DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION AT THE ARC NEW YORK
Moving into the final months of 2024, The Arc New York is proud to continue its commitment to enhancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) across the organization, and working towards a shared vision for the future of The Arc New York as a leader in this space. One of the organization’s biggest achievements in this effort thus far has been hosting a professional development webinar series in partnership with the Georgetown National Center for Cultural Competence (GNCCC). Over the course of eight live and interactive webinars, hundreds of employees, self-advocates, family members and other stakeholders had the opportunity to learn together about the foundational topics necessary for this work. Among numerous topics, the series included an introduction to terminology used in this space, a session designed to engage leadership looking to implement organizational change at their Chapters, and a session designed specifically for direct support professionals with a focus on how these topics impact their work and the people they support. A highlight across all of the webinars in this series was the opportunities participants had to hear directly from staff, family members, and people supported by Chapters about their experiences and thoughts as they relate to diversity, equity and inclusion and cultural and linguistic competence. If you were unable to join the live webinar series – have no fear! The team at Georgetown has created an online hub for people to view recordings of these webinars and download the presentation materials. Anyone who has been unable to attend is highly encouraged to access the webinar archive.
Though The Arc New York’s formal partnership with the GNCC has come to its end, we will continue to benefit from their subject matter expertise through their partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. This is a three-year partnership with the goal of advancing policies and practices of cultural and linguistic competence, diversity, equity and inclusion in all components of the intellectual and developmental disability service delivery system across New York State. Through this partnership an extensive resource bank is available containing carefully selected and annotated resources designed to support this goal. For those interested in furthering their involvement and knowledge on these topics, we encourage you to learn more about the New York State Community of Practice (CoP) on Diversity Equity and Inclusion in Developmental Disabilities. AHRC Nassau, through a grant made possible by the NYS Counsel of Developmental Disabilities, is working on this initiative with WRI Solutions, the NY Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation, and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals. This is a collaborative effort designed to foster a culture of dignity, respect and equity for all people supported, their families and staff. Joining the CoP is a unique opportunity to be part of a dedicated network of leaders and stakeholders working together to ensure equitable treatment and to advance DEI across New York’s human services system.
6 22
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker