Social Justice & Diversity Training

Do You Want to Promote Diversity in the Workplace?

Are you or your organization struggling to have an open dialogue about differences in important areas such as culture, socioeconomic status, race or religion? Do you serve diverse populations and want to increase awareness to better serve your clients? Are you worried about internal misunderstandings or conflict that could damage your school, non-profit or company’s effectiveness or public perception? You may recognize that a lack of diversity or social awareness is limiting your ability to foster a healthy, happy work environment. Maybe a customer or employee has filed a formal complaint, prompting you to schedule corporate diversity training, which you fear won’t be effective without some external help. Or, your organization might be committed to diversity and social justice as a matter of principle, and you want to make sure you are able to have respectful dialogues as a staff and with your clients. You may wonder how your organization can become more culturally aware, sensitive and competent.

Many Organizations Participate In Diversity Training

We all exist within a rich and complex cultural context. Our identities – and those of our staff and clients – are influenced by a wide variety of cultural and societal factors. As New Yorkers, we live in a diverse community, but we don’t always give each other the space we need to feel comfortable and respected for our experiences or beliefs. Many individuals try to overcome social biases by operating from the perspective that everyone is the same, but our unique experiences, socio-cultural contexts and identities are what define us, our staff and our clients. You may recognize that your school or organization has room to grow more socially aware and diverse, but you aren’t sure where you can turn to find reliable, effective diversity in the workplace training. Or, maybe you are concerned about potential consequences if you don’t take steps to address inequality or social injustice in the workplace.

Many corporations and not-for-profit organizations are looking for ways to increase diversity. Awareness issues, such as sexism, racism and classism, can be difficult to discuss, but the conversation is necessary if we wish to build on each other’s strengths and learn from diverse perspectives. Medical organizations and college campuses often hire outside consultants to help students and/or staff members increase their confidence discussing and addressing multicultural issues.

With social justice and cultural competence training at Unity Psychological Consulting, you can learn to have difficult conversations and be more empathic toward your coworkers and clients.

Cultural Sensitivity Training Can Help Your Staff Become More Socially Aware

You can give your staff a safe space where they can feel comfortable having difficult dialogues, asking questions and learning about cultural diversity. Difficult emotions can come up during a cultural competence workshop, and it can be beneficial to bring in a professional diversity trainer from outside of the organization. I acknowledge that we all have biases, and I come into training with a non-judgmental stance so you can explore opportunities for growth without feeling blamed for structural inequality or a lack of diversity. We are journeying toward greater cultural awareness together, and I can help you tailor-create a strategy to increase social awareness and diversity in your organization.

Engaging in cultural competence is a lifelong process, and everyone begins their journey in a different place. It says a lot about your organization that you are trying to foster a more inclusive environment. I take a collaborative approach, helping your staff feel safe as they explore social issues and learn to have more authentic conversations with each other and the people they are serving. Workplace diversity training isn’t about arriving at complete cultural competency, but challenging yourself to be aware of how your identities and experiences influence your interactions.

During trainings, I give you the guidance and resources you need to recognize and address social injustice and opportunities for diversity in the workplace. Your organization can review data I provide and identify structural procedures that may be empowering some employees but disenfranchising others. Additionally, your staff will learn to use self-reflection and mindfulness exercises to see how their experiences and influences may be impacting their ability to recognize and respect cultural differences between each other and your clients.

I have been a facilitator of cultural competence workshops, helping individuals and organizations increase social awareness and diversity for over 10 years. Your staff, faculty and clients all have their own cultural influences, upbringing and beliefs. With diversity training, you can learn to value those differences and build a more supportive, positive workplace.

You may be interested in diversity and social justice training but still have questions or concerns…

I’m worried multicultural training will be too political.

Social justice and anti-oppression training isn’t about politics, and they won’t be involved in our work together. Instead, it is about respect and effective communication. We will incorporate your mission statement and company values into our work, tailoring the training to your goals and helping you connect more authentically with your colleagues and clients.

What if people become uncomfortable or don’t want to participate in a social justice workshop?

Many issues and emotions that arise during diversity training can be difficult to discuss, and some individuals may feel a little uncomfortable as we get started. I use an open, nonjudgmental and interactive approach, helping your staff engage with the material, overcome their resistance and take a more active role in our work together. Training also serves as an opportunity for all members of your staff to express concerns or discomforts that they feared would go unheard elsewhere.

What if we need help maintaining changes after you complete training?

You might be worried that you won’t be able to sustain the progress you made during training or that a diversity trainer will come in, suggest changes and then leave you to deal with things on your own. I work with you to create an action plan tailored to your organization’s goals and needs. In addition, I can provide you with access to resources that your staff can use after we complete our first training.  

Our organization is new to this type of training. How will we know what we need and what to ask for from you?

I tailor trainings and workshops to your particular needs. I will be happy to meet with you to discuss what you are looking to address during training, and I can offer suggestions based on my extensive experience as a diversity trainer. I will then give you a written proposal with objectives and goals highlighted for the training. As an organization, you can decide how you wish to complete the training, dividing it into a half-day session or covering the material in more detail in a full-day or three day workshop. 

You Can Foster Diversity

You can foster an inclusive, multicultural environment in your organization. To schedule a social justice, diversity or anti-oppression workshop, or if you have additional questions about diversity and social justice training with Unity Psychological Consulting in New York City, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation by clicking the below button.

I look forward to hearing from you!

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