The Power of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice Training
Whether you’re an employee, volunteer or participant at an organization, creating an environment that is truly welcoming to all requires a commitment to some kind of DEI practices. At Outdoor Training Services (OTS), we embrace the DEIJ principles - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice. We recognize the profound impact these concepts have on shaping a community that reflects the diversity of the world we explore. Today we’ll dive into these concepts and why they make sense to us.
Core Ideas of Multicultural Training
Training focused on topics such as diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, accessibility and belonging is a proactive and transformative initiative aimed at fostering safe work and program spaces that are inclusive, respectful and supportive for everyone involved.
Today, the acronyms used for these types of trainings include DEI, EDI, DEIA, DEIB, JEDI and more. While most of these titles include the words Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, some iterations have added Justice, Accessibility and Belonging to reflect advances in this topic. Common objectives of such trainings include:
Cultivating Awareness: Trainers often seek to raise awareness about the importance of topics such as justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. By fostering a deeper understanding of these concepts, individuals become more attuned to the diverse perspectives and experiences of their colleagues and clients.
Building an Inclusive Culture: Training typically aims to develop a culture where everyone feels valued, respected and included. This inclusivity extends beyond surface-level differences to recognize and celebrate the unique strengths and contributions that individuals from various backgrounds bring to the table.
Addressing Unconscious Bias: Trainings that include justice often address unconscious biases that may exist within individuals and organizational structures. By acknowledging and challenging these biases, participants can actively work towards creating a fair and equitable environment.
Enhancing Communication Skills: Effective communication is at the heart of fostering safe spaces. Inclusion training typically focuses on developing communication skills that promote open dialogue, active listening and the ability to navigate conversations about sensitive topics with empathy and understanding.
Mitigating Microaggressions: Trainings can address microaggressions – subtle, often unintentional, discriminatory remarks or actions. By recognizing and mitigating microaggressions, individuals can contribute to a safer and more respectful environment.
Promoting Equal Opportunities: All acronyms aim to ensure equal opportunities for everyone, irrespective of their background or identity. For trainings that incorporate justice, this can include addressing systemic barriers that may hinder the full participation and advancement of individuals within a program or workplace.
Creating Allyship: Diversity training can help encourage the development of allyship, where individuals actively support and advocate for their colleagues, peers and participants. This allyship fosters a sense of community and shared responsibility for creating a safe and inclusive space.
Establishing Transparent Policies: Certain trainings encourage participants to establish clear and transparent policies that reinforce the commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. This includes anti-discrimination policies, reporting mechanisms and accountability measures that help ensure a safe space for everyone.
Fostering a Sense of Belonging: Above all, these types of trainings strive to create an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. This sense of belonging is a powerful motivator for engagement, collaboration and the overall well-being of individuals within the work or program space.
In essence, training focused on diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, accessibility and belonging is a multifaceted approach that goes beyond compliance, typically aiming to create a cultural shift towards inclusivity and equity. By actively engaging in these practices, individuals contribute to the creation of safe and welcoming spaces where diversity is not only acknowledged but celebrated as a fundamental strength.
Why OTS Chose DEIJ
DEIJ training is more than just a set of principles; it's a transformative approach to fostering an inclusive community. We like The Avarna Group’s definitions of these terms, so let's break down each element first:
Diversity: The differences between us based on which we experience: systemic advantages or systemic barriers to opportunities.
Equity: Allocating resources to ensure everyone has access to the same resources and opportunities. Equity recognizes that advantages and barriers—the ‘isms’—exist. Equity is the approach and equality is the outcome.
Inclusion: Fostering a sense of belonging by centering, valuing and amplifying the voices, perspectives and styles of those who experience more barriers based on their identities.
Justice: Dismantling barriers to resources and opportunities in society so that all individuals and communities can live a full and dignified life. These barriers are essentially the “isms” in society: racism, classism, sexism, etc.
At OTS, we deliberately chose the DEIJ acronym over other options. Our founder, Annika, with over nine years of experience in leading such trainings, recognizes that justice encompasses broader societal considerations. Addressing justice inherently includes aspects like accessibility and belonging, creating a more comprehensive and intersectional approach. DEIJ reflects our commitment to not only fostering diversity and inclusion but also actively addressing systemic issues and promoting a just and equitable outdoor community.
Here at OTS, our commitment to DEIJ training symbolizes our role as advocates for inclusivity and equality within our communities. We believe that creating space for one other can enhance the learning experience and bring people together, reinforcing the idea that we all want to show up as our authentic selves.
We know that this conversation will continue to grow and change over time, and there may come a day when the principles of the DEIJ acronym are discarded in favor of better terms. We are excited to see how this topic continues to evolve, and are excited to evolve with it.
Clearly, we could talk about this for a while.
Our focus on this topic is a guiding force shaping our commitment to developing communities where everyone feels not only welcomed, but truly at home in the great outdoors. We hope you join us on this transformative journey where inclusivity unites us all.
