Helping businesses become ‘breastfeeding friendly’

A welcoming environment can make a real difference in the lives of breastfeeding mothers – and that’s the rationale behind a new Hertfordshire initiative that aims to help businesses and organisations show their support.

The Breastfeeding Friendly scheme, launched by Hertfordshire County Council, involves a few simple to steps to help make breastfeeding mums feel at home and at ease. Members across the county are already signed up and taking part – predominantly libraries and family centres.

A Breastfeeding Friendly business or organisation should ensure its venue is comfortable and accommodating for breastfeeding mothers. This can involve small adjustments such as providing comfortable seating, some privacy if possible, or just a quiet spot. All this can make a big difference to a breastfeeding mother when she’s out and about.

Businesses and organisations can sign the county council’s Breastfeeding Friendly pledge and send in a copy. Tips online at hertfordshire.gov.uk/breastfeedingfriendly can help to make staff aware of what is required.

Establishments signed up can show their commitment by displaying the campaign’s Breastfeeding Friendly decals, provided free of charge – for example in their window or on their doorway. This shows visitors that their site supports breastfeeding families. Businesses and organisations that sign up also receive posters and a certificate of participation to put on display.

Breastfeeding has a wealth of health benefits for both mother and child, including reducing babies’ risk of infections, obesity and cardiovascular disease later in life, and lowering mothers’ risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and weak bones. But despite this, rates in England are among the lowest in Europe.

Businesses and organisations that take part in the Breastfeeding Friendly scheme are contributing to a positive chance and helping to promote the best start in life for children.

To find out more, see hertfordshire.gov.uk/breastfeedingfriendly

The University of Hertfordshire’s Careers and Employment team run a host of innovative initiatives to support employers with recruitment challenges

Being one of the county’s leading multi sports holiday camp providers is no mean feat, as Stewart Hunt, founder and director of Apex 360, can confirm. Every school holiday, his company runs up to nine holiday camps across Hertfordshire, including the ‘High 5’ camps, for up to 350 children aged between 5-11 years old.

Hugely popular, Apex 360 holiday camps have become renowned for their innovative, fun programmes catering to a diverse range of children, and promoting health, wellbeing and social cohesion. The challenge is finding enough first-rate staff to run the camps; with a minimum of four to seven people needed per camp.

It’s why Stewart relies on the University of Hertfordshire for help. An advocate of their sports management degree apprenticeship, a regular at their Part-Time Jobs Fair, and also an employer partner for their micro intern scheme, the University’s award-winning, Careers and Employment team helps him to connect with thousands of outstanding students and graduates, keen to pick up part-time or short-term job opportunities.

“As you can imagine, recruiting enough highquality holiday club staff able to work the holiday hours and be brilliant enough to support our wonderful young people attending the camps can be challenging,” explains Stewart.

“I’ve been working with the University for over a decade now to solve this, and always find their support to be exceptional. They really work with me understand my recruitment needs and run a huge programme of well targeted recruitment events and schemes that I use to connect with appropriate students and graduates.

“We have recruited so many outstanding Herts members as a result, and are thrilled that in return, they gain valuable insights and skills that will hopefully benefit them in their future endeavours.”

It’s not just part time gigs the University supports. Their Careers and Employment team provides free guidance and advice on graduate roles, placement schemes, internships, part-time positions and volunteering. They’ve also partnered with Handshake, Europe’s most powerful early careers recruitment platform, to help promote and target employer’s vacancies to the right candidates. With more than 30,000 current Herts students and many more alumni registered on the site - and over 2,000 actively using it every week - it provides employers with a quick, easy and free way to access the University’s diverse, talent pool and directly target candidates with the skills and experience they need to boost their businesses.

“We run so many events and programmes to help employers from all industries connect with the brightest talent, best suited for their business needs,” says Vicki Pinch, Graduate Success Manager at the University of Hertfordshire.

“We understand key recruitment challenges and aim to solve them with our specially tailored services, designed to support successful employment matches.”

The University’s multi-award-winning Assessment Centre Experience (ACE) is one particularly successful service. Developed to prepare more than 3,000 students each year for a typical graduate assessment centre process, employers are invited to support the event by acting as assessors for the mock interviews and presentations, and are provided with a great, student networking opportunity back.

Employers can also sign up for a whole range of different ways to connect with our students. From taking part in a Careers Fair and speednetworking, to hosting a pop-up stand, there are lots of simple ways to connect. For those with more time to engage, an employer presentation - where they deliver a short presentation to a group of students studying a relevant subject, to raise their organisations profile to potential candidates and promote job opportunities –or working alongside the University’s academics to develop assessed projects and competitions designed to help employers spot future talent, are other options.

“Employer Instagram takeovers are also popular,” adds Vicki. “’Taking over’ one of dedicated channels, employers have the opportunity to post stories throughout the day or host a live Q&A session to a potential, 5,000 student-strong audience. As well as being able to deliver targeted careers content, it gives a friendly face to their brand and is a novel way to engage with potential candidates.

“We’re proud to be supporting so many innovative initiatives ultimately helping to deliver the future workforce across the East of England and beyond,” finishes Vicki.

“By connecting so many incredible employers with our brilliantly talented, and hugely diverse, students, graduates and apprentices, we are helping businesses to grow, diversify and succeed.”

The University of Hertfordshire’s next on-campus, Part-Time Jobs Fair takes place on 26 September, and its next Graduate and Placement Jobs Fair on 9 October.

For more details about either event, or for access to thousands of student and graduate applicants, sign up to the University’s careers platform Handshake at https://herts.joinhandshake.co.uk/employer_registrations/new

For more information on all Careers and Employment services visit www.herts.ac.uk/for-business/recruit-our-students.

I am a massive

Michael Bublé fan

– I have so far seen him seven times.

Tell us about your time at the Chamber.

I started at the Chamber in May as Conference and Events Executive and I am delighted to be part of such a fantastic organisation and a great team. I feel like I have joined at an exciting time as the Chamber celebrates its centenary year. I have over 25 years’ experience working for a variety of companies across private, public and charitable sectors.

What has been your proudest moment?

In my very first job in recruitment, I became the youngest contract manager for a London local authority, with responsibility for a service provision for over 400 users. Prior to coming to the Chamber, I ran a successful consultancy business alongside my husband for eight years, and I am extremely proud of our venture and achievements.

Do you have a favourite event?

I feel somewhat obligated to say the Inspiring Herts Awards as I have been living and breathing it since I started at the Chamber! It has been an extremely busy and exciting period.

When you are away from the office, what do you enjoy doing?

I absolutely love going to the theatre and to see live shows in general – plays, musicals, comedy gigs or concerts. I think George Michael has to be the best I have ever seen perform live. I also enjoy keeping fit and active. I like going to the gym but I particularly love being in the great outdoors, walking and cycling.

If you could have a dinner party with three guests, living or dead, who would you invite?

That is a very tough question – where to start? But how about with Jesus – as I am a Catholic, He would be the ultimate guest (plus could help with unlimited food and wine). Then George Michael, for guaranteed amazing music. Plus, Micky Flanaghan, because he is one of my favourite comedians.

Tell us about the best holiday you’ve ever had.

After my A-levels I went backpacking around Australia, Thailand, Fiji and America with my best friend, who passed away a year later, so that time and those memories are extremely precious. In more recent years, we celebrated my son’s 21st birthday on Boxing Day, in New York which was magical.

And, finally, tell us something people may not know about you.

Two random facts about me are that I know the British sign language fingerspelling alphabet, which I learned as a child and it has forever remained with me, and that I am a massive Michael Bublé fan – I have so far seen him seven times, and he even held my hand and sang to me.