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DEI-related topics can be challenging to discuss, especially when you don’t have enough support or the right resources and skills needed to facilitate these sensitive conversations. It can be even more difficult when you’re not aware of your own identities, possible trigger points, and how you can take care of yourself and others when it matters most.
Over the course of five interactive facilitator-led virtual sessions, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change in your workplace.
This program is a great fit if you a hold formal or informal role related to DEI in your workplace. This includes:
This program is best suited for those who:
You should already have a foundational understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and a committed desire to lead challenging conversations in the workplace. If you want to refresh your understanding on these topics, check out our online course on Unconscious Bias in the Workplace. While you might not be able to complete the full course prior to the program beginning, you can use the course as an additional resource during the program.
DEI-related topics can be challenging to discuss, especially when you don’t have enough support and the right resources or skills needed to facilitate these sensitive conversations. It can be even more difficult when you’re not aware of your own identities, possible trigger points and how you can take care of yourself and others when it matters most.
Over the course of five weeks, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change. To maintain the high quality of this program and ensure individual learning, there are a limited number of spots available.
And more is included with your program enrollment:
Be in community with like-minded professionals who are looking to enhance their DEI facilitation skills while also learning from and with each other through access to our DEI Practitioner space on Mighty Networks upon completion of the program.
Scripted language on ways to respond to difficult questions, statements or behaviors. Participants will receive this document at the end of the program.
$2,500 per person. Please check out our FAQs below for more payment information!
Over the course of five weeks, you’ll gain support and tools that you can put into use when you’re navigating conversations related to identity, privilege, power, and organizational change. To maintain the high quality of this program and ensure individual learning, there are a limited number of spots available.
All sessions take place virtually on Tuesdays from 12pm-2:30pm EST.
In this session, we’ll review the program’s structure, the basics of leading group discussions, and what it means to guide DEI-related conversations. You’ll have an opportunity to assess your current leadership skills and begin learning about core competencies that are needed to guide DEI discussions effectively.
Topics include:
In order for you to be effective in leading discussions, it’s important to know where you hold privilege and power, where you don’t, and ways to leverage them without harm in the workplace. We’ll go over key terminology and concepts and begin building our facilitation muscle through a few practice scenarios.
Topics include:
The key to effective facilitation is being able to know yourself and your audience. You’ll explore questions such as: which DEI related topics am I sensitive about and why? How can I better support myself during challenging moments? How can I support others who are impacted by unintentional/intentional harmful statements or behaviors? In order to begin answering these questions, we’ll practice the art of holding space through role-playing.
Topics include:
In this session, you’ll build on the skills you accumulated in the program so far with practice conversations. You’ll give and receive peer-to-peer feedback to build on your abilities and competencies in leading DEI conversations in your workplace. Through this feedback, knowledge gathering/sharing, and group coaching, you’ll improve your skills and gain confidence in navigating challenging moments as a DEI lead or facilitator of DEI-related conversations.
Topics include:
Not all DEI-related conversations feel comfortable. When this happens, it’s important to have intentional and strategic self and collaborative care practices in the workplace so that you can be in a better position to lead difficult conversations at work. In our final session, we’ll review ways you can support yourself and how others can help you as you lead or engage in DEI-related topics. You’ll work with fellow participants to create communal commitments and a personalized action plan you can begin implementing at the end of the program.
Topics Include:
“I’ve really appreciated learning from you and Kia the last few weeks in the SGO Leading DEI Conversations course and feel like you have both given me such fundamental rolls to support the facilitation and community building work that I’ve happily fallen into over the last three years.”
“Leading DEI Conversations was a very valuable course; it provided a safe space to ask questions related to this work and the facilitators shared tips and tricks on how to handle some of the more difficult challenges that can come up. Our cohort established a strong community of support and I hope those connections will continue to develop even now that the course has ended. I learned a lot of applicable skills, not just related to DEI facilitation by relevant to my everyday workplace environment.”
“It has been the highlight for the summer! It’s been such a great space to learn from others.”
“First off, thank you so much to you and Kia for creating such an incredible space over the past few weeks for deep and open conversations. It’s been a wonderful experience full of learnings, and I’m bummed that it’s coming to an end! I definitely hope that the group will stay active and in touch as we move forward.”
"I don't think I have ever had any training like this. It was eye opening and inspirational while thought provoking."
"I liked the material and the space. The discussions were great and provided us all a chance to speak up about how we were feeling at a particular time or about a particular topic. I was able to hear different perspectives from the group as well as different perspectives."
"The sessions really enforced that it's not about solving these massive cultural challenges, like racism. Instead, it's about creating space for us all to recognize the impact of racism, heterosexism, sexism, etc. on our daily lives and daily work lives. Naming it and working hard to reduce its negative personal impact wherever possible within our company culture for the people we work with is a much better way to be an ally."
"The sessions reinforced that it's not about solving massive cultural challenges, like racism. Instead, it's about creating space to recognize the impact of racism, heterosexism, sexism, etc. on our daily work lives. Naming it and working hard to reduce its negative personal impact wherever possible within our company culture for the people we work with is a much better way to be an ally."
Since this program will be open to a limited number of attendees, we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and the application will close when all seats are filled, or by June 30, 2023. Claim your spot now!
To maintain the high quality of this program, we cap our learning cohorts at 20. We want to make sure we’re able to cover all the intended content while opening the opportunity for meaningful conversations and answering questions.
Sure, however, we are capping it at two people per organization. If you’d like to train a team of people from your organizations, please contact Rachel Murray at [email protected] for our private training opportunities.
You should already have a foundational understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion and a committed desire to lead challenging conversations in the workplace. If you want to refresh your understanding on these topics, check out our online course on Unconscious Bias in the Workplace. While you might not be able to complete the full course prior to the program beginning, you can use the course as an additional resource during the program.
There are five weekly live sessions.
There are five, two and a half-hour long sessions that weave together educational content and practice opportunities. There will be readings, videos, and assignments for you to review before each session, so we encourage you to block off an additional hour on your calendar after each session in order to review any resources or follow up items. Your full participation will allow you to gain the full benefits of this program. If you are unable to attend all five sessions, this might not be the right time for you to participate in this program. But not to worry, there will be other opportunities to participate!
Yes, the sessions are recorded. However, in an effort to balance the need between accessibility and confidentiality, the recordings will only be available 48 hours after a live session has ended. The recordings will not be shared with anyone else outside of the cohort that has registered for this year’s program. If you have any questions or concerns about the sessions being recorded, please contact us.
When you are accepted into the Leading DEI Conversations program, you will receive a link to complete your payment on the SGO Website.
If a payment plan will make this program more accessible for you, email us at [email protected]. Please note that you will still need to be accepted into the program before payment is due and final payment will need to be received by or on the program launching on July 11, 2023. If you are in need of financial support, please fill out this form and a member of the SGO team will reach out to you.
If you are employed by a Massachusetts based company, we have partnered with the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Program and their Express Program which subsidizes the cost of skills-based training via reimbursement grants for organizations. Eligible Massachusetts businesses with 100 or less employees will receive a reimbursement grant of up to 100% of the cost of training. Eligible businesses with more than 100 employees will receive a reimbursement grant of up to 50% of the cost of training. This express program covers up to $3,00 per person, per course, up to $30,000 per calendar year. More information on this program including how to apply can be found here. If you have any questions, please contact us.
We got you! Check out the template for an email you can personalize and send your boss here. You can also share this blog post about the importance of professional development!
The program will be hosted through our platform at risetogether.shegeeksout.com. Weekly sessions will be conducted via Zoom through links in the platform, and all supplemental content will be posted there. We’ll also be using this platform for asynchronous communication in between program sessions.
Yes, all sessions will be recorded and shared in the platform within 24 hours of the session.
We offer closed captioning and transcripts for all sessions. Once you sign up, we’ll ask you to let us know if you have any further accessibility needs; we’ll do our very best to accommodate them! Please let us know here if you have any specific concerns.
You’ll have access to all resources, and group discussions once the program ends. You’ll receive a scripted guide with statements, questions, and actions you can use during challenging conversations in the workplace. You’ll also have access to both your private cohort space as well as the DEI Practitioner space and the rest of the SGO community on our platform!
Rise Together is designed to break through barriers faced by people with marginalized identities in the workplace and support those who want to abolish inequity in the workplace. It’s a mix of professional development, coaching, and networking opportunities, all with the kind and geeky vibe we’re known for.
If you request a refund, it will be processed within 5-7 business days. Please note that any refund requests after June 30, 2023 will not be accepted.
No problem! Contact us and we’ll do our best to respond within 48 hours.