Lansdowne Children's Centre is growing its DEI Leadership team and is asking for the participation of client families, staff, volunteers and community partners.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are core values in Lansdowne's organization. In an effort to better represent the growing diversity of our region's population, the chair of Lansdowne's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee Brittany Welsh, human resources director at Lansdowne, is extending an invitation to community members to join the effort and help guide Lansdowne to new opportunities to better represent, include and advocate for clients and partners.
Said Joshua Paxton, communications coordinator for Lansdowne Children's Centre and DEI committee member,
"We don't know what we don't know. By growing our committee we can gain valuable perspective and ideas for opportunities where Lansdowne can continue to evolve as a community leader and advocate for inclusivity, equity and accessibility."
What is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
Diversity
is the presence of difference within a giving setting. In this case the workplace is the setting and the differences typically refer to identity like race, gender, ethnicity, religion, nationality, or sexual orientation. A person isn’t diverse. They’re unique. They can bring diversity to a group setting.
Equity
is an approach that ensures everyone has access to the same opportunities. Equity recognizes that we don’t all start from the same place because advantages and barriers exist. It’s a process that acknowledges uneven starting places and seeks to correct the imbalance.
Diversity and inclusion are both outcomes. Equity is not. It refers to the process an organization engages in to ensure that people with marginalized identities have the opportunity to grow, contribute, and develop.
Inclusion
has to do with people with different identities feeling and/or being valued, leveraged, and welcomed within a given setting (whether that’s a team, workplace, or industry).
Longtime Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion educator, Verna Myers, said:
Diversity is being asked to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance. Inclusion isn’t a natural consequence of diversity. You can have a diverse team of talent, but that doesn’t mean they feel welcomed or valued or are given opportunities to grow."
HELP US GROW OUR DEI LEADERSHIP TEAM
All individuals are invited to consider participating and those who are members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, are especially encouraged to participate.
Examples of of groups who have faced, or are facing, barriers include, but are not limited to:
All Indigenous peoples
Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities
Members of visible minorities
Persons feeling underrepresented in our community in terms of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, gender or sexual orientation
Our invitation to participate in conversation is open to anyone willing to volunteer their time, share their experience, be willing to empathetically listen to the experiences of others, and pursue development of strategies to address concerns and create change.
If this description fits your interest and passion please email Brittany Welsh at bwelsh@lansdownecc.com
Lansdowne Children’s Centre Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
TERMS OF REFERENCE
Purpose and Mission
he purpose of the committee is to guide efforts of Lansdowne Children’s Centre to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, ”DEI”, for employees, clients, families, volunteers, community partners and visitors.
Function of Committee
This Standing Committee role is to provide recommendations to Management regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Our Commitments/Responsibilities
To lead by example
Promote awareness to DEI in the workplace
To develop an annual workplan with a focus on, but not limited to:
o Truth and Reconciliation
o Positive Space for LGBTQ2SIA (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Two-Spirit and additional sexual orientations and gender identities)
o Racism
o Ethnicity
o Socioeconomic Status
To provide recommendations for DEI training for staff, including mandatory onboarding training
To recommend changes in policies or processes to support equity, diversity and inclusion for our staff and those we serve
To recommend resources that support DEI for staff use in and day-to-day practice
Committee Composition
• A diversity, equity and inclusion committee is made up of diverse members whose viewpoints and opinions are taken into consideration when planning for the organizational implementation of DEI priorities which include creating and maintaining a working environment that is inclusive, equitable and welcoming. This relates not only to employee and volunteer experiences but also to client and family experiences.
• All individuals are invited to consider participating and those who are members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity, including, but not limited to: all Indigenous peoples; persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities, members of visible minorities and any others who may contribute to the diversification of the DEI committee in terms of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, gender or sexual orientation are especially encouraged to participate
• Subject matter experts may be used by the group as required
Committee Meetings
• The DEI Committee will meet at minimum once every quarter.
Duties and Responsibilities of Chair
• Formulate a draft agenda from workplan
• Facilitate meetings to ensure all agenda items are discussed
• Provide updates and recommendations to Leadership
We acknowledge our work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will continue indefinitely.
This is a commitment to our families, our colleagues, and our community.
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