Here at SMB College Group, we're committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI). However, we know that there is always room for us to evolve and improve.
What are we doing to maintain and improve our EDI practices?
- We have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee comprising a range of volunteer student and staff members who are passionate about driving EDI and sharing best practices across all three of our campuses.
- We have our very own therapy dog, who visits each campus on a regular basis! Find out more about Mylie below!
- We are working towards the FREDIE accreditation, which assesses organisations on Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement.
Meet Mylie!
Mylie is our furry, four-legged staff member who has been recruited to support student mental health on campus. This four-year-old cockapoo has become the College’s first-ever therapy dog and will be a regular presence on campus.
Mylie is an incredible ice-breaker, getting people talking, providing a calming influence, and has consequently become something of a celebrity among staff and students! She’s also the perfect tonic for anxious students and a master at creating calm.
Mylie graduated alongside some of her college students with a "Bachelors in Barks," having achieved the UK Kennel Club Good Citizen Silver Award from Therapy Dog Training UK.
Numerous research studies have shown the benefits of therapy dogs in educational environments, and we hope Mylie will become an integral part of our college community by supporting students experiencing mental health challenges.
Therapy dogs provide a range of benefits, including:
- Cognitive: Companionship with a dog stimulates memory, problem-solving, and game-playing.
- Social: A dog provides a positive mutual topic for discussion, encourages responsibility, wellbeing, and focused interaction with others.
- Emotional: A school dog improves self-esteem, acceptance from others, and lifts mood, often provoking laughter and fun. Dogs can also teach compassion and respect for other living things while relieving anxiety.
- Physical: Interaction with a furry friend reduces blood pressure, provides tactile stimulation, assists with pain management, gives motivation to move, walk, and stimulates the senses.
- Environmental: A dog in a college increases the sense of a ‘college family’ environment, with all of the above benefits continuing long after the college day is over.
Interested in learning more? We offer a FREE Distance Learning course for adults in Level 2 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion! Click here to find out more and to apply!