Diversity Training Contract Programs

As a Quaker institution, Guilford College values the unique qualities of every individual and advocates mutual understanding and the peaceful resolution of differences. The college has strong academic programs in the area of Peace and Conflict Studies and many courses addressing cultural diversity, multicultural communication and intercultural studies. The Professional Development and Training Center has drawn upon Guilford faculty and staff and training specialists to create a number of professional development programs for specific organizations and the general public that raise awareness about diversity and promote cross cultural communication and positive human relations. The following programs are well developed training programs available to organizations wishing to provide training opportunities for employees around diversity appreciation, human relations, conflict resolution, organizational effectiveness, and cross-cultural communication.

Diversity Dramatists

The Diversity Dramatists program was created by Guilford College as a form of diversity awareness training to engage audiences in addressing issues without feeling defensive or scapegoating.The Diversity Dramatists program model uses live interactive drama as a catalyst for discussion of complex and sensitive issues about a wide range of human differences and psycho-social factors that can inhibit relationships and cross-cultural communication. Both the program model and the training program that creates volunteer "Diversity Dramatists" have been recognized as highly effective training tools for organizations of all kinds. This program model and training program recently was recognized for excellence in Creativity and Innovation for 1999 by the Piedmont (NC) chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). In addition, it was honored by the Greensboro (NC) Human Relations Commission with its award for contributions to Education for 2000. Since 1995, the Diversity Dramatists training program has received grants for curriculum development and training from the AT&T Foundation, the Amoco Foundation, and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. A wide variety of organizations have sponsored Diversity Dramatists for their members ranging from textile manufacturing to public schools, and city-county government.

The Diversity Dramatists training program prepares members of organizations with little or no acting experience to form Diversity Dramatists troupes for their organization and present diversity awareness programs for various audiences using interactive drama. Trainees develop a shared understanding of diversity issues and learn to create and enact dramatic scenarios that depict painful or ineffective interactions and miscommunication around various human differences. Discussion leaders use the live scenarios as discussion starters that engage audiences in examining mixed perceptions of behavior, considering how cultural miscommunication occurs and stereotyping distorts understanding. Audience members ask questions of the actors who respond "in character" and to explore alternative ways to address conflict and build more effective relationships. In a non-threatening format, audience members report that Diversity Dramatists scenes help them see interactions in a new light and learn to use more inclusive and effective communication skills.

 

Unique Features of the Diversity Dramatists Format

 

• Live Drama: This is a powerful training tool that offers immediacy, individualized content tailored for the organization, and flexibility in replaying scenes to model more effective interaction

• High Impact Program Format: Evaluation data from audiences and actors indicates the format is entertaining and effective in highlighting problem behaviors and the impact of cultural insensitivity.

• Interactive Dialogue: Through the facilitated discussion that follows each dramatic scenario and the dialogue between audience members and the actors who respond "in character", participants come to new awareness of their own behavior and that of others and identify areas for change.

• Non-threatening Environment: The discussion facilitator establishes ground rules that create a safe environment and encourages people to be candid in responding to the scenarios. Personal information that might be threatened need not be identified. Seeing peers as in roles actors increases openness.

• Two-Tier Discovery Process: Through the drama and discussion following, audience members and actors in the scenarios come to new insights about the issues and actions underlying each scenario and create receptivity to rethinking personal assumptions and behaviors.

• Appropriateness for Diverse Audiences: Audience feedback indicates that the Diversity Dramatists program is well received and leads to valuable dialogue for males and females from teenagers to senior citizens, from varied job levels, race/ethnic group, and social backgrounds.

• Cost Effective Long Term Training: Guilford College provides the Diversity Dramatists training under contract to organizations over a 21 hour training period for a maximum to 40 individuals with four trainers for a modest cost. The initial investment is highly cost effective because the trained dramatists become "internal" trainers who present Diversity Dramatists programs and train others to join troupes as needed.

What do Sponsors Say about the Diversity Dramatists Model?

"...an innovative teaching method that allows employees to discover for themselves, in a very non-threatening environment, the impact of stereotyping."

"...the format is to entertaining and non-threatening that people get swept up in the situations and engage in really meaningful dialogue. {Diversity Dramatists} is a rare 'new' idea in training and is worthy of emulation around the country."

"...the most valuable tool I had had in my lifetime on the topic of diversity."

"...a unique, creative, powerful, simple way of addressing a very complex, emotional issue... The audience [members] are active participants in a very revealing dialogue."

For information about the Diversity Dramatists training program and cost estimates, contact Suzanne Suddarth at 336-316-2169 or by e-mail at ssuddart@guilford.edu.

Conflict Resolution Programs

Members of the Guilford College faculty are currently developing a curriculum and structure for several non-credit training programs in Conflict Resolution. The proposals include the creation of a Summer Institute for Conflict Resolution in Schools and a Non-credit Certificate in Conflict Resolution as a contract training program for organizations. The program are designed to meet the needs of people in diverse settings who seek to increase their personal skills in understanding and resolving interpersonal and intergroup conflicts and becoming recognized as facilitators in conflict resolution. The proposed training programs will build upon Guilford College's academic programs in Peace and Conflict Studies and have links with the campus-based Conflict Resolution Center.

For further information about development of these training programs, contact Dr. Vernie Davis at vdavis@guilford.edu.

Customized Training Programs

In addition to the specific programs cited above, the Professional Development and Training Center also is able to work with representatives of all kinds of organizations to customize training programs that will address client-specific needs the distinctive needs. PDTC staff will work with organizational leaders to identify their training needs and draw upon the strengths of Guilford faculty as well as human resources professionals in the community to design and present innovative and effective training in areas such as teambuilding, leadership development, cross-cultural communication, affirmative inquiry, and interpersonal and organizational communication skills. As a non-profit institution, Guilford offers customized quality training programs at a very competitive price.

For more information about customized contract training, contact Suzanne Suddarth at 336-316-2169 or by e-mail at ssuddart@guilford.edu.

Guilford College reserves the right to change any provision, offering, fee or requirement at any time to carry out its objective and purposes.