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I. Introduction

A Child's Dream-CA is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential, regardless of their background or circumstances. We believe that every child deserves a safe, nurturing environment where they can thrive, and we are committed to creating that environment through our outreach programs and support services. To fulfill our mission of "Helping to meet essential needs through practical means; one man, one household, one street, one community at a time," we embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) as core values in everything we do.

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II. Policy Statement

A Child's Dream-CA is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment where all children, families, and staff feel valued, respected, and empowered. We strive to create a community that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve and to eliminate barriers to access and opportunity for all.

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III. Core Principles

• Diversity: We celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures, backgrounds, and experiences represented by our children, families, and staff. We actively seek to recruit and retain a diverse team and to ensure that our programs and services are accessible to everyone.

• Equity: We believe that all children deserve equal opportunities to reach their full potential. We strive to address systemic inequities and ensure that everyone has access to the resources and support they need to succeed.

• Inclusion: We create a space where everyone feels welcome, valued, and able to participate fully. We value and appreciate the unique perspectives and contributions of each individual and actively encourage open communication and collaboration.

 

IV. Actionable Steps

• Cultural competency training: We will provide training to our staff and volunteers on cultural competency and unconscious bias.

• Inclusive outreach: We will actively engage with diverse communities to ensure that our programs and services are accessible and relevant to their needs.

• Accessible communication: We will ensure that all our communication materials are available in multiple languages and formats and that they are clear and understandable to everyone.

• Inclusive programming: We will design our programs and activities to be inclusive and welcoming to all children, regardless of their abilities, backgrounds, or experiences.

• Data collection and analysis: We will collect data on the demographics of our participants and staff, and we will use this data to identify and address any gaps in equity and inclusion.

• Regular evaluation and improvement: We will regularly evaluate our DEI efforts and make adjustments as needed to ensure that we are meeting our goals.

 

V. Monitoring and Evaluation

A Child's Dream-CA is committed to continuous improvement in our DEI efforts. We will track our progress on the implementation of this policy through regular data collection and analysis. We will also seek feedback from our children, families, staff, and volunteers to ensure that we are meeting their needs and expectations.

VI. Resources

We encourage our staff, volunteers, and community partners to access the following resources to learn more about DEI and to help us build a more inclusive community:

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• The National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ): https://nccj.org/

• The Anti-Defamation League (ADL): https://www.adl.org/

• The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC): https://www.splcenter.org/

 

Download this Policy:

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This DEI policy is available for download on our website: achildsdream-ca.org/dei-policy

We believe that by embracing DEI, we can create a brighter future for all children. We are committed to continuous improvement and welcome your feedback on how we can further strengthen our efforts.