Activating Allies

DEI can be a tough space to advocate in. Progress can be slow, often with competing priorities around the leadership table and on the HR agenda. It’s an area that evolves so fast too and yet most of us feel further behind than we’d like to be on our KPIs for developing a diverse, inclusive, safe organisation with a culture of equity.

How can we learn from some of the common mistakes, expediate our progress and finally make a shift in the right direction in our DEI goals.

It’s something that requires everyone’s support, that the whole organisation can see the benefit and understand their role. Beyond the education there’s the desire to get involved and knowing to do so in a way that’ll be manna enhancing for all involved. Ensuring all voices are heard, nobody feels cancelled and that we’re all in this together ensuring a more equitable organisation for every employee.

An ally is often defined as someone who is not a member of a marginalised group but wants to support and take action to help others in that group. Allyship in the workplace is crucial for inclusion and equality.

In recent years, an increased understanding of the powerful impact of allies at work and at home has led many organisations to recognise allies as a critical component of their diversity and inclusion efforts. Allies crucial partners in achieving equity, without that partnership, it’s much harder to address the barriers and inequalities that minority groups face. Everyone must be on this journey for it to be a success, but how do we bring people along on this journey and ensure it’s something the majority see as a priority?

Those who have seats at the table find they are often a lone voice or get an unfair workload in the DEI space because it’s their passion but also they are the lone voice from that community so lead all the initiatives connected to their background.

Often there are allies wanting to support but unsure how. Either through not knowing what to do or a fear of doing/saying the wrong thing we are often waiting for permission to step forward and support in a space we’re not sure how to navigate or if we’ve got the right to be in.

This session is designed to help unlock the power of activating allies. Including:

• What is Allyship?
• Overcoming unseen barriers: why support is needed
• How do we best provide support?
• How does this affect everyone?
• Sharing privilege and ensuring all voices are heard, discussing fears and cancel culture
• What’s the impact and how do we know it’s working?
• How our organisations can engage and support allies