Cultivating a Culture of Inclusion

Target Audience:

The course is designed for ""intact groups"" of FWS employees, volunteers, and Friends members, participating together. Here's who we expect will be encouraged to participate at each field station (e.g., national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Learn more about national wildlife refuge , national fish hatchery, etc.):

• FWS employees: All Managers, Admin & Planning staff, Biology staff, Law Enforcement officers, Maintenance staff, Visitor Services staff.
• FWS volunteers: Those interacting with an external audience (e.g., staff the VC desk, lead EE and/or Interpretive programs, etc.) and others for whom the training may be especially beneficial; number dependent on space available.
• Friends: Board members, Executive Director, other staff who interact with external audiences; number dependent on role and space available.

Summary and Objectives:

People in the workplace face unique challenges related to fostering belonging and preventing perceptions of exclusion. Understanding how to support them in navigating these challenges is key to building a more inclusive workplace. When asked what inclusion feels like, employees across all demographics say it is being treated with dignity and respect, the ability to bring their full selves to work, contribute, and feel connected to others. In this course, we will explore the drivers of inclusion including everyone's role in creating workplace psychological safety, navigating difficult conversations, communicating inclusively, and building empathy through perspective taking.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain at least one reason that building and practicing inclusion skills is beneficial for everyone interacting at a field station including service employees, volunteers, Friends members, and visitors.
• Acknowledge the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Apply tools and techniques to interact effectively with people who are different considering different background experience, culture, language, race/ethnicity, gender, gender identity, age, and any other marginalized "out-groups".
• Take steps to recover from a mistake or missteps when navigating diversity "bumpiness".
• Develop a plan for improving personal inclusion skills, such as perspective taking, establishing empathy, and acting with compassion when interacting with different groups.
• Commit to implementing their plan for improving personal inclusion skills.

Competency Addressed:

Diversity and Inclusion - Intermediate, Accountability - Intermediate, Conflict Management - Basic, Creativity and Innovation - Intermediate, Interpersonal Skills - Intermediate, Human Factors - Basic