Assessing Community Readiness to Engage in Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

• Published in: Journal of extension Vol. 58; no. 6
• Main Authors: Chazdon, Scott, Hawker, Julie, Hayes, Bukata, Linscheid, Neil, O'Brien, Nancy, Spanier, Tobias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Extension Journal, Inc 01.12.2020
• Subjects: Best Practices; Business; Community; Community Development; Community Role; Diversity; Extension Education; Health Services; Immigrants; Inclusion; Law Enforcement; Leadership Role; Local Government; Minority Groups; Nonprofit Organizations; Participative Decision Making; Public Policy; Readiness; Refugees; Religious Organizations; Rural Areas; School Role; Minnesota
• DOI: 10.34068/joe.58.06.24
• ISSN: 1077-5315; 0022-0140

Social scientific research has demonstrated that increasing racial or ethnic diversity can reduce overall levels of social solidarity in a community. Yet many community development organizations, including Extension, are deeply committed to creating a broader sense of cohesion in rural communities. This article highlights a recent interagency effort, known as the Welcoming Communities Assessment, to assess a community's readiness for inclusion. The Welcoming Communities Assessment helps community members gain a baseline, action-oriented understanding of how inclusive different sectors of their community are for immigrants, refugees, and people of color. This article describes the assessment's context, design, analysis, and implementation.