In the Spring, our team had the opportunity to participate in the Equity Sequence by the Sandbox Centre and Tidal Equality. This regional program was developed to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Aimed to educate businesses about equity and reduce biases, the workshop included two virtual sessions and an online learning component.
As a team, we found the workshop to be beneficial to the way we think of our business. We were encouraged to think of all of our processes from multiple lenses. The Equity Sequence helped us figure out who things were designed for and without. The process had us evaluating so many different aspects of our business to be more inclusive.
We believe in the power of disrupting traditional workflow processes and evolving. We also know that true change needs vulnerability. To challenge ourselves to change, we volunteered to present some of our processes to the group for evaluation. Because we value openness, this aspect was incredibly important to us. We were so inspired by the feedback and conversations that were created during this program. See what our team thought below:
Teena Sauve, Founder, Senior Advisor
"In the summer of 2020, we (the Botree team) were approached by the Sandbox to participate in some brainstorming and planning around DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). It was an absolute YES.
Not only do I personally pride myself on being inclusive; I know that with the unique programming and services we offer at Botree, this was/is foundational to meeting people where they need to be met. We had the pleasure of working with the team the Sandbox put together to dive into the needs, challenges, and innovative approaches to support businesses in this equitable business environment WE ALL should be striving towards day by day.
I personally felt that being part of the planning discussion for execution, and then the opportunity to participate, was more valuable than words can describe. It allowed us all to be open, vulnerable, and most importantly, GROW together. I am further inspired and know that our role with customers can now add additional value. By sharing our experience and our knowledge, we can influence other organizations to be part of this extremely important movement."
Jordann Bone, Director of Instructional Design:
"I appreciated the clear and actionable structure of the Equity Sequence. I often feel overwhelmed by the many barriers to equity and not sure where to start. This process-oriented approach that focuses on awareness, self-education, and action places accountability squarely on the individual and provides a clear path to impact. It felt empowering to know I can learn about and create a more equitable world one initiative at a time.
My eyes were opened to opportunities to be more equitable and ways I was really missing the mark and perpetuating barriers for folks. Since taking this course I am applying the key questions to different aspects of my life in pursuit of equity beyond our workplace."
Heather Price-Jones, Client Relations Specialist:
"I really enjoyed the Equity Sequence. As someone with a marketing background, it was eye-opening to think of “who was this program/product made without”. I think we so often focus on a target audience and how to reach them, that we forget to check if our product or service is equitable.
My favourite part was the open communication about Botree’s process. It was so interesting to hear the input from so many regional professionals about creating more equity. It was inspiring to see so many community members band together and vow to create a more equitable environment."
Thank you to the Sandbox Centre for bringing such a dynamic and important program to our region.