital and Sofiouest."

Pierre-Alexis de Vauplane, Entrepreneur Venture Investment Director added: We are delighted to give Neocase the means to continue its growth. We had been talking with the company for several months and the dynamic provided by Didier Moscatelli convinced us; the past few weeks have also confirmed the value of Neocase for companies and employees in this time of crisis.

Curt Gunsenheimer, Managing Partner at Iris Capital, commented: "We have been supporting Neocase Software for years now, standing at their side at every stage of their history. We are proud to fuel this new chapter towards international growth, especially in the DACH region where we will be strong promoters of their new mid-size companies offer alongside their first class integrators network.

Patrice Hutin, COO of Sofiouest said: Sofiouest has long been a supporter of augmented digital HR platform for companies. Neocase solutions allow HR services and managers to spend more time on career development projects and less resource on light requests. We are happy to contribute and support the distribution of these solutions in France and beyond and the Neocase team clearly deserves our trust to grow the company.

Key figures to date:

Founded in 2001

6 million round

150+ top class clients worldwide

80% clients have 10,000+ employees

Global offices: France, UK, Netherlands and USA

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Neocase Software, HR digitalization SaaS platform, raises 6 million round to foster its international growth during the Covid19 crisis - GlobeNewswire