Nova Scotia Community College
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The Office of Diversity and Inclusion
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion (established in 2008) transitioned to Human Rights and Equity Services in 2020 and began to focus efforts on establishing and nurturing spaces for connection and collaboration within the College. The Office also began to work collaboratively with the newly established Centre for the Advancement of Educational Equity and Belonging (2020) to enhance the College’s strategic orientation to monitoring and evaluating progress toward the College’s equity-related goals and the development of an Equity Ecosystem and Roadmap.

Equity Ecosystem
Our vision is one of NSCC as a dynamic community – an ecosystem – of equity-minded individuals and groups where opportunities to connect and align can easily occur. An Equity Ecosystem to help maintain and create pathways to share information and model inclusive leadership.
The Ecosystem aims to elevate the post-secondary experience for everyone at NSCC by dismantling systemic barriers and fostering equity-centered learning and working environments. It reflects two inter-dependent Equity Dimensions:
• Equity Architecture (Structural Dimension): This component builds the structures needed at the College for changing ways of thinking and acting and also informs key areas of impact to be developed within the cultural dimension.
• Equity Mindedness (Cultural Dimension): This component is responsive to the structural dimension by building the knowledge, skills and behaviors requisite to change ways of thinking, acting and being to ensure that equity-centered practices are a pervasive feature throughout the college community.
By thoughtfully building our Equity Architecture and intentionally fostering Equity Mindedness, we will establish learning and working spaces that celebrate and amplify difference.

Equity Roadmap
The Equity Roadmap is a summary action plan that outlines the respective priorities of the Equity Leadership Team from 2021-2024 to ensure alignment in striving to transform NSCC to become Canada’s Equity College. The Roadmap is organized under six Equity Pillars and reflects the two inter-dependent Equity Dimensions based on the Equity-Driven Systems Change model to accelerate learning and leadership in striving for equity and excellence.
The Six Interconnected Equity Pillars within which our strategic initiatives are organized are: 1) Building our Accountability 2) Investing in our College Community 3) Nurturing First Voice 4) Innovating our Programming and Services 5) Transforming our Systems and 6) Amplifying our Commitment.

Introducing Human Rights Equity and Inclusion
In 2021 Human Rights and Equity Services and Centre for the Advancement of Educational Equity and Belonging were amalgamated to become the current Office of Human Rights Equity and Inclusion (HREI), a unified force for social change and economic prosperity for all communities in Nova Scotia. In striving for equity and inclusion and ensuring that everyone has the tools and supports they need to excel at the college, this new portfolio will have an expanded focus on building organizational competence as a key driver of systems change.

The combined momentum of these two departments under one elevated portfolio will catalyze a shared sense of purpose and create further growth to compel the college to action in achieving our bold mandate for equity and excellence.

Strategic Cornerstones:
• Culturally Specific Leadership and Supports (i.e. Senior Advisors, leadership for cultural components of the Cultural Supports team, etc.)
• Education & Training (i.e. Understanding Diversity & Building Bridges, Shift Change, etc.)
• Trauma-Informed Advisory Services and Risk Management (i.e. Confidential Reporting, Conflict Resolution Process Facilitation, etc.)
• Programs and Pathways (i.e. Equity in STEM, Women in Trades, etc.)
• Professional Services (i.e. ASL Interpretation, Mediation, Conflict Coaching, etc.)
• Equity Planning and Reporting (i.e. Accessibility Plan, Indigenous Ed Framework, Anti-Black Racism Action Plan, Equity Annual Report, Equity Scorecard, etc.)

HREI Team:

• Executive Director, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
• Office Intake Coordinator
• Manager, Respectful Communities and Human Rights
• Respectful Communities and Human Rights Lead
• Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Lead
• ASL English Interpreter
• Senior Advisor, Mi’kmaw and Indigenous Initiatives (L’nuey Nikanus)
• Senior Advisor Persons with Disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+.
• Senior Advisor, Black Nova Scotian Initiatives

Services, Initiatives and Highlights

Services and Initiatives

Through focused efforts to remove systemic barriers, our current Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion department aims to foster an environment that's welcoming to our students, employees and community partners. The team works to build an equity-minded culture throughout the College by focusing on building awareness, allyship and action.

• Promote an environment that's welcoming and inclusive by supporting a respectful community that’s free from sexual violence, racism, discrimination and harassment.
• Encourage open dialogue on complex issues related to race, class, ability, gender, sexual orientation, privilege and other dimensions of equity.
• Create safer spaces that invite participation, encourage the sharing of stories and the voicing of larger societal contexts.
• Lead NSCC’s sexual violence prevention and education efforts and response to incidents of sexual violence.
• Provide guidance on the evaluation of risk, interpretation of policy and conflict competent resolution of concerns.
• Provide a spectrum of interest-based, restorative, culturally responsive conflict resolution options to resolve concerns.
• Focus on making connections, strengthening relationships and repairing harm as a way of building community.
• Provide and co-ordinate American Sign Language interpreting services for NSCC staff, faculty and community.
• Promote activities, events, initiatives and observances related to human rights, equity and inclusion.
• Lead the development of strategic equity plans, such as a College accessibility plan, Indigenous education framework and a racism action plan.
• Help to reduce financial barriers for students by collaborating with NSCC Foundation on initiatives, such as informing ways to embed equity into appeal campaigns and the creation of new student bursaries.
• Engage in equity-related research and innovation projects.
• Provide culturally specific expertise and leadership through employee resource networks, campus-based equity and inclusion committees and student affinity groups (in collaboration with Student Affairs).
• Offer programming in priority areas for students from equity-seeking groups.
• Develop and deliver training, webinars and other supports to achieve both employment and educational equity.

Policy Stewardship:
• Employment Equity (Co-Steward with OD)
• Educational Equity
• Respectful Community
• Sexual Violence
• Safe Disclosure
•
Guideline Implementation:
• Inclusive Event Guidelines
• Supporting Transgender and Gender Diverse Students and Employees Guidelines
• Religious/Creed Accommodation Procedures
• Guidelines for Working with Interpreters
• Smudging Guidelines
• Calendar of Common Observances

Strategic Planning:
• College Accessibility Plan
• Indigenous Education Framework
• Anti-Black Racism Framework
• Equity Annual Report

First Voice Community Committees:
• Mi’kmaq Joint Working Group
• Black Community Council
• Accessibility Advisory Committees

Highlights

Employment Equity: NSCC’s inaugural Employment Equity Plan identified the activities needed to ensure full representation of designated groups within the College workforce, including women, aboriginal/Indigenous peoples, racially-visible persons and persons with disabilities. The plan outlined short-term and long-term goals and measures to correct any under-representation of these designated groups. In 2021 NSCC also designated 2SLGBTQ+ as an equity group.
Respectful Community: Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy has evolved into Respectful Community Policy, Procedures, and Guidelines. This expansive suite of resources and tools are grounded in restorative approach; a responsive conflict resolution model that:
• Ensures a shared understanding and expectations of how the College defines safe and positive behaviours in the learning and working environment.
• Supports the effective and equitable resolution of concerns raised under the policy.

Campus Equity and Inclusion Committees: Equity and Inclusion Committees have been re-stablished on every NSCC campus under a newly-developed Statement of Purpose which provides consistent direction to all committees and ensures the work of campus Equity and Inclusion Committees is aligned with organizational direction.
Employee Resource Networks: Employee Resource Networks (ERNs) are groups that provide NSCC employees from a particular community with an opportunity to share common experiences. They're endorsed by Executive as part of the College's emerging Equity Ecosystem and sponsored by Executive Director, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion.
ERNs are designed to foster a sense of belonging and support. They provide a safe space for networking, learning and mentorship. They're intended to provide value to participants and the College community by improving employee engagement, retention and wellness, and by creating a culture of genuine inclusion. Current networks include:
• 2SLGBTQ+ ERN
For employees who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or another minority sexual orientation and/or gender identities.
• African/Black Nova Scotian ERN
For employees who identify as African or Black Nova Scotians.
• Indigenous ERN
For employees who identify as Indigenous.
• People of Colour ERN
For employees who identify as a person of colour.
• Persons with Disabilities ERN
For employees who have a disability.

EDI Course Curriculum: NSCC supports and is committed to EDI course curriculum. NSCC currently has mandatory EDI employee training, Striving for Equity and Building Bridges, and a student orientation Brightspace course NSCC and Me, which walks through modules on Respectful Community, Sexual Violence, Anti Black Racism and Treaty Rights as well as leadership course Building Inclusive Practice and online course in partnership with Equity Educate, Supporting Transgender Students and Employees, available to all students and employees.

Designated Cohorts: Our Academic team continues to prioritize equity through several designated cohorts tailored for specific equity-seeking communities, by prioritizing equity-centered faculty supports and with a newly named team of Academic Equity & Quality focused on bringing an equity lens to the full programming continuum from design, to curriculum development to program review and renewal.”
Black Community Council: After a year of community engagement, NSCC has launched the Black Community Council. Members will provide advice and make recommendations regarding a broad range of matters impacting African/Black Nova Scotian students to help ensure an inclusive, anti-racist and equitable learning environment.

Anti-Black Racism Action Plan: As a learning-centered College focused on Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion, NSCC invested and committed to bridge the gap for Black /African Nova Scotian learners in success and sustainability. NSCC continues to focus on best practices and the transformative change needed to bring Equity and Inclusion to Black/African Nova Scotian Education through the development of the Anti-Black Racism Action Plan. With the transition of a new Senior Advisor Black Nova Scotian Initiatives, the current draft of the Anit-Black Racism Action Plan is being developed to create a timeline and workplan for completion in 2023.

Accessibility Plan: In response to Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act which “recognizes accessibility as a human right, and outlines how we will improve accessibility by preventing and removing barriers,” Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) has launched its inaugural Accessibility Plan. The goals set out in the plan will guide our collective actions for change as we work with the province on its goal of an accessible Nova Scotia by 2030. The overarching goal of NSCC’s plan is to set the stage, to set a foundation of understanding and reframe disability as a social justice issue. Our plan sets forth a progressive and revolutionary approach to accessibility in post-secondary.

Campus Housing Rebrand: As an organization, NSCC strives to be an equity-centred institution founded on diversity and where everyone feels like they belong and can achieve their full potential. We can accomplish this by being intentional in our approach, recognizing the importance of language in representation, and incorporating the correct language in all we do at NSCC. In light of this understanding, believing Indigenous truths, and working towards reconciliation, NSCC has determined that the term "residence" does not foster a safe, welcoming, or inclusive environment for Indigenous students. In 2022, the term 'residence' (and variations) as it relates to housing was removed from all College material, web pages and publications. The term 'residence life' will be replaced with campus housing.

Honour Song Translation Project: The Honour Song Translation project is a collaboration with Mi’kmaq Deaf signers, Mi’kmaq Elders, language keepers, translators, singers, signers, dancers, and community members with a goal to translate a modern traditional song like the Mi’kmaq Honour Song and incorporate Deaf Mi’kmaq languages and talent onscreen, in a professional and dignified way that is future-forward, inclusive, and accessible.
The Mi’kmaq Sign Language translation was co-created in November 2021 in a collaborative ceremonial text analysis translation exercise. The Mi’kmaq Sign Language lyrics were created by Mi’kmaq signers Holly Green and Sheila Johnson by weaving together their collective knowledge of Old Mi’kmaq signs, Maritime Sign Language, American Sign Language. The Mi’kmaq language knowledge was provided by Kenny Prosper, Michael R Denny, Allwyn Jeddore, and others. Protocols for this video usage were also created.

Indigenous Education Framework: In 2022 NSCC began development on an Indigenous Education Framework. It is a co-developed document, led by the Senior Advisor Mi’kmaw Indigenous Initiatives to foster partnerships with indigenous communities and participate in truth and reconciliation activities to strengthen relationships with communities and support Indigenous students’ success, creating learning opportunities and expanding employment options for Indigenous students and communities across Nova Scotia. Under the guidance of the New Advisor, respectful community engagement will take place with our Indigenous communities, staff, partners, and advisory committees to ensure that a decolonized Indigenous lens is reflected throughout the document at all levels of development.

Treaty Education: Indigenous Cultural Training programs were delivered to Staff, Faculty and Senior Leadership Forum members by Indigenous Treaty Partners, a Mi’kmaw owned and operated capacity development team that focuses on relationship building and reconciliation. In Collaboration with Indigenous Treaty Partners, discussions continue with subject matter experts and Indigenous knowledge keepers to build out a culturally appropriate and safe Mi’kmaq Capacity development module to build faculty, staff and student capacity for Intercultural empathy, mutual respect and equity. Currently plans are to provide a prerequisite nationally available foundational course for staff and faculty to take now while Mi’kmaw Curriculum and program is being developed.

• Striving for Equity and Building Bridges. This mandatory workshop will help employees understand the concepts as well as provide them with strategies and skills for fostering inclusion at work.
• In partnership with Organizational Learning the HREI has worked to provide educational workshops on topics such as Cultural Competence, Intercultural Competence, Allyship, Diversity and Unconscious Bias, for employees.
• Leads in the coordination of celebration and NSCC's participation in Halifax Pride Week Events, including participation in the Halifax Pride Parade. NSCC has received rave reviews from the Halifax Pride Committee Chair and its members for being a leader in support of Halifax Pride Celebrations in comparisons to other local Post Secondary Institutions. In 2018 NSCC received the award for Best Float in the Halifax Pride parade.
• Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Competency learning program delivered for Executive members and Executive Direct Reports.
• Various customized training offered to departments and campuses that include module /discussion on creating space for IDEA2
• Individual coaching for employees and students on IDEA2 in relation to complaint resolution.

Leave for Change: International Volunteerism
Leave for Change (L4C) is a component of the Uniterra international development programme.
Since 2009, NSCC Organizational Learning, NSCC International and Uniterra have been sponsoring interested NSCC employees to undertake a variety of international short-term placements overseas with the goal of skill-sharing and capacity building; to the benefit of both the volunteer and the host agency. NSCC employees have volunteered in a number of countries over the past eight years in Ghana, Vietnam, Malawi, Burkina Faso and Nepal.
Intercultural competency training is required prior to departure on the Leave. NSCC employees travel to Toronto or Montreal for two-day intercultural competency training followed by a three to four week placement abroad. L4C employees maintain a blog and complete pre, during and post-placement reflections, as well as make presentations to the College community. As a requirement of the L4C placement, NSCC employees are required to make a commitment to give back to the NSCC community after their return from their Leave.