I've just been told that Chris Pearson from Essex branch was elected as interim NAPO Chair at today's NEC meeting.
I'd heard that too and it generated these follow-ups:-
Don't know anything about this Chris but hope he gets more concise and frequent info out to members : it feels as if too often we are left in vacuum about what National Napo are doing.
I'm sure Chris will keep things on course until October. He is well regarded as a safe pair of hands. Some of the communications from Napo HQ are a bit lengthy and they could do with a good editor with a red pen.
Good old Tolkny posted the original comment on the Napo Forum website and the accuracy was confirmed by Biggles on Thursday. By Saturday pavia wondered:-
Doesn't this merit an official notification? If we can win awards for our social media you'd have thought members could be told of the NEC decision to appoint Chris.
It's now Tuesday and still no official word from Chivalry Road. So what's going on? Readers might be interested to know that, such is the dire situation the whole service finds itself in, with the help of an honest broker, I decided to make direct contact with the new interim Chair last week. Contact via text messages was established and an email address supplied. The following email was sent on Friday, but sadly has gone unacknowledged:-
Chris,
Thanks for being so willing to make contact and first off can I say that any exchanges between us I regard as 'off the record' and Chatham House Rules apply.So, why the radio silence? I suspect there is a bit of a row going on behind the scenes. It's probably connected to news leaking out about Napo's woeful neglect of our Parliamentary friends following the ditching of Harry Fletcher's 50-point Action Plan and his summary departure earlier this year.
It would be a crass understatement to say that my initially modest blogging efforts have taken me on one hell of a journey and as a result I probably know far too much for my own good.
The aim and mission is extremely simple and straight forward - defeat of TR! I don't really have any other agenda as I long ago left behind the moanings of a disgruntled PO and the blog to my utter surprise turned instead into quite a slick information and propaganda machine that I know the MoJ are quite concerned about.
Put simply, the blog and Napo would appear at face value to share common cause, and I have always tried to be supportive of the Union, but at the same time be as honest as possible with the readership. As seasoned PO's I think we can all spot bullshit and PR spin when being fed to us from any direction and I resolutely try and tell things as I see them - hence my spats with the readership over Tom Rendon and the Probation Institute for instance.
I think my essential message is I really do want to be helpful at this very difficult time for Napo and hence hearing of your interim Chairmanship, decided to take the unusual step of getting in touch direct. Previously Joanna Hughes had the task of acting as intermediary with Tom and more recently Harry Fletcher.
I appreciate you are in a difficult and somewhat unusual situation, but at an absolutely critical time in the life of the Union and when it's whole future could be in jeopardy. Both I and people I trust such as Joanna, Xxxx Xxxxxxx and Xxxxx want to see a healthy, effective Union, totally focused on fighting this TR omnishambles and are keen to help in any way we can.
This is probably sufficient to kick things off and I look forward to hearing from you. I'm more than happy to answer any questions you might have and any thoughts as to how we could assist in prosecuting the TR fight even more effectively.
Cheers,
Jim
I'm told a key meeting in Parliament last week was cancelled by Napo and this in effect scuppered any chance of an Opposition adjournment debate this side of the Summer Recess. I'm led to believe that, contrary to the impression given in recent bulletins, Parliamentarians say they have not felt adequately briefed and have had little contact with Napo officials since Harry's departure.
It pains me to recite all this in public because we're supposed to be fighting TR, not each other, but I feel an obligation towards readers of this blog to speak as I find and be as truthful as I can. The leadership of Napo at the top is utterly dysfunctional and it's to be hoped that the 3 months that the interim Chair has available to them will be long enough to knock a few heads together before it's all too late.
Perhaps napo could advise staff about the MANDATORY crc questionnaire about skills gaps & training needs. Is this across all 21 crc's or just in ours? It feels a bit too slick (e.g its via surveymonkey) to be a single crc effort.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had this in Northumbria....yet!
DeleteWe've had it in West Mercia - though as started to read it was further disillusioned as I feel that the only gap is the deskilling caused by TR - guess what CRC and feeling powerless - can't even write a progress report without gatekeeping and all sorts of delius uploading/asking permission from headmaster NPS. Ministry of Misinformation - not loving your work
DeleteTalk about reshuffles and new incumbents is very 'now' - sadly it doesn't look like Grayling is being replaced nor is he putting his hand up to ask for something else.
ReplyDeleteAt least Dame B-S ( Butler Slosh according to Teresa May) has the qualities to recognise when she isn't wanted and the good grace to walk. Its sad, as I think those qualities would have been welcomed for such an enquiry, but the risk of someone crying "foul" was too high, and the Dame saw that.
With reference to the theme of yesterday's heartbreaking posts. Some suggestions... Feeling overwhelmed, tearful, sick, anxious, sleepless nights etc all normal and natural psychological and physiological reactions to (in this case) work related stress. Being a generally diligent, committed, consiencious group of employees it is also quite natural to take on board the idea that perhaps weshould be coping, and that a current feeling of loss of control is somehow our fault and reflects negatively on our ability to do this job. This is not true, however cynical and manipulative managers will exploit those feelings of self doubt for their own greedy ends. Whatever they imply, it is not true. The cause is work-related stress. Anyone who feels that they wish to make a grievance but do not have the energy, this is also a normal symptom of feeling unwell. Tidy up, switch off, take diary, go home, rest. Make appt with GP. Explain symptoms as above and that they are directly connected with events at work directly out of your control. GP will sign you off. Make sure the diagnosis is clear - work related stress. You cannot be threatened or disciplined because your employer had a duty of care and is failing in that. Take some well earned rest so that your body can start to recover. Then write a letter to your employer explaining why you are ill using work related examples. Cite dates and quote wherever possible. It's just a letter at this stage. Copy to your Union and keep a copy. Your employer will have to respond. Meanwhile rest and recover. Your health is the most important thing in all of this. You will worry about work and that is natural because you are professional and dedicated - but are they worrying about you? You are loved and needed by others. Take care and good wishes.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your email. Your kind words of advise helped greatly. :-)
DeleteDitto - don't let the B**tards grind you down. As for not holding conversations...that wouldn't go down well in my office, were signing, telling jokes, doing your fair share of trips to the kitchen and generally holding onto life is a pre-requisite to good health and success.I feel that we will all be here when TR is not and so, crack on!
ReplyDeleteWhat NAPO urgently requires is a broom to clean up the woefully inadequate leadership! Most people in the NAPO hierarchy are career minded officials who view their incumbency as a gravy train! They are clearly devoid of principles and have no sense of ethics or a real willingness to go the extra mile to derail the TR process. They grease one another's palms in my view by tacitly approving whatever is decided by the General Secretary.
ReplyDeleteThe Officers have all been appointed by ballot of all members as has the general secretary, the others are appointed and sustained by representatives elected by members and the NEC - if members do not like the appointments - use the constitution to do something about it - rather than blame others.
Deletehttps://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.napo.org.uk%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2FNapo%2520Annual%2520Report%2520FULL%2520FINAL%25202012-13%255B1%255D.pdf&ei=zRPFU9HxPLOu7AarqYEo&usg=AFQjCNEUv6GqURRE0z9qlD4SWC2jeIdWKA&sig2=qT4gMRz0vMI4yJ9n6xzKXg&bvm=bv.70810081,d.ZGU
that Constitution has been amended by decisions taken up to and including the SGM in March 2014 -
See page 8 for those made in October 2013
https://www.napo.org.uk/sites/default/files/nn-251-low.pdf
At present I cannot find the constitutional amendments passed in March 2014 - sorry
Here Here Andrew -and i Napos'leadership has not been the best neither has the response of many rank and file members who crossed picket lines, completed overtime PSR's and generally undermined the rest of us ,all the while bleating about TR .
DeleteTucked away in Private Eye this week a propos of another organisation's fiasco was the following,
ReplyDelete“In so many areas of modern life, the managerial culture hates expertise. People who know something, who are really interested in something, make managers feel inadequate and pointless. So they aim to create organisations that consist entirely of managers, and computer screens” (Piloti)
We have seen that in the Probation Service over the years and we have seen it in NAPO also. The membership has been marginalised and information hard to find. Gone are the days when a keen Branch Secretary would visit each office with a copy of the forthcoming NEC agenda and minutes (including briefing papers). Branches are now so large and membership organisationally and geographically dispersed even General Meeting attendance is problematic. Over the years we have reduced the duration of AGM and compressed debate and policy formation into a smaller and smaller section to be replaced by stage managed presentations. Even the debates can appear perfunctory (propose, formally second and “reserve the right to reply” for an uncontested motion). Our officers and officials thus manage their anxiety and feelings of inadequacy by reducing the membership's power. Our managers a work increasingly refer to themselves as leaders but leaders need followers and they may end up pretty foolish-looking in the “ no man's land” between the trenches charging forward on their own.
I recognise the impact on myself at work of the chaos and disorder including deteriorating health. I am reluctant though to follow the excellent advice above regarding stress in the workplace as I am unsure as to whether a new prospective employer would recognise the extraordinary impact of badly managed transformational change (and also there is my misplaced sense of pride and determination to get through all this). I suspect others will also seek employment elsewhere or switch to agency work where they can have the control of foreclosing on a contract when the demands are unacceptable. Bad employers will find it harder to recruit even agency staff.
Just seen that Michael Gove has been sacked from Education. If Cameron doesn't replace Grayling, who surely has an even worse record of disastrous policies and alienating professions, surely that means he must fully endorse TR? (and thus be equally culpable)
ReplyDeleteShortly after the current chief inspector of Ofsted was appointed, he said: 'If anyone says to you that 'staff morale is at an all-time low' you know you are doing something right.' It seems likely that similar sentiments are likely to be triggered in the MoJ in response to the tribulations expressed by probation staff who recount on this blog workplace stress and low morale as a consequence of the changes in probation. I don't know how much these anecdotes of angst can be considered 'evidence' against TR, but even if the evidence was irrefutable, it may still count for nothing as the TR project is ideological rather than evidence based.
ReplyDeleteI read about probation staff being advised to go their doctors with work-related stress and get everything recorded, which is sound, but even a mountain of stress is not going to move the diehards at the MoJ. And those who suggest that such stress may be basis for legal redress are being wildly optimistic, as unless you develop symptoms of psychiatric severity that are forseeable you stand little chance of any legal remedy.
Thus far TR has not been stopped, instead it has developed apace. I find it ironical that Tom Rendon is still quoted approvingly as one of the those trying to stop TR, because if you are vehemently opposed to something you do not seek to become a part of its executive apparatus. You can't chase two hares simultaneously.
As for Napo, all it ever seems to do is give its member homework: send in your stories to this secret mailbox, write to your MP, fill in forms if A, B or C occurs. It's the same old tune. It has been my view from the outset that Napo's primary preoccupation has been holding onto, and possibly increasing, its market share of membership.
Member apathy has played a role in perceptions held of the probation service at the MoJ. The workforce may be groaning, but solidarity in groans does not amount to much in the real world of power.
Maybe there would have been less apathy if the leadership had not imploded and if there had been a fighting strategy...but that perhaps is like asking a crab to walk straight.
The comments at 14.55 are interesting but wrong in my opinion. My organisation was a potential Tier 2/3 bidder. The more I read about TR, the more concerned I became, attending meeting with Primes with people talking about the future without any sense of reality was truly frightening. My organisation dropped out of the process. We now wouldn’t touch a CRC contract with a ten foot barge pole. Every other Tier 2/3 we talk we explain why we have dropped out and suggest they do the same.
ReplyDeleteFor medium sized providers your reputation is everything, why would we want to be associated with a car crash like TR.
Simple example this afternoon, we run a joint project with Probation, rang the old number to speak to the ACO, that number is now a CRC number. Fine what the NPS number, no idea no joint lists! This is the future!
So keep campaigning, keep your sense of anger and remember what you are, a dedicated group of hard working professionals who serve and protect the community first, who provided an excellent service and who are now under attack from people who don’t understand the meaning of serving the community.
CEO Nick Smart: "The CRC will have greater flexibility and opportunities for innovation than we had as a Probation Trust."
ReplyDeleteReally!!!!! Have you seen the staff shortage/sickness figures, rising caseloads, making one to one work impossible! No thanks to that kind of innovation!
CEO Nick Smart: "The CRC will have greater flexibility and opportunities for innovation than we had as a Probation Trust."
DeleteHe needs to drug tested.
It is always of interest to hear from bidders - thank you -alas I think the ones who will be left with their hats in the ring will be the usual suspects, who have none of your scruples or sense. Anon 14.55 is right in his/her predictions on what awaits staff-of course, things will turn round in time - it is whether an individual has the same time as well. As someone coming to the final years of my working life, I do not have that time to squander so I will be off to a new job in the next few months. Less pay etc but I cannot, in all honesty ,allow TR to taint my working life for much longer. If I was younger I suspect I would stay and fight my corner ,along with my colleagues ,but,post 60,it is a big ask.
ReplyDeleteNapo, grayling - what should i do next? Over 50 CRC cases, 29 brand new this month, no oasys on the new cases (either nothing at all or no-one can find them). Left home at 7am today, had to see clients at remote office with no access to IT this morning. 3 cases being released this week, all complex, all involving dual diagnosis (mental health & substance use/dependency), all NFA; 2 very demanding cases in the community, one with learning disability, the other with aspergers - neither with allocated social work support as they are adults and funding has been withdrawn for all but "acute" cases. New procedures for CRC supervision requires all new cases to be assessed using new toolkit BEFORE completing ISP oasys. Just finished 2 hour interview with distressed DV victim (and client of mine) where safeguarding social worker was reassuring him about safety of children. Male victim, no resources for male survivors - funding cuts. Three hours totality on phone during course of day trying to get chaplaincy or similar to notify case in custody about sudden family death. Saw 6 clients today (incl dv survivor). No time to enter a single case contact from today on delius as yet. I'm now on 3 weeks' ann leave - but still 40 mins drive home. Stay behind & enter the records and get home at midnight? Go home and leave clients + colleagues in the shit? Drive directly to airport and get a job in New Zealand?
ReplyDeleteCameron, why didn't you sack that t*#t grayling when you had chance?
I'm still writing emails & entering delius. Catching a ride to glorious isolation in the morning. Partner can drive as I won't be home til after midnight. Grayling take note, this is for the clients, not you - you pisstaking tosser. £30k pa for 200 hours a month. I shouldn't but its not about TR, its about the clients. Shoot me dead, but those guys and gals should not pay whats due to grayling and co.
DeleteAgain, Cameron - you're an uber priveleged %#^} who looks after the dorm bullyboy because you're afraid of the consequences. So what if graylings 7ft tall? He's got further to fall and with any luck will snap his brass neck.
Is this a bit too much?
Sorry, what new procedures for inducting new CRC cases? More fresh horrors to dump on an already overworked staff. But, hey ho, like I said before, I haven't been near Oasys since June 1st, so I'll be adding that one to my list of Things I Haven't Got Time To Do. I am rather good at lists....
DeleteDeb
Evening Deb - while the trollhunters beat their chests... We have a new tool which has been commissioned/bought in/imposed involving up to four tasks - functional assessment, good lives model, self risk, saq (i.e from oasys). Then, within 20 days. (Oh really?!?) the oasys can be completed and the ISP finalised.
DeleteIts essentially a senior mgmt tool which they hope stops the winning bidder sending them into oblivion i.e they can say "look what we do, you can't beat this, its amazing, it does everything". The crc mgmt allegedly commissioned it, but subsequently it has been suggested they in fact have licensed it from much more canny psychologists (who have copyrighted it and will double their professorial salaries selling it).
"we" are not east midlands but somewhere more northerly and westerly. Which is why 5 miles takes 40 minutes.
Phew! For a minute there I thought it had been nationally imposed. But hey, please keep further details of this 'little gem' to yourself, won't you, in case the powers that be 'darn sarf' think it looks a good idea and decide to buy it? I really can't fill out any more Bits Of Paper at present.
DeleteDeb
In the interest of balance I should add that the whole intervention is very thorough, just too onerous as an additional package of paperwork, especially at this time of chaos, no resources and meltdown. If it replaced oasys completely, & if there were no insane timescales imposed by ministerial zealots, all well & good.
DeleteWould net ripper be prepared to reveal his true identity ? Rather than hide. This blog is increasingly becoming corrupted. Should we be looking for trolls? Before anyone asks I am prepared to stand up and be counted.
ReplyDeleteBest not rise to this I think.
DeleteCorrupted by whom? I've only been contributing to this blog for about 18 months but Net Nipper has been around for most of that time, which is quite a long time for a troll to hang around IMO. And NN seems to know enough about the Service to perhaps mean s/he is a member of staff. (And, no, I don't know 'NN' s identity). I'm not an apologist for anonymity, but in today's climate it may be the only way some feel confident to have a voice. In fact, I would LOVE it if CG posted on here, even if he only told us all to stop whingeing and get on with the day job- at least we would know he had been listening....
DeleteDeb
Jim. Who is your advice for? One or both? We are playing into graylings plans divide and conquer. I am prepared to inform you of my role and location.
DeleteWhoever is suggesting there are trolls. I understand perfectly about the dangers of dividing and conquering - but I want to see some concerted action not bullshit and bluster. Anonymity is essential or there will be virtually no comments - they ring true to me.
DeleteI don't agreewith some of what Netnipper is saying but the importance of anonymity is paramount for us all.
ReplyDeleteAnonymity is not the issue here. The issue is the fact that colleagues need to hide their identity because of bullying management & the fear of being singled out for speaking out. The current climate in probation is one of fear & intimidation by management. The more ppl who speak out the more clearer the picture becomes of the reality of the situation rather then the distorted picture painted by managers.
ReplyDeleteJust don't drive past my office, the lights will give me away!!
DeleteGo on, steria, name & shame me!!
To Anonymous – 19:47:
ReplyDelete'I like anonymity and it does not bother me in the slightest that the overwhelming majority of contributors post anonymously. I am not interested in 'who' is saying something, but in 'what' is being said.'
The above is from a posting I made last April. Periodically the troll question arises. An Internet troll is someone who sets out to deliberately piss people off. When I do it it is inadvertent though I know sometimes my pennyworth may grate and irritate others. But if I felt I always needed to walk on eggshells I would not post anything. I just give my view from my corner of the vineyard. It may sometimes be a skewiff viewpoint, but then I sometimes think that of some postings I read, but I don't think: troll. I just think about them – and post a counter view if I feel the urge to respond.
you don't seem like a troll to me!- I value the spice of an alternative view.
ReplyDeleteAnonymity is not only crucial to protect yourself but common sense! Don't post anything other than anonymously, otherwise it'll be an own goal. Finally, I saw a clip on YouTube of Michael Gove falling over, was piss funny watching it. Just wish it had been Chris Grayling that had fallen on his arse instead.
ReplyDelete1 - I can't believe Grayling maintained his position. Appaling.
ReplyDelete2 - Chris Pearson was an excellent manager in the short time I knew him. I am content to know the union is in his hands at the moment.
At the London Branch AGM there was critism of anonymous attacks on social media. So I looked on the Facebook page and it seemed ok and, unless I have missed something see nothing contentious here. So where is all this vitriol? Critism is ok. Ive been scathing I recall about napo spending my money in ways that I don't suppor. I cannot work out to post under my name but it's Lisa West!
ReplyDeleteWell Ian Lawrence has a particular problem with this anonymous blog and the anonymous comments it generates. Like a lot of people in powerful positions, he doesn't like being challenged, as in this blog post. I agree, they are not attacks, they are merely questions and often very awkward ones and shared by lots and lots of people.
DeleteHe's an old-fashioned union leader who just hasn't cottoned on to the fact that social media is here to stay and it's democratised things. You can't get away with bullshit and bluster like the old days - he either adapts to this new world and learns or he's finished - simples.