To take action on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) within your school community, it’s essential to begin by fostering a supportive and inclusive culture. Chanel Worsteling, AISA’s Wellbeing for All Senior Program Coordinator, suggests a series of practical steps to help school communities move from awareness to meaningful action.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) are essential for schools because they create an environment where all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. By prioritizing DEIJ, schools not only enhance the educational experience but also prepare students to become empathetic and informed leaders who can positively impact society.

To support schools worldwide in their journey to becoming more inclusive, AISA developed a DEIJ Guide to signpost a way forward for you and your school. The Guide is suitable for all individuals involved in school communities, including governors, leaders, educators, co-professionals, and ancillary staff, as everyone has a vital role to play in establishing school environments where every individual experiences a profound sense of belonging and where every voice is not only heard but also valued.

Starting any new initiative requires a degree of courage and perhaps even more so as we embark on critically examining and renewing our commitment to DEIJ. So, if you are feeling a little apprehensive, you are not alone. Here are some practical first steps to take you from motivation to action:

1. Build Connections for Support:

Developing a system of support might be the first step you take. Connecting with others in your school community, or the broader international education community, can help you stay motivated, engaged and accountable. The Diversity Collaborative, the DEIJ Learning to Action Institute, AISA Affinity Groups and AIELOC, provide valuable spaces for international educators wanting to share experiences and learn from each other.

2. Engage in Personal Reflection:

As a school leader, considering your own readiness for change might be another vital first step. Undertaking some reflection on your own commitment to DEIJ and any barriers that might be blocking you from engaging with this work is a necessary, if somewhat uncomfortable, process. Noticing and naming our difficult emotions is the only way we can choose a values-based choice, rather than remining hostage to our fears.

It is not an accident that the AISA DEIJ Guide begins with a chapter called The Journey Begins with Me. No matter how much we have engaged with DEIJ issues in the past, starting with some honest and deep self-reflection will help ground you in your ‘why’ and help cultivate a learner’s mindset. The Journey Begins with me has a helpful reflective exercise that you can do on your own or with others to engage in some deep reflection to ready yourself for the work of transformation.

3. Assess Your School’s Current DEIJ State:

What does belonging look like in your school community? How do students, staff and the parent community feel about their felt sense of belonging? How is it different for different groups and how is it the same? What creates belonging for people? What does not? What needs to change? These are just some important questions to consider asking your community.

To support you and your school community to engage with these and other questions, consider using the newly released AISA DEIJ Audit. This School Self-Assessment Tool is a companion to the DEIJ Guide and is arranged to mirror the material in the Guide. This Assessment Tool has been created to help school teams develop practical steps toward their plan to becoming a more inclusive and equitable school.

4. Engage Parents in the Process:

Every parent wants their child to feel they are valued member of the school community. Inviting your parent community to support and suggest ideas on how the school might make this a reality for every child not only reinforces this commitment to your community but invites them to be active participants of this goal. Engaging parents early can also help overcome fears and address any misconceptions early. Consider carefully how your parent meetings are conducted so as to be as inclusive of the broadest possible representation of your parent community. For more tips on how to engage your parent community, see the chapter Embracing Our Community in the Guide.

By following these steps, schools can embark on a transformative DEIJ journey that creates a more inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment for everyone. This journey requires collaboration, reflection, and a deep commitment to change, starting from within and extending throughout the community.

By Chanel Worsteling, AISA’s Wellbeing for All Senior Programme Coordinator