Diversity Leadership
Isolated Leaders of Self-Help Groups in the Internet Age: How Does No-Cost Communication Change Their Organisations?
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tomofumi Oka
I have been researching self-help organisations for over 30 years and have found they have been drastically changed by the advent of the Internet, which has led to group leaders becoming more isolated from other members. As voluntary peer-led organisations in which members share their common experiences to alleviate or solve their problems, self-help groups were once defined by close social interaction. In the Internet age, leaders often prepare meetings by themselves and have less interaction with other members, despite many groups claiming all members participate in group organisational activities. How can we understand the change in these organisations? One way is through the no-cost communication facilitated by the Internet: groups can now send newsletters and make public announcements at no cost. Consequently, the organisations are able to lower subscriptions and it is easier to manage their organisations – but at the cost of human interaction. Modern self-help groups, I argue, can be modelled as being doughnut-shaped, with the leaders positioned at the hole in the middle, isolated by a surrounding void. The widespread phenomenon of “membership apathy” (Pearce, 1980) means many members do not want to take leadership roles in voluntary organisations, and this apathy has been aggravated by the Internet. However, my research has found that because self-help group participants have a strong sense of group identity produced by the commonality of their life situation, some groups have successfully resisted such apathy and adapted to the Internet age.
Dealing with Diversity or Developing a Diversion?: Education in Japan at a Crucial Turning Point
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Julian Chapple
Despite intense government reluctance and no official immigration policy, Japan is increasingly becoming a more overtly diverse society. While the ‘native’ population continues a steep downward trend, its foreign population stands at 2.49 million; representing a 7.5% increase since 2012. Yet with all the social demands on accepting diversity, it is telling that Japan’s education system still maintains an extremely traditional focus towards assimilation, more than inclusion, in spite of initiatives to foster so-called ‘Global jinzai’ (human resources). In this study, the challenges facing Japan’s education system in terms of dealing with external diversity are outlined. These include issues such as language acquisition and maintenance, identity, cross-cultural competence, etc. Secondly, recent policy initiatives taken in the name of fostering diversity are analyzed. In so doing, the situation of many minority, disabled or ethnic groups, gender and sexually diverse students, and their families becomes apparent and show how the reluctant policies of ‘diversion’ that exist impact society at large. Based on data collected from interviews with teachers and students, the enormity of the present situation is revealed. Finally, based on data and international examples, possible options for educational policies related to diversity and suggestions of how differences can be utilized for all are introduced. That is, how to accept and include diversity from the outside and educate to respect and foster it from within. Having Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) now assessing global competence may just be the catalyst for the formation of a new Japanese approach to multicultural education.
Leading Diverse Teams: Three Approaches for Promoting Inclusivity and Belonging
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Amanda Campbell, Kristin (K) Scherrer, Susie Ryder
Promoting inclusivity and belonging is an important task for leaders seeking to capitalize on the rich experiences that diverse teams provide. The field of social work-- a profession that is devoted to ameliorating personal, interpersonal, and societal problems-- provides a unique lens for understanding diversity in teams and tools for leadership. In this study, we examine how three prominent social work theoretical perspectives supply insights for leaders in organizations, communities, and beyond. First, we examine how a systems perspective enables a situated understanding of the team's work in a broader organizational or social context, including attending to organizational, social, economic, political and environmental (others?) factors. Second, we analyze how affirmative approaches provide insight about how to capitalize on team members' diverse strengths and enable opportunities to empower individuals' strengths. Third, we present examples from solution focused brief therapy that promote inclusivity and belonging within teams.
Academic and Community Partnerships: Creating Learning Environments to Educate on the Impacts of Microaggressions
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Claudia Leiras, Alisha Davis
Microaggressions are often unconscious statements that affirm stereotypes and are commonly used by dominant/non-target groups to classify individuals in target groups. When used in health care, they can create a greater disparity in health outcomes between white populations and communities of color. Additionally, minorities are constantly exposed to a stigmatizing and discriminating environment due to the messages of the dominant society. It is within the above context, that the investigators through an academic-community collaboration developed and conducted an evidence-based three-part training curriculum for community organization representatives in a deprived, underserved community. The organizations represented varied from those involved in direct patient care (hospitals and primary care practices) to those focusing on community outreach and community engagement for a host of health issues, including, but not limited to offering outpatient mental health services and elderly resources. The three-part training focused on (1) unconscious bias and disparities; (2) exploring microaggressions on a personal and societal level; and (3) intersection of microaggressions, health disparities, and the cultural competency continuum. Participants (n=110) were engaged in several activities to explore their own unconscious bias and microaggressions as well as those of their respective organization. A qualitative analysis grounded in phenomenology was performed identifying the lived experiences of these healthcare workers and their respective healthcare organizations. Post-training evaluations revealed a greater sense of one’s owns unconscious bias and microaggressions and how those impacted client interactions. Awareness is a crucial first step in decreasing and eliminating the health disparity gap.
