A Journey towards Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
“In This Together” is a 2-day-long online certification course that presents participants with the knowledge of the laws applicable and aspects that enhance / diminish wellbeing of marginalized communities at work, to strengthen implementation of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)) at work.
This course will be facilitated by lawyers, psychologists, psychotherapists and members of the community with lived experiences.
For a description of the program, click here.
*The certification rewarded on completion of course requirements is issued by Equilibrio Advisory LLP on the basis of the experience, expertise and standards set by the firm. Participants will need to complete all the assessments and course requirements to be eligible for certification.
This program has been curated as per Continued Professional Development (CPD) standards and will award you with 16 CPD hours. CPD is an accreditation body based in UK since 1996. It has equipped over 100 companies globally across industries. Though CPD is not an awarding body, being accredited by CPD’s international standards are a reflection of the quality of this course’s learning material.
These CPD hours will enhance global recognition and credibility of your subject knowledge.
About the Mascot:
Before we begin reviewing professional relationships, organizational frameworks and policies, let’s come back to the basics. Adopting the lens of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) implies that we need to first recognize those amongst us who are “othered”.
The ‘black sheep’ are those who are not given a space at the table, nor within the mainstreams systems. Neither do they have access to or the means to claim that space, let alone thrive in it. Acknowledging the ‘black sheep’ allows us to perceive that some of these barriers are created by unconscious attitudes. However, once acknowledged it dissolves the societal divides that marginalize them.
Our Mascot spotlights the overt and subtle differences that lie present between all of us. It reminds us that the ‘black sheep’ need not be cast out of the centre, instead it must be uplifted and given the space and resources to thrive. Hence, our Mascot helps us remember we are all in this together.
What you need to know!
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About the CourseAbout the Course
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Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives
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Unique FeaturesUnique Features
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Structure and FormatStructure and Format
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Know your Facilitators!Know your Facilitators!
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Who can BenefitWho can Benefit
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Why DEIB?Why DEIB?
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Course FeesCourse Fees
About the Course
This course serves to meet the growing demand for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) professionals. It will provide the opportunity to explore and delve deeper into the world of DEIB. The course will also bring together a cohort of like-minded peers, from all walks of life and across various industries, and instil an affirmative approach towards building a thriving organizational culture.
The participants will gain access to engaging sessions that explore the legal and psychosocial framework and practicalities within which DEIB initiatives exist. Equally, they will have the opportunity to learn from industry veterans across the legal and psychosocial space. As the participants engage with the mentors who come with lived experiences of marginalization, they will develop tools and skills to enhance their capacity to create safe and inclusive spaces within the workplace and in everyday life.
16 hours of training
Spanning 2 days
Ongoing mentorship
Intriguing case scenarios, assignments and quizzes!
Access to peer support and learning
Access to giveaways as well as certification*!
Objectives:
- Understand and successfully apply the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) concepts to practice
- Identify the protected groups in their context and apply knowledge of Law and socio-cultural underpinnings to support them
- Weave Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) strategies into the organizational culture
- Demonstrate competency regards compliance measures required to foster inclusive workplace environments, and the psychosocial aspects required to ensure smooth and holistic implementation.
- Dismantle structural and social barriers as they may persist across the employee lifecycle
- Reflect within and invite paradigm shifts to support inclusion
- Adopt skills and tools that promote belonging as part of our everyday interactions
- Access a network of professional support
Unique Features
What to look forward for...
Peer Based Learning
Taking a cue from the spirit of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) the “In This Together” program is partly reliant on a peer-based learning model. This structure shifts focus from the hierarchical expert-learning model. This allows the participants to add to their course material from their lived experiences of being members of the community, allies, sponsors, social activists, mental health professionals, educators, students aspiring to work in this field, HR professionals and Diversity Managers.
Creation of a community
The program seeks to foster solidarity through community. The course structure allows interaction among the participants, and the creation of a community space. Learners will be able to return to this community space for support and resources, even after the program has concluded.
Multiple Mediums
Being neuro-affirmative implies that we acknowledge participants will have various learning styles. Therefore, the program will allow space for multiple mediums of pedagogy and practice. The program will include learning through interactive activities, videos, music, literature and art.
Multi-Tiered Structure
The program is divided into two areas of focus. This will allow participants to delve into the nuances of each protected group. It will help them have a clear view of the challenges of each protected group, and locate the gaps that require allyship.
Assignment
The program will conclude with an assignment that will help participants apply their learnings and build a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) roadmap for their own unique personal or organizational venture. To make the evaluation process inclusive and accessible, the form of the assignment can vary from an essay to a poem or a comic strip or a video script.
The participants will be able to choose the format for their assignments.
Structure and Format
This certification course comprises of two separate areas of focus, and will be conducted over 2 days: Gender and Sexuality; and Disability and Caste. For certification, a participant will have to complete the two days of online training and finish other course requirements.
The “In This Together” course is a 2-day online program that explores different intersections that make up the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) journey.
Note: The Foundational Workshop is for beginners who are interested in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) work. The workshop will help participants to become conversant with core concepts that will be explored in further detail in the “In This Together” course.
Start your Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) journey with us with the Introduction to DEIB concepts workshop!
Go further in your understanding of the marginalizations of gender and sexuality and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives at work. To access the detailed course content, reach out to us by completing the contact form.
Go further in your understanding of the marginalizations of disability and caste and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives at work. To access the detailed course content, reach out to us by completing the contact form.
Gender and Sexuality
- Module 1: Deconstructing Gender and Sexuality
- Module 2. Exploring forms of Violence (Gender and Sexuality)
- Module 3. Laws relating to Gender and Sexuality
- Module 4. Reshaping Organizational Culture (Gender & Sexuality)
Disability and Caste
- Module 5: Deconstructing Disability (including Neurodiversity) and Caste
- Module 6: Exploring forms of Violence (Disability and Caste)
- Module 7: Laws relating to Disability and Caste
- Module 8. Reshaping Organizational Culture (Disability and Caste)
Medium of communication:
English
Mode of Learning:
Online
Facilitators
Who can benefit from this course?
Do these questions sound familiar? This may just be the space for you!
The precepts of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are the need of the day not only in professional spaces whether a big, reputed organization, or a grass-roots endeavour, but also in personal interactions.
Regardless of whether one is an established professional, freelancer, starting out their professional career or even trying to navigate personal relationships from the perspective of marginalization, a participant stands to benefit from this program that creates an immersive environment to delve into Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging concepts and practice.
Professionals who may especially benefit from the program include:
- Senior leadership seeking to pioneer inclusive, equitable and psychologically safe spaces and teams at work
- HR professionals wanting to immerse in consistent, thorough understanding of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) from the compliance and support perspectives
- Change makers at work, looking for ways to support their teams and colleagues
- Employees/ teachers / social workers / other professionals looking to upskill and build on content knowledge, leadership attributes and soft skill expertise
- Allies of protected groups at work, s eeking to understand how best to implement support structures at work
- Members of protected groups, with multiple vulnerable identities to understand their rights under the law, and navigate the workspace
- People actively engaging in advocacy for protected groups
- Lawyers who are curious the explore the psychosocial aspects of the Law
- HR persons excited about ways to re-envision, revamp and implement policy to include diverse folx at work
We recognize that we are not unidimensional individuals existing in silo.
Figure: Three intersecting circles highlighting the professional, personal and community-based spheres of one’s existence
We have intersecting and evolving identities and hence we highlight the support that can be accessed in other aspects of life by us through this program:
- Friends who want to understand and support those in their circles who may be struggling with systemic challenges owing to their belonging to queer / neurodivergent / other protected identities
- Parents looking to support their children navigate vulnerability or looking to provide their children with a democratic and conscious upbringing
- Mentors looking to develop skills to support their inclusive and equitable mentorship processes
- Community leaders and/or sponsors who want to locate systemic gaps in their communities and better address them
- Individuals who seek to understand themselves and their identities better vis-à-vis systemic and social structures.
This program is essential for anyone seeking to identify and unlearn their unconscious bias, and access a framework to foster Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging through their craft, and ways of being.
Why do we need to talk about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)?
Why shift gears in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) space from “Good to have” to “Must Have”?
Well, here are some statistics:
As of 2024, total population of India is recorded at 1441.7 million people (UNFPA), of which 68.7% are in the age group of 15 – 64. People from this age group are employed across various organized and unorganized sectors in our country. According to MOSPI, Worker Population Ratio[1] in CWS in urban areas for January – March 2024 was recorded as 69.8% for males aged 15 years and over, and 23.4% for females aged 15 years and over.
We must ask ourselves:
What are those barriers that keep women out of the workforce?
What do these statistics really look like for people from the margins?
What about at the senior levels of any organization?
What other challenges are making it harder for vulnerable people at the workplace?
Furthermore, we must also recognize that these numbers are binary and do not capture the LGBTQIA+ experience, their presence or challenges at workplace.
While there is not enough collated data on the protected groups like the LGBTQIA+ community, disabled and/or neurodivergent persons, caste oppressed persons and ethnic minorities, we do know that:
- 55% of employees still experience bias in the workplace, including bias over gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation while 61% have witnessed discrimination at some point in their career (“The State of Workplace Discrimination 2021” AllVoices)
- 79% of LGBTQ+ employees in India feel their career growth has been hindered due to their gender identity, expression, or sexual orientation(Furthermore, a report by Accenture).
- A recent study by Careernet Prism further indicates that while 50% of the participants were open about their community identity at work and reported feeling supported by their organisations, they still shared that they face discrimination from co-workers and superiors.
With a population like India’s, even minority populations like the afore-mentioned groups run in the millions. Millions of individuals are falling through structural gaps because there is not enough information to illuminate their lived realities to begin with and perhaps not enough assurance that it’s safe for them to be openly themselves at work.
Oftentimes, individual employees come from multiple intersections of marginalizations. For instance, a queer disabled employee or a trans stakeholder from a caste-oppressed location will have very unique lived experiences based on the differing areas of marginalization within their identities.
So, how can we in our own workspaces ensure that diverse people are not just invited to the table, but are also able to maintain their space there? How can we create space to nurture and retain talent from protected groups if we do not consider consciously the challenges and intersections of their lived experiences?
This is exactly where the tenets of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging come in to reform any blind spots in organizational cultures. A robust DEIB program seeks to identify such structural gaps; inform organizations of how the structural barriers affect the experiences of a marginalized employee/stakeholder; and seeks to bring in avenues of redressal within the organizational infrastructure so that these gaps can be closed. That’s where a program like this can come in to support you!
Worker Population Ratio (WPR): WPR is defined as the percentage of employed persons in the population
Course Fees
Connect with our Team!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Foundational Workshop?
Our Foundational Workshop is designed to acquaint learners with the basic framework of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB).
This virtual workshop, is two hours long, and is a great starting point for learners to begin their exploration of DEIB frameworks.
What is the structure of the course?
The course has been broken down into two main area of focus:
Gender and Sexuality
Disability and Caste
The course also includes the bonus feature of mentorship sessions.
What is the duration of the course?
Gender and Sexuality: 8 hours Teaching Time
Disability and Caste: 8 hours Teaching Time
Completing the course will provide learners with 16 CPD hours, that they can claim through their CPD portfolios.
For further details please submit your details on the Query form.
What is the focus of each day?
The areas of focus for both the days are created to address the rights of different protected groups. For further details please submit your details on the Query form.
Is the course chargeable?
Yes, the course is a paid one. For further details please sign up here.
Does the Course offer financial support?
Yes, it does. For further information please submit your details on the Query form.
How can I apply for the course?
Learners can apply for the course by signing up here.
Who can take this course?
This program is designed to support your growth and skill when engaging in the professional space, as well as within personal and community interactions!
Given its affirmative understanding, the course is also suitable for psychologists, mental health professionals, and people from the community. Artists, social activists, parents, friends, allies who want to learn about ways to support diverse protected groups can also apply for the course. To know more get in touch with our team!
Who are the Facilitators?
The course facilitators are mostly lawyers, mental health professionals, and people from the neurodivergent, queer and trans communities. For further details please submit your details on the query form.
Testimonials
DEIB, as a concept, is something that has not yet become mainstream in higher education. Attending the workshop helped me gather some knowledge about the fundamentals of DEIB, and the essential need for it in today's workplaces. I liked the visual aids and activities in the workshop, which served as a great icebreaker. Hopefully, I can use the learnings from this workshop for advocating for DEIB in my workplace in future.
For me it's a very insightful session... Normally we keep thinking that gender is the only thing [area of focus] when we hear about Diversity; but the way this session unfolded | found there's so much to learn. And now I literally feel that it's a journey... It's not only about this session and it's not only about two hours - so I personally am looking forward to that certificate course that you're talking about because this is such a subject [where] there is no end to the learning. And when we actually implement this learning at the workplace, this can play wonder. So I'm very excited and I look forward to learning more on the subject so that I can make a difference at the workplace.
This course has splendid content & structure, insightful guest speakers along with an access to first hand experiences to learn from. I'm moving ahead with soooo much more. Taught with a lot of love and sincerity by the amazing facilitators, it brings along hope and relief that we are in this together..
It's honestly been very nice. As you've been speaking, I've been jotting down points and reflecting. At times, I've realized that we've been unconsciously doing certain things while neglecting others, and this has made me see possible changes I could bring about in my organization.
Snapshots from our past events...
