Stepping Stone collaborates with organizations that are looking to make a long-term commitment to racial equity. While we are educators at our core, we know that trainings and workshops are not effective on their own, and that structural change is required to advance racial justice. Our work elevates voices that have historically been silenced, and supports leadership in weaving racial equity into all aspects of the organization.
Our process is customized to each client and begins with questions and conversations. Most of our projects implement the following elements over a phased process that is adapted based on organizational needs and financial resources — assessment, education, executive coaching, and strategic planning & policy change.
Assessment
Assessment is crucial to successful racial equity efforts, and can include a variety of methods. Qualitative efforts — including listening sessions, focus groups, and one-on-one interviews — provide critical feedback and can help center the perspectives and experiences of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Quantitative assessments examine various elements, including staff and client demographics, program outcomes, and policies & processes. We then use this data to complete an overarching organizational assessment, establish a baseline for measuring progress, and develop short- and long-term goals for work going forward.
Education
Education provides context for our work, and ensures that organizations are engaging their constituents in pursuit of their racial equity goals. By design, our workshops are interactive and engaging, drawing on the experiences and expertise of participants while also incorporating social science and neuroscience research. Workshops are customized to meet the needs of each client, and are usually co-facilitated by multi-racial teams. Topics include: the four dimensions of racism, implicit bias, board diversity, decolonization, cultural responsiveness, power & privilege, and more. All workshops focus on supporting participants to develop actionable strategies they can apply immediately and long-term in professional and personal settings.
Executive Coaching
Executive leaders bring many strengths to their positions, including backgrounds in business, science, social services, and management. Regardless of how highly qualified they are, many executive directors, agency leaders, and CEOs are not well-versed in racial equity concepts, and learning these concepts requires vulnerability that can be uncomfortable; mistakes can not only have grave consequences for organizations, but also cause harm to constituents. Our executive coaching services confidentially support leaders in their learning journeys, and provide a sounding board for developing messaging, building trust with staff and constituents, and creating long-term strategy to advance equity goals.
Strategic Planning & Policy Change
Committed leadership and staff may come and go, but changes to organizational policy and practices are the key to advancing racial equity in businesses, agencies, and organizations. Building on the strengths and areas for growth identified in the assessment phase, Stepping Stone collaborates with you to develop evidence-based approaches and an achievable timeline for implementing transformative growth and change. As we design strategies for embedding racial equity into the systems and processes of your organization, we integrate emerging research and best practices from the field. Over the years, we have adapted and evolved processes for hiring, retention, professional development, communication, and leadership development, among others.
Stepping Stone Consulting 