FHRD courses

The Foundation for Human Resources Development in partnership with the Institute of Health & Safety, is holding a course entitled "Effective health and safety committees", to take place on Thursday between 9 a.m. and 12.30 p.m., at the foundation's premises at 1, Triq il-Kampanella, San Gwann.

Course content will include the work of a health and safety committee, terms of reference, such as accidents, workers' concerns, information from management, and health and safety training, maintaining focus and using time effectively, composition of an effective health and safety committee, chairmanship, formal agendas, minutes and action points.

Its objective is to make an important contribution to health and safety in the workplace, and to help employers demonstrate that they are complying with legal obligations to consult with employees on health and safety related matters.

This course is designed to help them function more effectively in a spirit of co-operation for the benefit of both employers and employees.

Mr Chris Hudson, BA (Hons), MA, CFIOSH, AIEMA, Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health will lead the course.

Course fee for FHRD members is Lm15 (inclusive of VAT) and Lm25 for non-members.

Cheques, payable to The Institute of Health & Safety Ltd, are to be sent to the FHRD.

For more information visit www.fhrd.org.

The foundation is also holding an HR Practitioners' meeting on Thursday, between 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. at its premises in San Gwann on the theme "Towards a more inclusive labour market".

The meeting will be facilitated by Mr Lawrence Bonello, BA, Dip. Social Studies (OGCC).

Mr Bonello's original background is in the educational field. He started his career as a teacher at St Albert the Great College, Valletta, in 1992, and is still currently employed there full-time.

At the college he is also a member of the Pastoral Care Team and is co-ordinator for Fourth Formers. He is also careers guidance co-ordinator.

In 2000, he graduated with a BA from the University of Malta and in 2003 he started reading for a Diploma in SocialStudies (Occupational Guidance and Career Counselling) at the Centre for Labour Studies, graduating in 2005.

Last May he was employed as a part-time employment officer at Caritas Malta. Based at Caritas head office in Floriana, his main brief is the management and implementation of a co-operation agreement that Caritas has entered into with ETC for personalised occupational guidance and counselling of unemployed social cases.

Social change has generated a myriad new realities which have not spared the labour market. One of these realities is the increase in the number of people who, for some reason or other, may find themselves excluded from the labour market. This in turn perpetuates the vicious cycle in which victims of substance abuse, the homeless, alcoholics and people with other social problems find themselves trapped in.

The aim behind this presentation is to help HR practitioners familiarise themselves with the services offered by Caritas Malta to people who are considered as vulnerable in our society, particularly where it concerns matters related to employment.

It is intended as an effort to increase awareness of how specific unemployment issues are being dealt with and how HR practitioners can assist Caritas to successfully fulfil its mission statement of always "being on the side of people in need".