|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
“Imagine a world where everyone has fair and equal access to work that suits them and that they are qualified for. This is the power of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). DEI is about breaking down barriers and creating spaces where everyone can meaningfully participate and thrive.” – Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work
As a career practitioner, you work with diverse clients to facilitate sustainable employment that speaks to their strengths and interests. Sustainable employment is deeply connected to the idea of belonging – the sense of feeling valued, welcomed, and respected at work. And belonging is at the core of the concept of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility (EDIA).
The concept of EDIA is aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of equity-deserving groups, recognizing the inherent inequality within various systems in society, especially the labour market. However, currently in Canada, we are grappling with the ripple effects of the recent wave of pushback against EDIA programs and policies.
There’s been a concerning rise in racist and ableist comments and misinformation across social media along with backtracking on EDIA initiatives across institutions and businesses. These repercussions magnify the various employment barriers faced by jobseekers who experience disability and hold intersecting social identities. The resistance to EDIA worsens existing barriers like ableism, racism, unconscious biases, inaccessibility and microaggressions in the workplace.
“Part of the problem is that we tend to think that equality is about treating everyone the same, when it’s not. It’s about fairness. It’s about equity of access.” – Judith Heumann, Disability Rights Activist
Taking an intersectional and strengths-based approach
Amid the uncertainties, one thing remains clear: jobseekers need strengths-based supports that build on their skills and resources while addressing barriers to employment. This makes your work as a career development professional even more pressing.
It is no surprise that the National Competency Profile for Career Development Professionals frames promoting diversity and inclusion as one of the core practices within your role. Honing this competency can give you a greater edge in your field, equipping you to support stronger client outcomes, provide engaging and empowering services, and facilitate meaningful employment matches.
This calls for career development professionals to engage in effective training grounded in the principles of EDIA and opportunities to learn alongside knowledgeable professionals engaged in this work. To support you in this endeavor, CASE and CERIC have partnered to develop An Intersectional Approach to Supporting Career Development.
This 6-week, facilitated online certificate program offers you a deeper awareness of jobseekers’ experiences around ableism and racism. The program focuses on enhancing understanding around the impact of intersectionality and unconscious biases for jobseekers. It explores strengths-based approaches and strategies based in intersectional- and trauma-awareness to help maximize the impact and inclusivity of your practice. The blended learning approach allows you to network with professionals across Canada to harness the strength of collective thinking, learning and action – all of which are critical to allyship and advocacy.
As a career development professional, you hold a co-creative and collaborative role in supporting clients to navigate employment barriers. You are in a position to influence employers, colleagues and community members to become more proactive in their efforts toward EDIA. Pushbacks against EDIA call for an even stronger commitment to clients who hold various social identities. Continued professional development is one crucial pathway through which you can actualize this commitment, hone your skills and share your learning with others.
Register for An Intersectional Approach to Supporting Career Development today to learn about promising practices and provide effective support to diverse clients.
