Fed rep reveals the benefits that come with training

12 January 2022

A Federation workplace representative who has recently completed a course on equality says she believes additional training helps her grow professionally, while providing her with the essential knowledge to better support fellow members.

Helen Self, who has been a Federation representative for the past eight years, opted to take part in equality training as she felt that she needed to be more familiar with that area in this day and age.

Having completed the five-day Federation course, Helen admits that she would now feel more comfortable and confident if a member approached her asking for advice on issues surrounding equality.

“I like to learn new things all of the time,” said Helen, “I think, as a Fed rep, we have a responsibility to grow and develop. We all want to help others and the more we know, the more we can help.

“As the saying goes, knowledge is power.”

As someone who is always keen to stick her head above the parapet and stand up for others, Helen says extra training allows her to channel that passion.

“More often than not, younger officers are coming to us for advice, so training like the equality course strengthens our knowledge and puts us in a better position to support them,” says Helen, who joined Suffolk Police 25 years ago.

“And not only do we learn new information, but the training courses allow us to network with fellow officers from other forces, sharing our experiences with each other. We share real life scenarios with one another, that we can take back and learn from in our own role.”

Moving forward, Helen is hoping to continue developing her role by taking part in further training courses, such as ill-health retirement.