Including Us
Solving problems one conversation at a time
There are at least 482, 625.000 different ways of being in the world based on culture, religion, gender, sexuality, class, and physical and mental characteristics.
To be inclusive you can either try to learn about each and everyone of these differences or you can learn how to authentically listen.
Your organisational culture, and your professional and personal relationships, may never be the same again.
Including Us acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land we work and live on, the Yuggera and Turrbal people and we pay our respects to the Yuggera and Turrbal Elders, past present and future. We express our deep gratitude for finding refuge on Yuggera and Turrbal country and promise to stand up and stand with all First Nations peoples, and especially the Yuggera and Turrbal peoples, where ever we can, in honour of this great debt and privilege.
We offer a consultation and training service that translates the social science of understanding into being inclusive, and being inclusive into thriving relationships, innovation, leadership, and organisational and personal growth.
Including Us acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands that we live and work on, the Jagera and Turrbal people, and pay our respects to Elders, past, present and future. We express our deep gratitude for finding refuge on Jagera and Turrbal country and promise to stand up and stand with all First Nations people, and especially the Jagera and Turrbal people, in honour of this great debt we owe.
Who would benefit from Including Us?
Truly creative human service practitioners and managers
Innovative educational professionals
Out of the box organisational leaders
Organisations interested in gaining the benefits of realistic inclusion
Anyone interested in personal growth
Services
There's a difference between being inclusive and inclusion. Inclusion tends to be a buzz word noun that exists out there somewhere that either means a tick-a-box flags-in-the-foyer approach and/or a complicated formulaic approach where different abstract 'formulas' are applied to different other groups. For example, a CALD, First Nations, sexuality or disordered 'cultural awareness' formula.
The problem is that a tick-a-box formulaic approach can't possibly hope to understand the complexity of any real human being, who has multiple social backgrounds, standing right in front of you in this particular situation. Even if you could remember and integrate all the formulas. No wonder people feel dismayed by the thought of inclusion. Another problem is that ironically, the formulaic approach is implicitly 'othering', which is weirdly contradictory. Then there's the problem that 'inclusion' is a noun. As a noun, it's some hoped for goal that has something to do with policy and morning teas and may or may not have something to do with me.
It's therefore not at all surprising that this formulaic 'inclusion' approach doesn't seem to work as well as we all hoped and that it can't possibly deliver on the benefits of being inclusive in terms of mobilising diversity in the interest of innovation and inspiration. Because that requires us to understand the unique perspectives of different people right here dealing with local problems.
Being inclusive however, is a verb. It's about action. It's not about trying to apply a formula. It's about learning how we can understand and value the difference and the similarities with the people right in front of us without an encyclopedia of formulas regardless of the situation and regardless of our own biases.
If you'd like to learn how to be genuinely inclusive, please contact Including Us.
Inclusion Consultancy
Inclusion is where people from different personal, social, professional and cultural backgrounds feel welcomed, valued, participate in decision making, and share responsibility for the group’s wellbeing. When this happens research evidence has repeatedly shown that organisations increase recruitment, retention, innovation and growth. We can help you systematically realise the benefits of inclusion through tailored consultation.
Inclusive Listening for Individuals
In face-to-face or remote workshops you will learn the practical set of thinking tools to deeply understand where the other person is coming from - no matter where you or they are coming from. This is your royal road to inclusive relationships, cultural responsiveness, person-centred planning, creative problem solving, personal growth, and effective leadership.
Inclusive Listening for Teams
Are you interested in your team having increased capacity to cross-culturally relate to the people your organisation serves? Being able to more effectively listen for collaboration rather than competition? We will tailor the delivery of inclusive listening training to fit your organisational needs whether its online, face-to-face or a mix of both.
Collaborative Problem Solving
Most of the answers to organisational and/or community problems already lies within the expertise and practical experience of your team and/or other key stakeholders. The real problem is creating a safe space to collaboratively define real problems and develop effective solutions. Through inclusive listening and problem based learning together we will create a safe space to codesign innovative solutions for challenging problems.
Stakeholder Participation
Organisations operate within an increasingly complex and dynamic world. To navigate and thrive in that complexity requires a sophisticated approach to problem solving that expands our horizons beyond the limits of single perspectives. Through problem based learning and inclusive listening we will build effective stakeholder recognition and participation strategies that, through 360 degree codesign will drive discovery, solution finding and growth.
