Every other week a new forum question will be posted. Answer the question from your own point of view and make comments on others to keep the discussion going. Use this space to discuss current issues and solutions, or to raise new ones.
After interviewing all three panelists for the upcoming Next Generation Leadership Series on June 24 we realized all three studies claimed there is not enough diversity in the nonprofit sector. During the NP2020 conference last July, this subject came up over and over again. In this week’s forum we would like to continue some of those conversations and possibly come up with some solutions to the lack of diversity in the nonprofit sector.
To get the conversation started, consider some these questions. How do you feel about the diversity in your workplace? Have you found organizations that need help with diversity in their own staff and board? What is one way you think the nonprofit sector could be more diversified?
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26 May 2008 at 11:37 pm
Erin McMahon
This is a great question, but may be easier for people to answer in an anonymous poll. I know it would me more comfortable for me. ; )
- Erin
27 May 2008 at 1:39 pm
johnsoncenter
If you feel more comfortably answering anonymously please fill in the name with an alias. We want this space to be open for conversation.
29 May 2008 at 7:43 pm
Daniel Moore
It seems like groups seeking to empower the disenfranchised should be expected to make an effort to have that group represented within their own organization. However, I don’t think diversity should be pursued to the determent of an organization’s mission. It may be interesting to work with someone from a different background but unless it positively impacts the output of the organization then the time and energy spent could have been better spent elsewhere.
I do not know the arguments for seeking a more diverse workspace but I am interested to read more about what others think.
2 June 2008 at 2:44 am
Zhan
Diversity, diversity and diversity! It seems that many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have a logo DIVERSITY! However, there is still concern with diversity at NGOs. Why? First of all, there is fear to meet new challenges that diversity could bring into an organization. Second, lack of information and training among NGOs on cultural competency and diversity. Third, an old way of doing business.
However, quick changes in demographics of constituencies push and require NGOs to find those (staff), who could better understand clients who are surved by an NGO.
Diversity at workplace could be fully achieved when all stakeholders: donors, NGOs, clients and media share overall understanding of its benefits.
2 June 2008 at 3:35 pm
johnsoncenter
Zhan, thanks for your comment. Do you think there is a way to provide NGOs with the training on cultural competency they need?
How do you think NGOs or NPOs can find staff or train staff to better understand diversity in their organization and community?
2 June 2008 at 8:55 pm
Zhan
Thank you for facilitating a discussion. Hopefully, there will be more people involved.
In order to respond to the first question, one should start with needs assessment. Do NGOs need diversity at workplace? Is there enough understanding of why we are discussing diversity topic? Answers to these questions will contribute to eliminate the gap. The training on cultural competency is a vital part of workplace diversifying process.
I think, answer for the second question could be find at trainings and courses provided by many Nonprofit Management Centers or Leadership Schools. More important, is that many NGOs are becoming more and more diverse with their staff and boards (mostly because of the current discourse), but they do not think more about cultural and racial difference, so diverse staff has to adapt to the way NGO does its business. As a result, a foreigner will behave the same way as a local staff in just one year. NGOs should understand that they should adapt, too. Of course for the benefit of their diverse clients.
4 June 2008 at 9:02 pm
johnsoncenter
Rosetta Thurman, author of the blog Perspectives from the Pipeline (http://fromthepipeline.blogspot.com) stated the following statistics in a recent blog:
82% of nonprofit CEOs are White
94% of foundation presidents are White
86% of board members are White
less than 70% of the US population is White
Are these statistics surprising to you? Zhan mentioned cultural competency training & getting the right employees for creating more diversity in NGOs, do you have other suggestions for creating more diversity in the nonprofit community?
5 January 2009 at 9:10 pm
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