Diversity and Inclusion

SPARC BC is committed to achieving access and the full participation and engagement of all in our diverse society by fostering communication, leadership, partnership and collaboration. We promote social inclusion through recognizing both the rights and the opportunity to participate in and enjoy all aspects of human life.

DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY AND RELATED VIDEOS

DIVERSITY: Access for everyone

“I’m changing my mind. As opposed to thinking about how do we overcome diversity, I’m thinking more about how do we celebrate diversity. And yes, we want to find common ground as people, but how can we celebrate our differences?”
— Workshop Participant

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT: Full participation in the life of organizations and communities

“We have a lot of volunteers that work from their heart. They are people who are trained to be good listeners. They come with a lot of compassion and empathy so I think they try to create a safe space for the seniors.”
— Jemma Templeton, BC Seniors Advocacy Network

INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT: Active participation in decision making

“There is a lot of professional identity tied into being able to make decisions. That is seen as what you are supposed to do as a professional. Actually there is as much skill involved in facilitating decision making by stakeholders. That takes as much skill, professional ability and dedication.”
— Randy Gatley, Teen Services, Vancouver Public Library

LIVING CONDITIONS: Connecting to the way people live their lives

“It’s really easy for those of us working in organizations to connect with other people who are also working for organizations and I think we need to get beyond that and talk to the people themselves.”
— Beth Davies, Carnegie Branch, Vancouver Public Library

CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY SERVICES: Building partnerships across organizations

“When you collaborate and start to share resources you can benefit from the wealth of knowledge that is out there and not re-create the wheel.”
— Bonnie O’Sullivan, 411 Seniors Centre

Digital story from the Maple Bamboo Initiative

An example of how the Project Diversity ideas of engagement and inclusion are put into action. The Maple Bamboo Initiative is a training and mentorship project that helps newcomers and immigrants get involved in civic activities and community life.