Purpose
Equitas is seeking support to drive forward key elements of our strategy to advance anti-racism, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and in our programming and outreach.
Background and context
Equitas is Canada’s most recognized and active human rights education organization. We work for the advancement of equality, social justice and respect for human dignity through transformative education programs. We empower people to address inequalities and discrimination, and to work to build more inclusive and rights-respecting communities.
Equitas is committed to taking important and immediate steps to deepen our commitments and action to advance anti-racism and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) both in our internal organizational structures and culture, as well as in programming and outreach. We recognize this is long, hard and complex work that requires ongoing and sustained resourcing and commitment to implement changes in a meaningful and impactful way.
Equitas is a feminist organization. Our work is guided by our values, which shape our work across the organization – in our long-term human rights education work, and in our organizational culture and behavior. Our values play a key role in defining our partnerships. Our work around the world aims to shift power – from those who have historically captured more of it, to the rest, so that we may build a more equal society where everyone has the ability to thrive, not just survive. At the same time, international cooperation organizations have long been grappling with the colonial legacy of our sector. We, as others, are working to engage in more substantive conversations on decolonization and make solid commitments around sector reform. We also want to specifically unpack how our anti-racism work can address anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism specifically.
We are currently structuring Equitas’ work on anti-racism and JEDI around three tracks of work that we will move forward simultaneously, with each informing the others as they progress:
- Organizational strategy and internal culture, policies and systems;
- Ongoing learning and dialogue;
- Enhanced understanding and application of intersectional and anti-racist approaches to programming and outreach.
Project scope
Equitas is seeking external support to work with us to drive forward this agenda. Specifically, Equitas is seeking external support to do the following:
1.Guide internal culture, policies and systems:
- Help facilitate a listening and reflection process with current and past Equitas staff to understand current shortfalls and challenges on anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Review internal policies and practices, including but not exclusive to: Equitas Prevention of sexual violence, harassment and discrimination, board and staff recruitment processes and professional development and management practices.
- Provide advice on integrating justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism efforts within our Performance Management System.
- Provide recommendations to help establish a system of measuring and reporting on progress across this agenda of work to maintain accountability and transparency
2. Learning and dialogue:
- Conduct an assessment and provide advice on the type of training, learning, coaching and dialogue opportunities on anti-racism, anti-oppression, diversity, equity and inclusion that Equitas should be providing for: all staff; managers; management team; and board of directors.
Expected deliverables
- Listening and reflection process organized and facilitated with current and past Equitas staff, with key findings presented to Equitas Management Team, Racial Justice Committee and staff in the form of a presentation and short report.
- Review of internal policies, and recommendations on how to update the Equitas policies to be in line with best practice.
- Review Equitas staff and board recruitment and professional development and management practices from an anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion perspective and identification of key recommendations.
- Recommendations on integrating diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism components into Performance Management System.
- Recommendations on a training, learning, coaching and dialogue plan on anti-racism, anti-oppression, diversity, equity and inclusion for all staff; managers; Management Team; and board, including appropriate options and providers.
- Recommendations on a framework for measuring and reporting on this agenda of work.
Timeline
We are seeking to start this work in June 2021 and it is estimated the contract will be 15 days of work over a period of 3 months
TBD Location: Home based, engaging in a virtual environment on Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Application Process:
Interested and qualified candidates should send their expression with the following items:
- A CV/s of the individual or team of people who will conduct the assignment. Each CV should be no longer than three pages and contain relevant information, particularly relevant experience of the individual/team.
- A Financial Proposal including daily rate in CDN$ and total cost
- A delivery plan including timelines with starting dates, and key deliverables
- In lieu of a cover letter, please submit a response to the following questions (need not be too exhaustive, 2 pages or so):
a. Why might you/your team be the right fit for this?
b. What are some lessons learned from past experiences doing this work? And what would you do differently in terms of process?
c. What are some frequent challenges you’ve experienced in doing this work? How would you help steer us through these challenges?
d. What are some enabling conditions for progress towards continued transformative change at an organisation? How would you support us to establish them?
e. How will you/ your team support us to be accountable?
f. What do you/your team need to be well supported in this work?
Submissions should be sent to Odette McCarthy, Executive Director, at rhequitas@equitas.org with “Anti-Racism, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion” the subject line by April 30,2021.
If you have questions regarding this work, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Odette McCarthy, Executive Director. Short-listed applicants will be asked to participate in a virtual discussion with Equitas.
Given the nature of our work, we encourage applications from any candidates who have experienced marginalization, in particular, Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, LGBTQ2I people, and people living with disabilities. Candidates who wish to do so may self-identify in their application. Equitas thanks all applicants for their interest. However, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.
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