What is Bullying & Harassment and how do I get help?
The National Film & Television School is committed to providing a positive experience for all students, staff and visiting tutors. We believe that bullying, harassment, assault and discrimination are never acceptable.
What is bullying?
Bullying is unwanted behaviour which is intimidating, offensive or insulting. Anyone can be bullied, but it usually involves individuals or groups with more power, bullying someone with less. The person who is being bullied can feel humiliated, threatened or upset and it can become a pattern of behaviour.
What is harassment?
Harassment is unwanted actions or behaviour by individuals or groups which violates a person’s dignity and creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Sexual harassment is when these actions or behaviour are sexual in nature.
Harassment against a person due to a protected characteristic, is considered a hate crime. This means that the behaviour or actions are motivated by hostility towards age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership or pregnancy and maternity.
Immediate help?
· Are you in immediate danger? If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured call 999 (or 112 from a mobile).
· Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened, try and find somewhere you feel safe. If you are at the School you can call Security on 01494 731400 or go to your nearest building and ask someone to phone Security for you.
Support for students
· You can use the Report and Support system to report your concerns or speak to a Student Wellbeing Advisor from the School’s Student Support and Wellbeing team for advice and support.
· The School has a range of wellbeing support. If you are not sure who to contact, you can speak to an Advisor from the School’s Student Support and Wellbeing team who can provide guidance. They can be contacted via email swellbeing@nfts.co.uk or via Facebook Workplace.
· Consider submitting extenuating circumstances if your studies have been/are being affected using the Schools Extenuating Circumstances Policy.
· Ditch the Label is an online advice and support community for young people up to the age of 25 who have experienced bullying.
Support for staff members
· Talk to your line manager. Particularly if your work has been or is being affected.
· Have an informal conversation with a member of the HR team or your trade union representative.
· Use the Support & Report tool to make a named or anonymous report of what’s happened.
· All staff have access to the School’s Employee Assistance Programme where you can find online resources as an immediate source of support.
https://www.legalandgeneral.com/…/worklife-solutions/eap/
Access Code is worklife
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· Contact Citizens Advice Bureau for support and advice about discrimination at work.
· Access staff wellbeing tools via the Facebook Workplace Wellbeing Hub.
Other sources of support
· National Bullying Helpline for practical support to anyone who is experiencing bullying. Call 0845 2255787, 9am-5pm Monday to Friday
· Victim Support help anyone who has been the victim of a crime. They can support you coping with the after-effects of crime and help with reporting to the police.
Reporting for students, staff members and visiting tutors
· We encourage students, staff and visiting tutors to contact somebody at the School in the first instance to help support you with any concerns you have.
· Some individuals may prefer to use the School’s Support & Report tool. Students, staff, tutors and visitors can report an incident, both named and anonymous, via the School’s Support & Report system.
· To the police. You can report a crime by calling the non-emergency number, 101 or online.
· Make a formal complaint using the School’s Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy (for students) or to the HR department using the Grievance policy (for staff)
