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Bias Prevention and Diversity Awareness Training Programs:
On Common Ground, Inc. is a NJ Character Education Partnership Program of Merit

Introduction:

Far too many students in our schools have to confront bias, discrimination, and prejudice on a daily basis. Often, students are targets of racism, homophobia, ageism, sexism, and other hurtful manifestations of hate. The consequences can be devastating on individuals, schools, and communities. Bias in its many forms threatens the safety of school environments. Tacit acceptance of the lower levels of bias and prejudice allows the higher levels to develop, including violence.

On Common Ground is highly committed to helping schools become accepting communities that value and appreciate diversity. Eight years ago, On Common Ground co-directors Judith and Chris helped start the Anytown, NJ program and have also served as co-directors of this highly-successful anti-bias youth leadership training. During that time, On Common Ground, Inc. has also helped many schools develop and strengthen peer programs designed to promote diversity appreciation and combat bias, prejudice, and racism. On Common Ground anti-bias training programs focus on developing self-awareness in students, often leading to the realization that bias and racism really hurt. We help students learn to identify biased attitudes (their own and others) and explore strategies for dealing effectively with prejudice. Our goal is to help students become leaders in their schools, empowering them to create a more accepting, equitable environment.

In response to September 11th, several school districts requested Bias Prevention and Diversity Awareness Training for selected groups of students. While a “typical” On Common Ground Bias Prevention and Diversity Awareness training is outlined below, all On Common Ground training programs are customized to meet the exact needs of each school and always beginning with a program planning process. For more information on the program planning process, click here.

"Typical" Training Description:

In this model, On Common Ground trains a select group of student leaders and adult advisors who are interested in bias prevention and diversity awareness. This team of student leaders and adult advisors receive in-depth diversity and leadership training from On Common Ground trainers and will serve as the core diversity awareness team in the school. Typically, the initial training of the core team occurs over the course of a multiple-day retreat. During this retreat, the training focuses on:

• Fostering a sense of community within the group
• Building communication and emotional intelligence skills
• Developing empathy and self-awareness
• Increasing individual diversity awareness

The training program is based on a carefully designed sequence of experiential learning activities. The initial activities help students meet each other and feel more comfortable together. In addition, On Common Ground facilitators help the students design their own group norms to create a safe and supportive group culture. As the training progresses, the students:

• Learn about communication skills such as active listening by participating in “game-like” initiatives
• Cultivate trust and team problem-solving skills
• Learn a problem solving model that encourages brainstorming and cooperation and then apply this model to several group challenges

As group trust and safety grows, the training increasingly focuses on self-awareness, issues of racial and ethnic identity, and empathy building. The training culminates in the development of student action-plans to help promote acceptance and awareness in their school. Often, groups decide to share what they have learned with a larger segment of the school body.

To that end, On Common Ground trainers lead several days of follow-up training that focus on helping the trained core team design and implement a one-day training for an additional group of interested students. The follow-up trainings continue to develop self-awareness and group unity, while also introducing and practicing group facilitation skills. In this way, the core team learns how to conduct a one-day bias prevention/diversity awareness program for other students. The core team develops into a skilled training group that can serve as a continual resource within the school community. On Common Ground staff helps oversee and facilitate the actual turn-key training, helping to ensure a positive, impactful experience for everyone involved.

Program Goals:

The ultimate goal of this training is to facilitate the development of a student-based action plan to impact positively the level of inter-cultural and inter-ethnic acceptance and appreciation at the school by:

1. Training a select group of student leaders and adult advisors to become a core diversity awareness team
2. Fostering a sense of community within the group and empowering the team with skills and strategies to impact their school
3. Helping develop and implement a turn-key training to further promote an accepting, supportive school environment

Program Overview:

This program is influenced by the train-the-trainer model, in which a small group of leaders are taught how to provide trainings within their own school community. On Common Ground trainers first help the core team build the necessary communication and emotional intelligence skills, while increasing individual diversity awareness. Then, On Common Ground staff assists this team in the creation and implementation of additional trainings, utilizing the trained students and advisors as key staff members in the subsequent trainings. This approach provides an intense learning experience for the core team and a resource for continued impact within the school.

Program Fees:

For information on fees, please click here

Program Funding Sources:

1. Many of our clients use Character Education funding for our services:

   The New Jersey Character Education Partnership (NJCEP)

   "The purpose of the NJCEP is to assist public school educators to adopt validated character education programs that will meet the developmental needs of students throughout New Jersey by promoting pro-social student behaviors and creating a caring, disciplined school climate conducive to learning." –NJCEP

   To learn more about Character Education funding, click www.state.nj.us/njded/chared

2. In addition, many schools have utilized Municipal Alliance and/or Title IV funding to pay for On Common Ground services.
3. For more program funding suggestions, please contact On Common Ground at 908-879-8516 or by email.