Conversation-based learning provides the opportunity for self-reflection while gaining perspective on how different individuals experience the world.

What do we mean by "social equity"?

What do we mean by "social equity"?

Where social equality asks us to give each person the same — opportunities, resources, support, etc. — social equity asks us to give to each person based on their individual needs and context.

For example, a shorter person would need a bigger box to stand on to see over the same fence as a tall person, and someone who can’t stand might need a wheelchair ramp to have the same view. Ideally, there’d be no fence at all!

In all of our work — from what we teach, to how we teach it, to how we price our services – we strive to design with social equity in mind.

Our methods for organisational change

  • Conversation-based learning

    Conscious conversations are the main focus of all of our work. In order to tackle systems of oppression we also have to self-reflect. In order to internalize our learnings, we have to actively engage. And in order to collaborate to build something better for all of us, we have to learn to listen. Our experienced facilitators co-create safer spaces with our participants in order to be able to address complex subject matter.

  • Behavioural design

    Behavioral design is about changing systems to change behaviors. We want to help you close the bias leaks in your organisation so that biased behaviors have less of a chance of sneaking in. While we cannot always change minds and deeply seeded behavioural patterns, we can use behavioral design to construct bias-aware systems, protocols, policies and procedures that help us work around both conscious and unconscious biases at the places they are most likely to show up.

  • Empathetic design

    Our organisational change programmes strive to put the lived experiences of the people most impacted — marginalized people — at the center of the (re-)design processes. Design thinking practices enable participants to grow awareness of and empathy for experiences they might not have, and design organizations that take the breadth of human experiences into account. This also provides a framework for sustainable ongoing interaction and accountability through participatory design.

Our approach to creating collaborative, anti-oppression learning spaces

  • Intersectionality

    Intersectionality acknowledges that some of us are subject to multiple forms of oppression that then become compounded in our lived experience. In designing safer learning spaces, it provides a lens for a holistic approach to change. It invites us to not only understand the systems of oppression at work, but also the privileges that each of us hold, and how we might spend our privilege.

  • Trauma- and Body-informed

    Trauma is carried in the body and can be triggered at any time, especially for marginalized people engaging in social equity work. This is why we teach in invitations rather than prescriptions, practice consent through shared agreements, and offer options for every activity so folks can choose what’s best for them. While we find it critical to hold both trauma-informed and trauma-informing spaces as we work on these themes, we are not accredited mental health professionals.

  • Transformation and liberation

    Transformative justice is an approach that tackles issues at the root, rather than treating each case of harm as an isolated incident. Through our work, we try to normalize the possibility of transformation, meaning we believe that everyone who wants to has the possibility to (un)learn, grow and change. That said, we’re aiming to fight systems of oppression — not each other — and we’re all on a learning journey.

What does it look like to work with us?

  • Like most relationships, we start by getting to know each other. Typically we’ll schedule a 30-45 minute phone call to get to know more about your challenges, about your organisation and to introduce you on a deeper level to who we are and how we work.

  • If it seems like there might be a match between your challenges and what we have to offer, then you can opt for us to create an initial programme offer based on our discovery call conversation. This programme offer is the official kickoff of our partnership.

  • Next, we’ll work with you to put your programme into action. Some programmes are as short as two weeks, while others are years long. The best case scenario is that this work is ongoing, so we love working with clients who are committed to doing this work sustainably and ongoing. Accountability is key!

  • For longer-term programmes, we measure throughout the programme and adjust as we go.

  • Since accountability is essential, every programme has an accountability check-in baked in, so that you and your team can see how your learnings are being integrated into your day-to-day and long-term operations.

Get in touch to book your free discovery call.

It all starts with intention — an intention to build something better for all of us, together.

Maybe you are already deep into your learning about social equity, or maybe you are just starting. Regardless of where you are at, let us find out about your DEI challenges, and then we can co-design a programme that fits your organisational needs.