“Our vision is to ensure that, in this community, every child is cherished.” That’s how Suzanne Senior-Mitchell, Board Chair of Peel Children’s Aid, opened the conversation.
As she tells us, when Peel Children’s Aid began to explore how to introduce diversity into their organization, they made an important realization: that the very services they delivered where seen as oppressive by some members of the community they serve.
For that reason, the agency decided it was imperative to create an organization-wide initiative that incorporates both diversity and anti-oppression, “into our DNA.
Why Peel Children’s Aid was awarded a Diversity in Governance Award
Peel Children’s Aid is a leader in the field of child welfare. The majority of its client base is comprised of people living in poverty, new immigrants, people who are racialized, single mothers, and people with physical and/or mental health disabilities. Moreover, many are struggling to adapt to a new environment and culture. The increasingly diverse population in the Peel region has provided the imperative for the agency to centre diversity in its strategic planning and governance.
As the agency strives to be more helpful to marginalized communities, it finds that diverse members of the board provide perspectives that are an alternative to that of the mainstream board members. More than 50% of the board are now visible minorities which makes the agency more relevant to its diverse communities. Representing the agency to marginalized communities, these diverse board members also contribute to improving what has historically been an unfavourable reputation.
All of these positive developments began more than a decade ago with a few lone voices raising controversial questions about effective service to diverse populations. Since then the agency has evolved its thinking and processes from a concept of multiculturalism to diversity and now to anti-oppression. This change underlines a hard-won acceptance by the organization’s leadership that racism and other forms of oppression exist and are, in fact, prevalent in the child welfare system. The board is now at the helm steering a wholesale culture shift and vulnerable children and families in Peel are sure to benefit.
Profiles of other 2010 winners: