Challenging Racism and Creating an Inclusive Culture

Objectives

The aims of this one-day seminar are to enable participants to:

• develop a better understanding of the systematic way racism is maintained and perpetuated (participants will be asked to draw parallels with other ‘isms’ as well as be conscious of the added complexities of intersectionality).
• consider the impact of racism and discrimination on feelings, behaviour and relationships at work.
• consider the concepts of unconscious bias and cognitive dissonance.
• gain a basic understanding of how the brain works, how it functions in stressful situations and the importance of psychological safety.
• consider anti-racist practice (naming systems; communication styles; language; challenging racism).
• consider ways to use their own influence to challenge racism and create an inclusive culture.
• identify personal action points.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the seminar, participants will be able to:

• recognise stereotypes and how they can influence behaviour.
• identify the racist behaviours based on eye colour in the ‘eye colour exercise’ film and draw parallels with the racist behaviours based on skin colour (and with discriminatory treatment because of other ‘isms’) because of power inequities in society.
• explain the systematic ways racism (and other ‘isms’) is maintained and perpetuated.
• describe how discriminatory treatment affects both victims and perpetrators, and how it can lead to negative behaviours which reinforce prejudice against members of less powerful groups.
• explain the concepts of unconscious bias and cognitive dissonance.
• give a basic explanation of how the brain works, how it responds to stressful situations and the importance of psychological safety.
• describe the three sources of power (Ryde’s model) and identify their own power sources.
• explain the difference between non-racist and anti-racist practice and reflect on their own current practice.
• explain the ‘5 steps’ model and psychological safety (to use as a basis for creating an inclusive culture at work).
• identify at least two personal action points to challenge discrimination and create an inclusive culture back at work.