Comments on: How do I convince my non-profit that it needs to improve its cultural competency? http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/03/02/how-do-i-convince-my-non-profit-that-it-needs-to-improve-its-cultural-competency/ on race, diversity, work, and life Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:35:38 -0800 hourly 1 By: Anna http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/03/02/how-do-i-convince-my-non-profit-that-it-needs-to-improve-its-cultural-competency/comment-page-1/#comment-604 Anna Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:35:18 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=376#comment-604 I'm in a similar boat to the questioner (and also in MN). I was recently asked to chair the diversity committee at my medium-sized nonprofit, and shortly after to take the role we had an all-staff meeting in which everyone signed up for their chosen committees. I wrote in diversity on my little paper slip, handed it in, and a week later got an e-mail saying I was the only one who had signed up. Sweet. So my org really wants, on some level, to do a better job of serving diverse populations (I understand this is often talked about at the management level), but the diversity committee's track record has been so blah that everyone just thinks it would be boring or irritating or both to either be on or working with the diversity committee. Clearly I have my work cut out for me. Is anyone else in a similar situation? Thoughts? Advice? I have lots of ideas for the committee to work on (for example trying to integrate its work with the larger, more active training and conference committees), but am not sure how to bail all the water out of what is clearly an already sinking ship. I am ready to take on the challenge but don't want to sink before we set sail, if I can wring just one more sentence out of this dumb metaphor... And, confidential to the questioner her/himself...if you're in the Twin Cities I'd love to hear from you and possibly chat via e-mail or in person about how things are going at your org and whether you've come up with any new approaches. Carmen, if we both agree would it be possible for you to put us in touch? I’m in a similar boat to the questioner (and also in MN). I was recently asked to chair the diversity committee at my medium-sized nonprofit, and shortly after to take the role we had an all-staff meeting in which everyone signed up for their chosen committees. I wrote in diversity on my little paper slip, handed it in, and a week later got an e-mail saying I was the only one who had signed up. Sweet. So my org really wants, on some level, to do a better job of serving diverse populations (I understand this is often talked about at the management level), but the diversity committee’s track record has been so blah that everyone just thinks it would be boring or irritating or both to either be on or working with the diversity committee. Clearly I have my work cut out for me. Is anyone else in a similar situation? Thoughts? Advice?

I have lots of ideas for the committee to work on (for example trying to integrate its work with the larger, more active training and conference committees), but am not sure how to bail all the water out of what is clearly an already sinking ship. I am ready to take on the challenge but don’t want to sink before we set sail, if I can wring just one more sentence out of this dumb metaphor…

And, confidential to the questioner her/himself…if you’re in the Twin Cities I’d love to hear from you and possibly chat via e-mail or in person about how things are going at your org and whether you’ve come up with any new approaches. Carmen, if we both agree would it be possible for you to put us in touch?

]]> By: Sonpal http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/2009/03/02/how-do-i-convince-my-non-profit-that-it-needs-to-improve-its-cultural-competency/comment-page-1/#comment-327 Sonpal Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:42:05 +0000 http://www.carmenvankerckhove.com/?p=376#comment-327 A good one! thanks, I enjoyed it. s A good one!
thanks, I enjoyed it.
s

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