SJPS students collaborating with community organizations on EDI glossary

As part of a placement with Pillar Nonprofit Network, Maddie Paisley and Sunday Ajak, enrolled in SJPS 3500: Community-Based Learning, have compiled a Glossary of Terms to be used by the nonprofit sector in London. This is part of phase one of a larger project, the Equity & Inclusion Framework and Toolkits(s), made possible under the City of London Innovation Grant.

"Maddie and Sunday have been a tremendous asset to the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) community collaborative. The Glossary of Terms they curated will be an excellent resource to the nonprofit sector as it advances its equity, inclusion and justice objectives,” says Dharshi Lacey, Director, Equity, Inclusion & Governance, Pillar Nonprofit Network. The glossary came about due to a realization that although there are many pre-existing EDI frameworks, they historically lack the tangible pre-implementation steps needed to increase the buy-in and sustainability of EDI within an organization.

The Equity & Inclusion Framework and Toolkits(s) is a collaborative project teaming King’s and the Social Justice and Peace Studies department with five equity-serving organizations that have lived experience and systems expertise, including Pillar, Atlohsa Family Healing Centre, N’Amerind Friendship Centre, Muslim Resource Centre, Black London Network and Urban League London. These partners have come together to develop, test and implement a racial and gender+ equity lens framework and toolkits that can be applied at the citizen, organizational and community level.

“Having nonprofits in the collaborative has been really helpful in gauging what needs to be committed financially and time-wise to create a successful and sustainable EDI framework that is capable of meeting organizations where they are,” says Paisley.

The creation of a useable EDI framework will be continued through the summer. “Our intended result is to set the groundwork for the larger project. The project has been well received so far, and we hope that it will continue to be well received upon the progression of the framework,” says Paisley.

“The aim of SJPS 3500E is that students have the opportunity to put into action theories and ideas of social justice. Through their placements, class discussions and assignments, students critically reflect on the role social justice plays in local communities and issues. This project has enabled Sunday and Maddie to contribute to a project focused on long-term systemic change in organizations,” says Shawna Lewkowitz, Lecturer, Social Justice and Peace Studies.

“The work that I’ve been contributing towards has been enlightening to say the least. This Glossary of Terms has the potential to increase avenues on inclusion for growing non-profit organizations and bridge gap for common misunderstandings in terminology. I am confident that the EDI Project will hold true to the inclusivity potential it has, and to its relevance for collaborative structuring of non-profit organizations,” says Ajak.

“Working alongside the various nonprofit partners has been very illuminating and helpful, because they are able to bring new and innovative knowledge of how the nonprofit sector works, and different levels of buy-in that exist within the current structures,” says Paisley.

For those interested in studying the Glossary of Terms, please contact Pillar Nonprofit at dlacey@pillarnonprofit.ca.