More than 10,000 U of T community members take part in Indigenous cultural competency training

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 21:05:10 +0000

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 04/12/2024 - 17:05

Cutline

John Croutch, Indigenous training co-ordinator and a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation, says he hopes participants walk away from his sessions with a greater understanding of the impacts of settler colonialism and its focus on the erasure of Indigenous Peoples (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Melinda Mattos

Topic

Our Community

People Strategy

UTogether

Indigenous Initiatives

Truth and Reconciliation

Subheadline

In response to high demand, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives at U of T has hired a second training co-ordinator to deliver four-part learning series

The University of Toronto’s Office of Indigenous Initiatives has hit a milestone in its educational efforts: providing Indigenous cultural competency training to more than 10,000 students, staff, faculty and librarians across the university.

John Croutch, Indigenous training co-ordinator and a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded First Nation, leads the four-part learning series, which explores Canada’s hidden history of Indigenous-settler relations, the impact of state decisions and policies, the role of land acknowledgments, and the nature of allyship.

“Reconciliation is about building a relationship between Indigenous Peoples and non-Indigenous Peoples so that we can see that we are not so different,” says Croutch, who joined the Office of Indigenous Initiatives in 2018.

“As you start to build those relationships, you start to feel more comfortable around Indigenous Peoples because you know what we've been through.”

Given high demand for the sessions, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives recently hired a second Indigenous training co-ordinator, Andrea Johns, to support the delivery of programming and create more opportunities for engagement.

Croutch says he hopes participants walk away from his sessions with a greater understanding of the impacts of settler colonialism and its focus on the erasure of Indigenous Peoples.

“I hope it will help them understand some of the socioeconomic conditions that Indigenous Peoples live with and the fact that we were segregated in schools, hospitals and on reserves … in the past, the average Canadian could never build a relationship with us,” he says. “But that’s beginning to change.”

While the training sessions touch on uncomfortable truths that can be difficult for many Canadians to hear, Croutch’s expansive knowledge, strong facilitation skills and willingness to share lived experiences allow him to connect deeply with learners.

“John is a talented trainer who is able to deliver complex and challenging content in a way that informs the participant without placing blame and offers solutions and a path forward in reconciliation efforts,” says Shannon Simpson, senior director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. “He has been able to reach community members who may not otherwise have considered this important and, in doing so, has shifted views and opinions.”

Participants’ feedback echo these sentiments. They describe Croutch as “a deeply engaged and passionate expert” who “challenges us with uncomfortable truths in a way that inspires further reflection and learning.”

Another participant described the sessions as “the history lesson we should have gotten in school.”

While Croutch says he still encounters some individuals who want to debate the history or challenge his teachings, he’s seen a shift in how people react to the training over the years.

“I have noticed a definite upswing in awareness and less resistance than I did in 2019,” he says. “I believe that the university is doing much more to facilitate that awareness of Indigenous presence and futurity … for example, Indigenous land acknowledgments, the accommodation of smudging, the Ziibiing landscape project, the Maanjiwe nendamowinan building at the Mississauga campus, Feather Bearers at convocation, and the Indigenous Tuition Initiative to name a few.

“There is also less resistance to the trainings, I believe, because as more people train, the resisters are beginning to become the outliers.”

U of T launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website

ksoobria — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 16:10:33 +0000

U of T launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website ksoobria Tue, 02/13/2024 - 11:10

The University of Toronto community has a new website that enhances the way it tracks institutional progress on addressing recommendations from its equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) working groups and task force.

Launched in December 2023, the Institutional Equity Commitments website outlines the commitments U of T has made in response to recommendations from the Anti-Black Racism Task Force, Antisemitism Working Group and Anti-Asian Racism Working Group; provides status updates on each initiative; and shares articles, photos, and resources that bring this work to life. 

“The university is committed to building on the strong foundation for change laid in the reports of our EDI working groups and task force,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “It is also imperative that our actions be transparent and accessible to all members of our community. We hope that the new Institutional Equity Commitments website will foster an increased awareness of what we have achieved together so far and inspire participation in the many initiatives yet to come.” 

Developed through collaboration among the Office of the President, the Office of the Vice-President & Provost and the Office of the Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture, the Institutional Equity Commitments website is an evolution of a pilot project that began in 2021. The pilot version, known as the Commitments Dashboard, was created to track the implementation of Anti-Black Racism Task Force recommendations and later expanded to include Antisemitism Working Group recommendations. Over the years, there has been a growing need to enhance the existing site. 

“Guided by our community’s feedback, we have designed a site that is easier to navigate and clearly demonstrates institutional accountability while celebrating our shared progress,” said U of T’s Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture Kelly Hannah-Moffat.

The updated website has a redesigned look and enhanced user experience, including featured stories, progress snapshots, and status updates on the recommendations. Visitors can filter the entire page by specific report. Additionally, divisions or offices responsible for reporting progress on each commitment are now identified. 

“The nature of equity work is that it is an ongoing journey, characterized by continual growth and change,” said Jodie Glean-Mitchell, executive director, equity, diversity and inclusion.

“The newly revised Institutional Equity Commitments website provides the university with a tool to put EDI accountability into action as we engage our collective responsibility to foster an equitable and inclusive university.”    

Members of the U of T community are encouraged to explore the new site and consider how the working group recommendations might inform change in their own areas of the university. Feedback on the site and stories about local progress on EDI commitments are also welcome and can be submitted using the feedback form.  

“We are fortunate to have a very engaged community of students, faculty, librarians and staff who make important contributions to this work, and we’re glad to have their continued input,” said Trevor Young, U of T's vice-president and provost. “Our ongoing goal is to better deliver and report on the institutional commitments we've made to equity and to improve transparency and accountability.”

U of T launches new Institutional Equity Commitments website

(photo by Johnny Guatto)

Melinda Mattos 

Off