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Diversity & Inclusion

We work towards a diverse and inclusive organizational culture. Our actions aim to touch on all aspects of CU.

Conversation Partners and Learners

  1. Promote an inclusive definition of forcible displacement that enables our tutors to define this term in accordance with their own lived experiences.
     

  2. Ensure our tutor team is representative of our values of gender equity by empowering women and non-binary voices.
     

  3. Source Conversation Partners from a range of geographies to break down the assumption that students should learn a language from a specific part of the world or dialect.
     

  4. Work with Conversation Partners and Learners who have various computer literacy gaps so that CU is an accessible opportunity regardless of the Conversation Partners' previous access to or experience with technology.
     

  5. Adapt our payment systems so that they work for the tutors in each of their unique contexts.
     

  6. Create an entire online platform that is specifically designed to be used by language learners and Conversation Partners from a forcibly displaced background.
     

  7. Hold Cultural Sensitivity training for all students and tutors that participate in our organization.
     

  8. Require all team members to have the same basic level of understanding on many complex issues related to our work (race, gender, borders, humanitarian aid, etc.) through completing required readings and holding periodic discussions on key topics.
     

  9. Implement an Ombudsperson position and train the person to be effective in handling internal complaints.
     

  10. Implement an inclusive volunteer hiring process to ensure CU is an accessible opportunity for anyone interested by actively working to expand our networks.
     

  11. Implement a rigorous on-boarding process to ensure CU members have the proper awareness and cultural sensitivity required to work with forcibly displaced communities.

What we commit to doing in the future

​CU acknowledges that being diverse and inclusive is an ongoing process and therefore these are actions we will be taking in the future.

  1. Plan and execute a Diversity and Inclusion Training for the entire CU administrative team from a trained professional.
     

  2. Diversify our team by encouraging volunteer applicants from all backgrounds and promoting those who reflect our mission and values to leadership positions. We welcome and encourage new perspectives and identities to our team, but do not expect anyone person to speak on behalf of a group.
     

  3. Increase accessibility to our programs and our organization.

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