Inclusion and DiversityInclusion and Diversity

Stephanie Bland

Program Specialist

The Office of Education, Training and Assessments

Inclusion and DiversityInclusion and Diversity

National Staff has attended four formal training sessions

The Office of Education, Training and Assessment has

offered sessions for:• 2009 - 2010 National Officers• 2010 - 2011 National Officers• State Officer 101/201 and Advisor Training• Alumni

Inclusion and Diversity Committee MembersInclusion and Diversity Committee Members

• Stephanie Bland-ChairpersonOffice of Education, Training and Assessments

• Niki ClausenOffice of Education, Training and Assessments

• Tim LawrenceOffice of the Executive Director

• Sarah MortonOffice of Administration and Finance

• Chris Powell Office of Business and Industry Partnerships

• Ann Schreiber Office of Publications

• Jane ShortOffice of Communications and Government Relations

Committee mission statement Committee mission statement

SkillsUSA’s inclusion and diversity committee strives to impact leadership at all levels to create an inclusive culture throughout SkillsUSA

Organization StatementOrganization Statement

In keeping with a tradition of respect for the individuality of our members and our role in work force development, SkillsUSA strives to ensure inclusive participation in all of our programs, partnerships and employment opportunities

Why is Inclusion and Diversity important?Why is Inclusion and Diversity important?

Our mission is to contribute to SkillsUSA’s success by helping students to be able to live and work in the 21st-century work force.

What does inclusion and diversity mean?What does inclusion and diversity mean?

DIVERSITY represents a large group comprised of different people with different experiences. These differences include race, color, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status or citizenship.

INCLUSION enables us to strive to have all people represented and included in the SkillsUSA family, and make all members, partners and employees feel welcomed and valued, not only for their abilities, but also for their unique qualities and perspectives.

• Students can’t be leaders in today’s work force without awareness in inclusion and diversity.

• We must understand the diversity of the global work force and the changing demographics of the United States

Why?

What’s your role?What’s your role?

National Officers are role modelsNational Officers are role models

As a role model you are responsible for empowering SkillsUSA members

Behavior reflects core valuesBehavior reflects core values

As a _________ (fill in the blank State Association Director, National Officer, Alumni), you are an ambassador of SkillsUSA and should espouse leadership and encourage behavior that exemplifies SkillsUSA’s core values.

The SkillsUSA mission is built upon — and its success depends on — the commitment of our members and partners to the following values: • Integrity• Respect• Responsibility• Citizenship• Service

It’s about Leadership and the SkillsUSA Brand

CommunicationCommunication

• Small gatherings– Be engaging with fairness and respect– Be aware– Be encouraging– Be inviting – Be mindful of body language– Don’t be offensive, derogatory, demeaning

CommunicationCommunication

• Invocations– Use language that includes all faiths– Avoid references to religious deities– Invocations/prayers/thoughts for the

day/meditations may address or acknowledge a divine presence where appropriate, give thanks or seek inspiration

• Be careful not to preach, not to condemn, not to persuade or not to testify

CommunicationCommunication

• Web pages: Myspace; Facebook; Twitter;

e-mail addresses; voice message greetings– As a representative of SkillsUSA avoid political,

racial, sexual views• Be sensitive to your audience

• Be aware that you don’t know who your audience is

• Be respectful to yourself, your team, school, administration, family, mentors and SkillsUSA

• Be mindful, during your volunteering time, SkillsUSA is renting your behavior. Always represent SkillsUSA’s core values

Types of BehaviorTypes of Behavior

• Avoiders – avoid conflict

• Perpetuators – look for authority before telling a joke they know is wrong

• Change agents – want harmony

• Fighters – are always looking for a fight

• Naive people – don’t know any better and don’t know what they don’t know

PAUSEPAUSE

• Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.• Analyze the various perspectives involved.• Understand and validate by listening carefully

and summarizing what you’ve heard to validate that you understand.

• Select the best solution based on the various perspectives involved. Make sure all parties understand the options before proceeding.

• Engage others with fairness and respect not just tolerance.

Let’s talk about itLet’s talk about it

Marshmallows on sweet potatoes?

Let’s talk about itLet’s talk about it

Have you experienced any incidences with inclusion and diversity?

How would you handle being the only minority when attending a SkillsUSA event?

What do you do when you encounter someone who isn’t being inclusive?

SkillsUSA Demographic BreakdownSkillsUSA Demographic Breakdown

SkillsUSA Demographic BreakdownSkillsUSA Demographic Breakdown

Why are demographics needed?

• We can better serve our members

• Business and Industry partners inquire

• To have an accurate picture of what we look like

• Potentially more members and funding