NCBI Leadership for Diversity Institute

NCBI Leadership for Diversity Institute

November 2-6, 2011
Hunt Valley, MD USA (Baltimore)

Registration Is Currently Open!

Contact Information
NCBI
1120 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
Suite 450
Washington DC 20036
202-785-9400 x10
gvollrath@ncbi.org
The Leadership for Diversity Institute teaches hands-on, practical skills for building cultural competency, welcoming diversity, increasing unity and inclusion. Skills include:

• Building inclusive environments at all levels: in the workplace, in the classroom, on a campus, in government, in a community, in customer service - where everyone’s contribution is valued and inclusivity is an integral part of the environment;
• Resolving conflicts between individuals and groups in a way that increases cooperation;
• Assessing an organization’s strength in cultural competency; and
• Building a team of support for ones own leadership on diversity issues.

Whether you are a college administrator or faculty member; a school teacher or parent; a manager in government or in the corporate world who is responsible for supervising diverse employees; a police officer or community activist - this Institute will give you the hands-on skills needed to be an innovative leader. In large group classes, participants learn a replicable set of practical skills.  Then in small group settings, there is a choice of one of two learning tracks to practice the skills with support and encouragement from others. In a lively consultation session towards the end of the Institute, participants have the opportunity to present their own workplace issues and receive concrete help from other participants, utilizing all of the skills learned from the Institute.
The NCBI Leadership for Diversity Institute brings together participants from different countries and cultures, providing the unique opportunity to learn diversity and cultural competency skills in an international group setting.
IDENTIFYING THE LEARNING TRACK THAT FITS YOUR GOALS: Each Institute participant will have the opportunity to practice diversity leadership skills in small learning groups that follow one of two tracks:
Track I: Leading the NCBI Welcoming Diversity & Inclusion Workshop - In this track, participants will learn in a train-the-trainer format, how to replicate back home, the award-winning NCBI Welcoming Diversity & Inclusion Workshop. The workshop consists of a series of incremental, experiential activities that engage participants in the leadership skills necessary to build inclusive environments and increase cultural competence. These skills include:

• Valuing and welcoming similarities and differences among group members and staff;
• Examining the stereotypes that impact our actions and attitude toward others;
• Identifying the harmful effects of stereotypes directed toward one’s own group;
• Learning specific skills for preventing and interrupting bigoted remarks and behaviors; and
• Developing empathy toward others by hearing their personal stories.

NCBI’s approach of combining concrete skill development with small group practice enables participants to learn quickly, in a safe environment, how to replicate NCBI diversity workshops.
Track II: Skills for Effective Diversity & Inclusion Leadership - The Diversity Savvy Leader - In this track, participants practice how to implement NCBI skills and practices back home in their own workplace settings. Individual coaching is provided in small group settings in these skills:

• Giving and receiving feedback, particularly in cross-cultural relationships;
• Increasing participation from all members of a workplace or school community;
• Leading effective meetings that include everyone’s voice;
• Building a team of support for one’s own leadership on diversity issues;
• Structuring effective, respectful conversations about race and differences; and
• Increasing an organization’s strengths in cultural competency.

In both Track I and Track II, participants will also learn the NCBI Controversial Issue Process that demonstrates how to move hotly contested issues forward by listening to the heartfelt concerns on all sides, and then reframe the debate in a way that builds bridges.
At the conclusion of the Leadership for Diversity Institute, participants will have an opportunity to join a local NCBI community, campus or organizational team back home to receive advanced training, guidance, and support.

READ MORE

Highlander Job Openings

 

Highlander Job Openings

About Highlander

Founded in 1932, the Highlander Research and Education Center is a popular education center that works with grassroots groups in Appalachia and the South to promote social, racial and economic justice. Highlander is located 25 miles northeast of Knoxville, TN on a 186 acre farm. Highlander's program work takes place at the Center and in local communities across the South, as well as the country and sometimes world. Highlander's long and proud history includes cutting edge work with labor education and organizing, the Civil Rights Movement, environmental justice in Appalachia, and more recently, on globalization, immigration and the changing demographics of our region. Highlander is world-renowned as a beacon for progressive organizing and widely acclaimed as a leadership development center for grassroots activists across race, culture and generations.

Fundamentally, Highlander is an intersectional resource for the South, a place where leaders, networks, and movement strands come together to interact, build relationships, craft joint strategy and develop tools and mechanisms to advance a multi-racial, intergenerational movement for justice in our region with impact nationally. Highlander helps build the skills of grassroots people and the capacity of organizations for long haul work, and connects people and issues for holistic analysis and broad based movement building. In its simplest, Highlander brings people together to learn from each other, using methodologies of popular education, cultural organizing, participatory research and multilingual capacity building.

Expectations of staff fulfilling these positions at Highlander:

• Passionate about Highlander's purpose and able to communicate our purpose and program work.
• Committed to racial, gender, economic, environmental and social justice.
• Self-starter as well as a team player.
• Computer literate.
• Organized and ability to balance multiple responsibilities with grace.
• Be an active participant in a democratically managed center.
• Keep Highlander's purpose and the people we serve central to the work.
• Sense of humor welcome and most helpful.
• High degree of honesty and integrity.
  

---

Education Coordinator

Overview of Position and Highlander’s Program Work

The Education Coordinator will manage the work of the education team, ensuring strategic planning, program implementation, and the documentation and dissemination of educational communications about social justice issues and Highlander’s work to address those issues.

The Education Team conducts the heart of the program work of the Highlander Center. Highlander’s program work takes place at our residential workshop center and in local communities. In its simplest, Highlander brings people together to learn from each other. We use methodologies of popular education, cultural organizing, participatory research and multilingual capacity building.

Fundamentally, Highlander is an intersectional resource for the South, a place where leaders, networks, and movement strands come together to interact, build relationships, craft joint strategy and develop tools and mechanisms to advance a multi-racial, intergenerational movement for justice in our region. Cornerstones of the work building the skills of grassroots people and capacity of organizations for long haul work, and connecting people and issues for holistic analysis and broad based movement building.

Highlander works on a variety of issues because we believe issues are connected, because the needs in the region are deep, and because we are asked by the people we serve. We also target specific issues where we believe strategic focus will maximize our impact and help develop a critical mass of people to make change. These currently include the economy, the environment, immigration, and juvenile justice.

As a regional intermediary with an extensive history, widespread network of friends, contacts and associations, and a physical place connected to a history of struggle of which people want to be part, we work with local, state, regional, national and international organizations, networks, and coalitions.

General Responsibilities and Organizational Values

• Coordinate the work of the education team members and education interns based on analysis, strategic planning, implementation, documentation and evaluation.
• Serve on the Leadership Team of Highlander in conjunction with the Director and other team Coordinators.
• Strong collaboration with the Development and Communications team for the external educational communications of the organization.
• Represent Highlander in meetings, fieldwork and events, sharing Highlander’s history and educational processes with others.
• Coordinate the educational needs of hosting visitors and groups.
• Liaison to the Board Education Committee.
• Liaison to the Development and Communications Team in fundraising for program work.
• Help write grants and reports.
• Ensure and participate in organizational and team planning and evaluation.
• Keep the purpose of our work and the people with whom we work at the center of our activities and decisions.
• Actively participate as a member of a democratic participatory staff.

Requirements

• Extensive experience in and understanding of progressive social justice community organizing and popular education.
• Previous team leadership experience with proven track record of helping diverse, strong team members work together.
• Workshop facilitation and curriculum development skills.
• Work well with people.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Passionate about Highlander’s mission and purpose and able to communicate our program work effectively.
• Commitment to racial, gender, economic, environmental and social justice and civil and human rights.
• Able to establish rapport with activists and community members in diverse ethnic, racial, social and economic groups.
• Diligence.
• Willingness to work long and irregular hours.
• Willingness to travel.
• Self-starter and team player.
• Computer savvy and willingness to explore and utilize new technologies.
• Organized.
• Sense of humor.
• Experience in the South and/or Appalachia.
• High degree of integrity among peers.

Location Highlander is a rural based residential workshop center located on 186 acres in east Tennessee just outside Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and the position is based there. Some staff live on the Highlander grounds while others live in the surrounding areas, including Knoxville.

Start Date

Highlander hopes to fill this position by November 1, 2011.

To Apply 

Send letter of interest, resume, writing sample and 3 references to:

Search Committee:
Education Coordinator
Highlander Center
1959 Highlander Way
New Market, TN, 37820

Email applications are accepted at hrec@highlandercenter.org or by fax at 865-933-3424. Position is open until filled and applications will be considered as received. Women, people of color, and lesbigaytrans encouraged to apply.

---

Workshop Center Manager

Overview of Position and Highlander's Workshop Center Management
This position is an opportunity to carry forward and expand upon the great decades-long tradition of feeding people well and on time, and offering clean, comfortable welcoming spaces for learning and gathering. The successful candidate will maximize natural and human resources to deepen the experience for workshop participants and visitors. Part of the expansion of this position is connection to Highlander's organic garden and orchard and area farmers. Highlander's workshop center can house up to 45 people and the Horton House 5-7 people. Workshops at Highlander are mostly on weekends, and we also have week-long leadership programs and camps particularly during the summer months. Additionally, Highlander has special events where larger numbers of people come, including our annual Homecoming. This position is a working manager.

General Responsibilities

• Coordinate, and share in, the cooking and cleaning work to provide safe, efficient and welcoming functions of the Workshop Center and Horton House for meals, lodging and meetings spaces.
• Ensure compliance with state and federal health codes.
• Plan Workshop Center meals and purchase food and supplies.
• Hire, train, schedule and supervise part-time employees for meals and cleaning.
• Provide leadership and training in embracing and serving a wide variety of healthful menus utilizing a maximum of fresh produce and a minimum of processed food.
• Connect part-time staff to Highlander's programmatic work.
• Actively solicit feedback and suggestions from visitors, staff and workshop participants.
• Welcome and engage with workshop participants, and visitors.
• Help with hosting visitors and groups and presentations on Highlander history.
• Communications with staff on other teams for calendar, workshop and invoicing information.
• Help secure facility rentals for open dates in the organizational calendar and other revenue-generating activities in line with Highlander's mission, vision and values
• Secure childcare services when needed.
• Strategize, develop and implement, in conjunction with Director and Staff, policies, procedures and guidelines for workshop center use.
• Work with farm interns to use of produce from on-site organic garden and orchard and develop relationships with local farmers.

Qualifications

• Great cook.
• 3 years successful experience in preparation and planning of tasty, healthful menus for groups.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in utilizing a maximum of fresh produce and a minimum of processed foods and additives.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in providing a lively sampling of flavorful, healthful, imaginative menus for diverse dietary needs.
• Special interest in developing healthful versions of traditional foods of the South and Appalachia as well as traditional foods of the diverse constituencies with whom Highlander works.
• 2-3 years team coordination or supervisory experience with at least one of those years in staff training and development.
• Weekend and irregular hours a must.
• Adaptability and problem solving.
• Appreciation for and experience working with people from diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Interest in gardens helpful.

---

Bookkeeper (part-time)

Overview of Position
The position is half-time salaried with possibility of expansion and will work out of the Highlander office.

General Responsibilities of Bookkeeper

• Timely and accurate entries into QuickBooks, Highlander's accounting system.
• Timely and accurate payment and recording of all contracts, bills and invoices.
• Ensure accuracy and authorization of all entries (G/L account coding, job coding, and required signatures).
• Generate payroll and pay taxes.
• Update GL and maintain accurate cash balances.
• Prepare monthly journal entries and update balance sheet.
• Generate weekly check runs.
• Maintain vendor files and all paper files for A/P and A/R entries.
• Record revenues as reported by various departments.
• Generate other reports from QuickBooks and Excel as requested to assist financial officer.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years' experience with A/P, A/R payroll.
• Knowledge of QuickBooks.
• Outstanding organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate with different kinds of people.
• Experience with non-profit accounting helpful.

---

To Apply for any of these positions:

Location
Highlander is a rural based residential workshop center located on 186 acres in east Tennessee just outside Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, and these three positions are based there. Some staff live on the Highlander grounds while others live in the surrounding areas, including Knoxville.

To Apply
Send letter of interest, resume, 3 references, and any other supportive materials.

Mail to:
Search Committee: (Name of position for which you are applying)
Highlander Center
1959 Highlander Way
New Market, TN 37820

Email applications are accepted at hrec@highlandercenter.org or by fax at 865-933-3424. Applications will start being reviewed on April 18th, and continued to be reviewed until positions are filled. Women, people of color, and lesbigaytrans people encouraged to apply. 

READ MORE

Midwest Academy Organizing for Social Change Fall Schedule

Midwest Academy Organizing for Social Change Fall Schedule

• Oct 24, 2011 - Oct 28, 2011 | Chicago
  • Nov 14, 2011 - Nov 18, 2011 | Washington D.C. / Baltimore
     
    The Midwest Academy offers a five day, residential, comprehensive "Organizing for Social Change" training throughout the country. Participants come from a wide variety of organizations. Most are working on specific issue campaigns and building powerful, progressive organizations. The training helps them to be more strategic in their fight for social, economic, racial and environmental justice.
    There are different methods of organizing or ways of making social change, and all have their uses. Midwest Academy uses and teaches the "Direct Action Organizing" concept. Direct Action Organizing is based on the power of people to take collective action on their own behalf. The point is not that one approach is better than others. In fact, often many kinds of organizing are needed, but the Midwest Academy focuses on Direct Action Organizing.
    
    Read more.
     

   

Jon Stewert's comments on Republican bias toward defense contractors and ACORN

As I have mentioned before the double standard the Republicans have with ACORN and the defense injury.

In this segment on the Daily Show, as Haliburton does nothing to assist an employee who is gang rape by Haliburton employees and later preventing the rape victim from suing the company.

Check out Jon Stewert's commentary:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-october-14-2009/rape-nuts

The double standard with ACORN in compared to the long record of corporate criminals whom we keep giving contracts to.

ACORN: If only Congress removed funds for corporate crime

I read that Congress has voted to cut federal funding to ACORN . The group received federal funds to help residents prepare income taxes.

If only Congress acted so fast with all the corporate crime that Defense Contractors and KBR, Haliburton-like organizations.

Recent allegations of security contractors running brothels and orgies in Afghanistan did not get much of a response from Senator John Cornyn.

According, CorpWatch, Halliburton paid $382 million in fines to the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the settlement of a controversial KBR gas project in Nigeria in which the company admitted to paying a $180 million bribe to government officials.

What remains for community organizers are lessons. There must be internal controls to prevent stuff like this from happning. ACORN is the largest membership organization in the US and the bigger you get the harder it is to internal police. Nevertheless, there are lessons we can learn and a few bad apples should not plague a whole organization.

My question, with the closing intake on forclusure assistance, who will be taking up the slack in this great service to the poor.

It's been a while

It's been a while since I posted to this. But I decided to begin posting on the current organization I'm with and my uphill battle to turn it into more than just a service-oriented organization.

Organizing Women

One of the main things that come up when I arrived at where I am at was that a very powerful women's organization had folded about a year before I arrived. It was a lesson in leadership development and training. But it also had to do with immigration and the transition from undocumented to resident. It seemed at least to the women in the group, that as members got their residency, they drifted a way from the group. I'm wondering if this has happened in other group around the country.

Other aspect involved the leadership training. I seemed that when the organization was under one grant, it recieved a lot of resources in capacity building including recruitment, retention, one-on-ones, and the like. Then this stopped. I'm not sure if the decline started at this point.

The women's organization was a promotora model, not really a traditional CO. So i'm interested in the intersection of the promotora model and the CO models. Well, write in and let me know.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT- Organizer - Workplace Immigrant & Civil Rights Program

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Organizer - Workplace Immigrant & Civil Rights Program

The East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) advances
economic and social justice by building power and raising standards for
working families. The Workplace Immigrant & Civil Rights (WICR) Program
at EBASE seeks to ensure that all workers have equal rights on the job,
regardless of immigration status or race.

The top priority of the WICR Program is to respond to the current
national crisis of attacks on immigrant workers, particularly
large-scale workplace "reverification" of immigration status. The
program will convene a network of local labor and community
organizations to 1) organize worker defense and public response to
Social Security "no-match" firings, Immigration & Customs Enforcement
(ICE) intervention in labor struggles, discriminatory implementation of
the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC), workplace
discrimination against immigrants, etc. and 2) advocate for policy
reform that protects the civil rights of immigrant workers, including
defeating a proposed Homeland Security regulation on "no-match" letters
that would likely result in mass firings of workers suspected of being
undocumented.

Under the supervision of the EBASE Organizing Director, the WICR
Organizer will:

_ Support an emerging network of unions and community organizations
defending immigrant workers' rights.

_ Organize worker defense, including large-scale mobilizations, in
response to ICE or employer attacks on immigrant workers.

_ Organize both large-scale public action and legislative advocacy for
pro-worker, pro-immigrant policy reform, particularly defeat of the DHS
"no-match" regulation.

_ Partner with local unions and independent worker organizations to
develop worker defense trainings, tools and other resources for local
use.

_ Coordinate participation in local and national campaigns to protect
the civil rights of immigrant workers.

Experience and Abilities Needed:

_ At least two years of experience in labor, community, or political
organizing.

_ Fluency in both Spanish and English required.

_ Experience working with immigrant workers and/or communities,
preferably in the context of an organizing campaign.

_ Experience with coalition work and/or training and popular education
desirable.

_ Commitment to immigrant, social, and economic rights.

_ Commitment to building the labor movement.

_ Accountability to goals and willingness to learn new techniques, ideas
and skills.

_ Excellent personal organization, time management, and interpersonal
communication skills.

_ Proficient at word processing, email, and web basics.

Position requires use of an automobile and may require long and/or
irregular hours of work, including evenings and weekends as needed.
Position open until filled and starts immediately.

Salary & Benefits: Competitive salary, depends on experience. Excellent
benefits package, including employer-paid health, dental and vision
insurance, paid time off, and (if eligible) employer contribution to
pension.

Email cover letter and resume to: Brooke Anderson, EBASE Organizing
Director, at brooke_at_workingea

stbay.org.

EBASE is an affirmative action employer, and strongly supports the
social goals of affirmative action. We therefore make special efforts to
recruit individuals from groups that are historically under-represented
in professional environments, or that suffer from broader societal
discrimination.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brooke Anderson, Organizing Director

East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy

1714 Franklin Street, Suite #325

Oakland, CA 94612

EMAIL: brooke@workingeastbay.org

WEB: http://www.workingeastbay.org

CELL: (510) 846-0766

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~