Guides & Workshops

Visions seeks to create an environment where differences are recognized, understood, appreciated and leveraged for equitable benefit of all members of a system or group and where all can perform to their full potential. It believes that multicultural organizations and communities can be created and nurtured by eliminating racism, sexism, ageism, classism, heterosexism, anti-Semitism, adultism, ableism, violence and other forms of power imbalances and internalized oppression.

Visions provides training and consultation to organizations, communities and individuals seeking to achieve greater effectiveness in a multicultural setting. It customizes its services, workshop curricula and consultation to address the specific needs of the individuals or organization with which it is working. Its multicultural organizational development process incorporates a variety of approaches and techniques that address what people think, what they do and how they feel about cultural differences and changes.

The process addresses each of the following levels:

• Personal—attitudes, beliefs, opinions;
• Interpersonal—behaviors, treatments, and relationships;
• Institutional—policies, practices, and systems;
• Cultural—values, norms and expressions.

Its work in organizations always incorporates the following elements:

• Climate assessment—to establish the starting point and later milestones;
• Creating internal support groups or task forces—to generate commitment;
• Workshops—for experiential learning;
• Building internal capacity—to continue the work longer term. 

Its open workshops include:

• Personal Approach to Multiculturalism (4 days)—This is its introductory workshop to the strategies involved in creating multicultural environments. Participants will learn concrete strategies for identifying personal prejudice and misinformation, recognizing institutional racism, understanding the personal effects of systemic oppression, and incorporating information regarding current issues important to the exploration of multicultural issues.
• Ongoing Multicultural Skill-Building Groups
• Youth Development Workshop
• ACESS End of Life Care

Youth services and resources currently offered include:

• Two-day and four-day workshops on diversity, inclusion and multiculturalism for youth.
• Workshops on effective community organizing that youth can use to create their own community events.
• Programs that can be tailored to youth groups based on their specific needs.
• Youth Consultants ages 16-24 who can teach youth peer leadership skills.