Moira was really excited and honoured to receive the 2012 SafeWork SA Augusta Zadow Scholarship.
This scholarship will be used to develop and implement, what she thinks is an important gap in addressing the effects of workplace bullying and harassment on targets.
The end result of severe bullying, sexual harassment and repeated acts of discrimination, is expulsion from the workplace; usually due to the negative mental health effects of the bullying or harassing behaviour. Targets leave the workplace often depressed, anxious with poor self-esteem and low levels of confidence. The isolation and financial burden of being out of work often compounds their mental health problems. Women are in particularly vulnerable positions because they are more likely to have part time or casual jobs, or be in precarious employment. They often also have home and child care responsibilities which in themselves can be barriers to recovery and return to work.
Currently there are no programs specifically targeting the needs of workers who have been bullied out of work. This scholarship will assist in the design, implementation and evaluation of a rehabilitative group program that has the ultimate aim of returning bullied and harassed workers back into meaningful employment.
The study will start with a series of focus groups to talk with ‘bullied out of work targets’, to find out from them what the barriers are that they face returning to the workforce. If you know anyone who might like to participate in the focus groups, or about their experiences, please have them phone Moira on 0412 733 453.