Our DEI Policy

INclude - The Mental Health Initiative is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture that fosters respect, dignity, and understanding. We recognize that diversity in all its forms makes us stronger, more innovative, and better equipped to fulfill our mission of providing mental health support to all individuals who reach out to us.

Our DEI policy applies to all employees, volunteers, contractors, partners, and other stakeholders who engage with our organization. We are committed to upholding the following principles

Diversity:

We recognize that diversity is a fundamental asset to our organization. We embrace and celebrate differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, and any other aspect of human identity. We actively seek to recruit and retain a diverse team of staff and volunteers who reflect the communities we serve.

Equity:

We believe in creating a fair and just workplace that provides equal opportunities for all individuals, regardless of their background. We ensure that our policies, practices, and procedures are equitable and that our employees and volunteers are treated with respect and dignity. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

Inclusion:

We are committed to creating a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive workplace culture where all individuals feel valued, heard, and respected. We  foster a culture that encourages open communication, collaboration, and mutual respect. We provide training and education to our staff and volunteers to promote awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

To achieve our DEI goals, we take the following actions:

Recruitment and hiring: ​

We actively seek to recruit and retain a diverse team of staff and volunteers who reflect the communities we serve. We use inclusive language in our job postings, conduct outreach to diverse communities, and provide training to our hiring managers on implicit bias and diversity recruiting.

Training and education:

We provide ongoing training and education to our staff and volunteers to promote awareness and understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion. This include training on cultural competency, anti-discrimination, and anti-harassment.

Accountability & transparency:

We hold ourselves accountable for implementing our DEI policy and making progress towards our goals. We measure and track our progress, and regularly report on our DEI initiatives to our stakeholders.

Partnerships:

We seek out and form partnerships with organizations and individuals who share our DEI values and who can help us advance our goals.

Feedback and continuous improvement:

We seek feedback from our staff, volunteers, and clients to continuously improve our DEI efforts. We create opportunities for feedback and input, and use this information to refine our policies, practices, and procedures.

Conclusion

​We recognize that creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and commitment. We are committed to taking action and making progress towards our DEI goals, and we welcome the participation and support of our staff, volunteers, and stakeholders in this important work.