Background 

Dignity and Respect Champions (DRCs) were formerly known as Dignity Disclosure Officers (DDOs). They are volunteer members of staff who have been trained to offer confidential, impartial, one-to-one advice and support if you are having issues with harassment or bullying. They will help you to feel supported and to have a better understanding of your rights and the options available to resolve your issues. 

When Should I Use the DRC Service?

We would encourage you to consider talking to a DRC as a first step before taking any other action in relation to your issue.  Talking through what has happened and how you feel with a DRC will clarify the options available to you and should help you to decide on the best way forward for you.  

What is the Role of the DRC?

The DRCs will:

• provide a confidential, as appropriate, listening service for staff who think they may be being bullied or harassed.
• provide guidance, assistance and advise on the courses of action available.
• facilitate informal resolution in cases of harassment in line with the University's Dignity at Work and Study Policy.
• identify, and refer, serious allegations to the appropriate University authority.

The DRC role does not involve any of the following:

• undertaking any investigations or deciding on the validity of a complaint.
• pronouncing whether the behaviour/conduct of an individual(s) constitutes harassment and/or bullying.
• taking action against an alleged perpetrator.
• acting as a representative or advocate.
• being involved in any formal stage of the process, whether that is writing the formal complaint, taking part in the investigation, disciplinary or grievance procedures, or accompanying you to any meetings during the formal process.
• providing counselling

What Happens When I Contact a DRC? 

The DRC will get in touch with you to make an appointment to meet (either virtually or in person).  This is not the start of a process but an opportunity for you to voice your concerns in a supportive and non-judgemental space.    

• The conversation will focus on enabling you to talk about your issue(s) and understand the options that are available to assist.  This conversation will remain entirely confidential unless (exceptionally) either you or anyone else is considered to be at risk of serious harm. The DRC would normally discuss this with you first. 
• The DRC will listen and be non-judgemental 
• They will guide you through the relevant University Policy and Procedures.
• They will clarify the options open to you and support you in resolving the matter informally where possible.  However, the final decision on taking action always rests with you.
• They will signpost you on to other agencies or support systems, where appropriate.

DRCs are also available to provide similar support to those have been accused of bullying, harassment or other inappropriate behaviour.  However, the same DRC will not be able to talk to the alleged perpetrator and the target in relation to the same incidents.  

If you have any questions about the scheme or how it will work, please contact the EDI team by emailing hr-equality@qmul.ac.uk.

How Do I Contact a DRC?

• The profiles of all current DRCs are available in the section below.  You can choose any DRC based on their profile.
• The contact form on the website will put you directly in touch with a DRC.  A copy of all requests will be sent to the Head of EDI for monitoring purposes only.  This will enable the EDI team to have an overview of total numbers of requests made to all DRCs, which will be recorded in the EDI annual report.  This will ensure that if the DRC does not contact you within a reasonable timescale for any reason (pressure of work, sickness, etc), the EDI team will follow up and allocate an alternative DRC.  A regular check will be done to ensure that all initial communications are being handled promptly.

Ashley Arnold 

The School of Economics and Finance

I joined Queen Mary in March 2020 as the School of Economics and Finance Marketing and Student Recruitment Manager. I have domestic and international experience of the Higher Education, Not for Profit, and Hospitality sectors. For many years, I have been championing EDI through developing executive education interventions, tailored to challenge leadership and provide insights into both current leadership knowledge and future leadership needs on gender equity, diversity and inclusion, and mental health and wellbeing. I am also an experienced coach and facilitator, having focused on development for many years. I serve on the School of Economics and Finance's EDI committee. As someone who takes equality and justice very seriously, I joined the network to support those around me.

 

Sharon Bond 

Finance Department

I joined Queen Mary in March 2017 as the new Accounts Payable Manager in the Finance department managing a team of 10 members of staff. Before starting at Queen Mary, my work experience was in the private sector. The first 10 years of working were interesting to say the least, mainly because I was one of a few black women in many of the positions I held. But thankfully, over the next 15 to 20 years, those organisations learnt the value of fairness and inclusion and created networks which I was involved in, and mandatory programmes to improve the workplace and encourage good practices. This was fulfilling personally and professionally. Integrity, respect and great leadership for all became the norm. Becoming a Dignity and Respect Champion hopefully will be an additional tool available to support staff in need and guide them to resolution without fear.

 

Shirley Anne Goodey 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I am the Centre Administrator for Centre for Oral Clinical Research and Centre for Oral Immunobiology and Regenerative Medicine. I have considerable experience of working in a higher education environment. I have worked in other universities before joining Queen Mary in 2015. In 2017, I completed the Mental Health Training.

 

 

 

 

 

Dominic Hurst 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I have become a dignity and respect champion because I am frequently confronted by students and staff who have experiences denigrating and abusive behaviour from others in the university. As the Academic Lead for Student Support at the Institute of Dentistry, I see my role as tackling the social and environmental reasons for students’ lack of well-being. Our health is determined by things other than our lifestyle, age and genetics. There are social determinants of our well-being. The way we treat each other is part of the environmental determinants of others’ health. I see my role as preventing students experiencing behaviours that lead to poor well-being as well as supporting students from the fall-out of that behaviour. When I trained to be an active bystander trainer at Queen Mary, I saw much more clearly the norms in our institution that allow poor behaviours to go unchallenged. We need to challenge these norms. Just because colleagues are in senior positions, have imposing personal presence or seem somehow to be critical to the institutional infrastructure, their behaviour should not go unchallenged. Individuals doing this alone is a massive emotional burden and risk to their well-being. 

 

Louisa James 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I have worked at Queen Mary since 2016 as a Lecturer in Immunology and group leader in the Blizard Institute. I have worked in academia for my entire career formerly at King’s College London for undergraduate and post-doctoral work and at Imperial College for my PhD. As well as running my research group, I teach undergraduate biomedical sciences students and medical students, supervise laboratory-based research projects and act as an academic advisor for BSc and MSc students at Queen Mary. I joined the network to support my colleagues and help establish a fairer and more equitable environment at Queen Mary and in academia more generally.

 

Lorraine Kayvanfar 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I joined Queen Mary in 2016 as a centre administrator and am currently the Centre Administrator for the Centre for Oral Bioengineering in Dentistry. Before joining Queen Mary I worked predominately in the private sector in a highly pressurised environment as a Legal Secretarial Manager, EA and I also held various PA roles. I am currently part of the Mental Health First Aid network and Staff Wellbeing and Support Group and felt that also being a Dignity and Respect Champion would work in tandem, enhance and also strengthen support I could give in the other roles. How feel can help – having worked in various large organisations in both the private and public sectors I have observed and have experience in dealing with a wide range of behaviours as well as working with a very diverse workforce.

 

Catherine McLean

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I joined Queen Mary in November 2015 as an Education Administrator at the Blizard Institute, Whitechapel campus. In April 2019 I moved over to the Institute of Dentistry (also based in Whitechapel) as the Electronic Resources Officer. My job entails supporting staff and students to use different technologies for teaching and learning. I enjoy working at Queen Mary and I like all of the diversity a London University brings with it. I am a firm believer that you can learn from everyone you meet, whether in a work setting or outside of work. My UG degree is in Music, so a different world to Medicine and Dentistry. In my spare time I enjoy staying active by playing basketball.

 

Ella Rice

IT Services

I feel proud to truly value each person I interact with, putting people first in my work and life endeavours, no matter who they are and the pay grade they receive.  Having worked at Queen Mary for over 20 years, I've experienced too many encounters where others do not share these same values.  This mismatch in values may be in the form of an individual's priorities being pushed forward to others' detriment, bad behaviour in the form of rudeness, shouting, or insulting behaviours or undermining others' dignity by belittling actions and words. On too many occasions, bullying and discrimination occur through people being avoided or excluded alongside the more visible aggressive bullying behaviour that regularly goes unchallenged and ultimately tolerated while harming others. And to be honest, I've had enough of it.  I refuse to stay silent and be complicit. I don't believe it is always someone else's fault, and we do need first to check ourselves and how we come across in some situations. Still, there are occasions when lousy behaviour in others needs highlighting and adjusting. We are all entitled to work and study in a supportive and nurturing environment that allows us to be our authentic selves and bring out our best in our performance to serve and help our community and institution. To achieve this, though, we sometimes need someone in our corner to help us do that.  Suppose you find yourself in a problematic situation. In that case, I am privileged to be able to offer to be that champion rooting for you, supporting you to overcome your obstacles and the challenges in your way. We can all achieve anything when we believe we can, but when we let others dim our inner light, this task becomes a constant battle where we are the ones that typically lose. Unleash your inner power and challenge the situation. You need not settle for less.

Vanessa Thompson 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I have been the Centre for Medical Education administrator for the last 3 years. This is a staff facing role, primarily supporting academics who teach on the medical course. During that time I have trained as a Mental Health First Aider and am also involved in helping deliver Active Bystander training. Prior to working here at Queen Mary, and having a family, I spent 8 years as a solicitor representing and advising clients in family and criminal law. 

Working pattern – Monday to Thursday

 

 

 

Art T Tucker 

School of Medicine and Dentistry

I have worked within Queen Mary and Barts Health NHS Trust for over 25 years as a clinical researcher and held a variety of support and training roles. During this time, I have acted as an Advocate and Mentor within both Institutions; and externally within settings such as the GMC and the HCPC. In contrast and complimenting this, I have undertaken a range of investigations on behalf of Queen Mary and BHT. Externally, I work to assist with fair and equitable access to Healthcare services