by Linda Hill and Kathryn Phillips

The Inclusive Leadership Co-operative is so pleased to be building bridges of collaboration with Human Rights and Education Volunteers at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada.

As part of our collaboration, students are invited to participate in our ongoing Discover Your Inclusive Leadership Potential Online Course and Inclusive Leaders who live in and near Victoria, BC, Canada are invited to participate in 5 Days of Human Rights Action at UVic November 4 to 8, 2019. Five Days of Human Rights Action encourages everyone on campus and the wider community to take concrete steps toward ending discrimination, harassment, and sexualized violence.

Where ever you live in the world, the UVic Equity and Human Rights Website and the Discover Your Inclusive Leadership Potential Online Course are fantastic resources filled with examples of action oriented Human Rights research and education for volunteers, students, employees and all formal and informal leaders who are striving to be inclusive of diversity.

The UVic Human Rights and Education Volunteers initiative is facilitated by Moussa Magassa, Human Rights Education Advisor for UVic. Moussa guides student volunteers who are learning about human right and social justice issues to build networks and partnerships with diverse groups on campus and in the wider community. Moussa supports students to co-facilitate information sharing and courageous conversations about diversity and inclusion.  Kathryn Phillips is a dedicated Human Rights and Education volunteer who participated in our guided quest to Discover Your Inclusive Leadership Potential.  Kathryn and Inclusive Leadership Coordinator, Lindsay Beal are now preparing to cofacilitate campus conversations about Inclusive Leadership. 

Kathryn’s story of becoming a Human Rights and Education Volunteer is a story filled with interconnections with her experiences within our Inclusive Leadership Global Village:

In my first year at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada I was quite afraid to meet new people, or to try out new clubs and opportunities. One day I found the Human Rights and Education Volunteers. I was hesitant at first, attending the first meetings I wasn’t sure I was someone who could contribute to this group like the other members were- they are all so brilliant, smart and had numerous resources on campus. However, I stuck with the club for what will now be four years this fall, throughout my University career, and I have never felt more included, respected and welcomed as I have in any opportunity before.

Every meeting starts with a Territory Acknowledgment, every member introducing themselves, and the opportunity for us to share any ideas we had for future campus events. Our group is diverse and never discriminates against anyone. Like Inclusive Leadership, Human Rights Volunteers celebrate our differences, our backgrounds and our ideas as being our strongest force for change.

The Human Rights and Education Volunteer group is a hub for anyone on campus to feel loved, accepted and cherished for who they are. One of those people being me- and I couldn’t be more grateful to share a safe space with others in which we can freely express our values, beliefs and ideas free from judgement. We build bridges together with one another, with the campus and overall, our community.