Our goal is to foster a respectful and inclusive working and learning environment by creating awareness and belonging through education, events, and training. We have developed and gathered the information found on this page to assist the BCIT community.
Inclusion Lens for the Learning Environment
The Inclusion Lens for the Learning Environment guide [PDF] is to help instructors create a more inclusive learning environment. The document will help instructors to review their course content through an inclusion lens so as to better identify and address barriers to inclusion within the materials. The guide will also provide information and resources on accessibility and universal design in the classroom. Finally, instructors will find a list of tips to include inclusivity.
Student Accommodation Requests (non-disability related)
BCIT recognizes that although a process exists to address accommodation requests for students with disabilities as well as a policy that outlines attendance, students may face circumstances that need additional consideration. This student accommodation request (non-disability related) document [PDF] outlines considerations for such requests and a process for making decisions.
For accommodation requests that are disability related, please refer to Accessibility Services.
Respectful Learning Environment for Students
Learn more about what is considered harassment, bullying, and discrimination and what to do if you observe this behaviour at BCIT.
Respectful Learning Environment for Students FAQ [PDF]
Instructor Resource – Creating a Respectful Learning Environment
The RDI office has created a power point presentation that Instructors can use to further respectful interactions in their class. The presentation, which comes with detailed speaking notes, covers the topics of why a respectful learning environment is important, what is considered discrimination, harassment, and bullying, and what students can do if they witness disrespectful behaviour. To get a copy of the presentation email rdi@bcit.ca and ask for the “Respect at BCIT Instructor slides.”
Days of Significance Calendar
Recognizing human rights, equity, respect, diversity, and inclusion
This Days of Significance calendar [PDF] highlights days that raise awareness about creating a more respectful, equitable, inclusive and just society. It is a living document, and members of the community are welcome to reach out to respect@bcit.ca with additions and updates or to let us know about any errors.
Human Rights Fact Sheet
The Human Rights Code (BC) as well as BCIT’s Harassment and Discrimination Policy prohibit discrimination and harassment in the learning and working environment on the basis of personal characteristics. The Human Rights Code also prohibits discrimination in other areas of life, such as when accessing public services, facilities, or accommodation (e.g. hotels, restaurants, stores, recreation centres, government programs), or in the purchase or rental of your home. For further information please read our Human Rights Fact Sheet [PDF].
How to Give and Receive Feedback
People are sometimes reluctant to provide feedback for fear of offending others or creating conflict. Likewise, hearing feedback can sometimes cause one to feel defensive. However, when properly given, feedback can be an invaluable tool to help others improve and succeed.
Like all skills, giving and receiving feedback is something that can be improved with preparation and practice. Please click on the link below to help you start down the right path.
Workplace conflict checklist
Consider using this workplace conflict conversation checklist as a tool to prepare for a conversation about workplace conflict.
Communication
When communicating with our colleagues in person we interpret their words based on many factors such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language. Given that we do a lot of communicating via email, instant message, or video calls, it is important that we take care so as to avoid misunderstandings that may result from the lack of non-verbal or visual cues and remember that electronic communications should still relay the same respectful tone you would normally use.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Resources at BCIT
Please visit https://libguides.bcit.ca/edi for further resources found in our libraries
Gender
Understandings of gender continually evolve. In the course of a person’s life, the interests, activities, clothing and professions, that are considered the domain of one gender or another, evolve in ways both small and large. This has perhaps never been more true than it is now. The data shows that today people have different understandings of gender than previous generations.
- Supporting Gender Diverse Folks [PDF]
- Gender Unicorn [PDF]
- Gender Roles and Stereotypes video
- Inclusive Washroom Guidelines [PDF]
- All Gender Washroom Upgrades
Creating a Culture of Consent
Consent is about someone enthusiastically, freely choosing to agree to do something with someone else. The best way to get that confirmation is to talk about it, ask questions, and be open to and mindful of your partner’s body language. If you’re unsure about doing something — even just a little bit — always ask first. If you don’t feel comfortable, in any form, at any time, you can always speak up and say “no.” And remember that the absence of “no” is NOT the same as a “yes.”
For further information please visit BCIT’s Sexual Violence and Misconduct website.
BCIT Events Checklist
When hosting an event we would like you to keep this checklist in mind. Employees can also check the Multifaith Calendar found on the RDI Loop page and the BCIT Events Calendar when planning events.
Respectful and Inclusive Event Checklist [PDF]
BCIT Inclusive Committee Checklist
This checklist will assist you in your journey of increasing diversity and inclusion in your committee, team, or working group. This list is divided into two parts – the first is a starting point to help you along your journey. The second section sets out additional considerations for those further along in their journey. Neither list is all inclusive.
Inclusive Committee Checklist [PDF]
Free online courses
These courses are available to employees in the Employee Learning Centre and also as Massive Open Online Courses that are open to anyone. We encourage you to share this information out to family, friends, and others who may want to help us create better communities.
Navigating Conflict in Working and Learning Environments
In this course you will learn about the importance of conflict, conflict styles and tools to navigate conflict in the workplace and learning environments. We all have a responsibility for our role in conflict and how we interact with one another. This training will help to empower you to have productive conversations moving forward.
This training, identified in BCIT’s Anti-Racism Framework, is available to all employees in the Employee Learning Centre. It addresses human rights legislation and will support you in gaining a better understanding of your rights and obligations under this legislation. You will also expand your knowledge about what discrimination and harassment are, and are not, and will learn more about the duty to accommodate – all with real life examples. All employees, especially those with decision-making authority, including faculty, are encouraged to take it.
The topic of gender inclusion is something that many of us are learning, or relearning. This module will help you approach the topic of how to create safer spaces for the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community. Enjoy your learning and we’re happy to support your lifelong learning journey.
Consider this course an invitation to being in deeper relationship with both yourself, and the people you encounter in your work, education, and beyond. In this training, you will be challenged, stretched and supported to reflect, engage deeply, and cultivate a stronger anti-racist practice. To that, we must begin from an understanding that racism is a collective, societal problem. We are all responsible for unlearning, and dismantling racism. This training aims to help you get a clear sense of what racism and anti-racism look like.
Understanding Unconscious Bias
This course aims to help us all understand ourselves and our world better through an examination of our own unconscious biases. The relevance of this course is what you make of it. As you’ll learn, we all have biases that we may not be aware of and that shape how we see the world and interact with others. Our hope is that you feel empowered to choose how you can help change our world for the better through your own thoughts and actions.
We live in a world of diversity but the benefits we can gain from embracing diversity are all too often suppressed due to tensions that arise from a lack of understanding of ourselves and how our actions affect others and the work environment. This course will help everyone understand the factors needed to define and work towards creating workplaces that are respectful and accommodating for the benefit of all people.
Safer Campuses for Everyone – Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence. This course is only available to BCIT employees and can be found in Employee Learning on your BCIT Dashboard.
*Note: If you are not an employee or student at BCIT, you will first need to create a BCIT ID, log in with your ID and password to register. Once registered, log in to learn.bcit.ca with your BCIT email address and password to access your online course, it may take up to 24 hours for the course access to become active. As these are not credited courses, and you are not paying a fee, there may be student resources you come across that you are not entitled to access. This would include Student Aid and other financial assistance. Enjoy your learning and we’re happy to support your lifelong learning journey.
RDI Booklet
This booklet was created to help create an awareness in our staff and students at BCIT. It is a resource to assist them in being part of a respectful, diverse, and inclusive community. This is a living document and will be updated periodically. If you have any questions or comments please email rdi@bcit.ca
Further reading
- Banaji, Mahzarin R. Blindspot : Hidden Biases of Good People. New York :Delacorte Press, 2013.
- Anderson, Kare, Getting What you Want, Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1993.
- Butler, Pamela, Self Assertion for Women, San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981.
- Fisher, Roger and Ury, William, Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, New York, Penguin Books, 1983.
- Kottler, Jeffrey A., Beyond Blame: A New Way of Resolving Conflicts in Relationships, San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass, 1994
- Miller, S., Wackman, D., Nunnally, E., Faline, C., Straight Talk: A New Way to Get Closer to Others by Saying What You Really Mean, New York: Signet, 1982.
- Scott, Gini Graham, Ph.D., Resolving Conflict, Oakland: Hew Harbinger Publications, Inc., 1990.
- Smith, Manuel, When I Say “No” I Feel Guilty, New York: Bantam Books, 1975.
- Weeks, Dudley, The Eight Essential Steps to Conflict Resolution: Preserving Relationships at Work, at Home and in the Community, New York: J. P. Tarcher-Perigee, 1994.