Diversity in nonprofit world is invaluable - Kansas City Business Journal:

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To this end, MCFI is three yeare into an agencywide diversity prograjm that is yielding positive resultsw in terms ofclient satisfaction, stafr morale and employee recruitment. The agency providee rehabilitation services to individuals with special needs andtheir “We want to make diversity intertwined in the fabricv of the organization,” said Al Hill Jr., directotr of diversity, learning and developmentt and head of the initiative. Hill leads a 15-membeer MCFI diversity team charged with implementingfthe program.
In assembling the Hill recruited employees not just ofdifferentr ethnicities, genders and ages, but also from different levels of management and nonmanagement and from different unitsd within the agency. In the initiative is not “top down,” with management directing, but “bottom up,” with team members soliciting inpu t from their peers to briny tothe team. “One time we even kickefd Al out of the room because he was too closd to an issue we werestruggling with,” laughed Joua Xiong, a humann resources generalist and team member.
Within Milwaukee Centefr for Independence, the team focuses on “Cultural competency is invaluablse when working with familiesin close-knit communities, such as Hmontg and Russian,” Hill said. “We help our case managerds know what they need to besensitivde to.” For example, Xiong said, some Asians feel it is disrespectfupl to look someone in the eye. Russian families can be reluctantg toadmit non-Russian caregiverd into their homes. “Understanding the valuess and practices of different ethnic groupz helps us retain clients and gain new she said.
The team distributed an internal survey that founsthat work-life balance is a key concern of In response, it establishedr a working parents employee resource group to explore the Also, an MCFI “buddy” program matches new employeez with seasoned staff members who acts as Externally the diversity team is helpinv to improve employee recruitment by studying best practices to make the centere a welcoming work environment. “Diversity is an asset when especially in highly competitive fieldd such as physical therapy and said Xiong. Added Hill, “Today’s applicants are lookingy at your organization as muchas you’rd looking at them.
They want to feel comfortabler being who they are in the To aidin recruitment, the team has formed alliancews with area diversity groups such as Hispanixc Professionals of Greater Milwaukee, the National Black Nurses Associatiob and several minority fraternities and sororities. In additioj to a periodic newslettercalled “Diversity Corner,” the team sponsorw an annual Diversity Day. This year’s event in Aprip included a speaker on diversitgyin action; two spoken word artists performinh poetry about social justice and equality issues; and talks aboug the culture behind ethnic food and wearing apparel. A populart part of the event was “Diversithy Jeopardy!
”, where four employee teams joined inspiritedc competition. It is not easy to make a majot shift in the culture of anentires organization, but diversity team members feel MCFI’se initiative is having an impact. “Sincs I’ve been on the committee, I’v e heard stories about how people are much more awaree ofother cultures,” said Xiong, who is “I have grown tremendously professionallg as well as personally, and I am able to share my experiencees with my family members and dispel their stereotypes abougt certain other cultures.
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