What Are Some of the Objectives of Developing a Cultural Diversity Program?

Cultural diversity programs prepare us to better understand and respect our co-workers, clients and community members of different backgrounds. Public and private institutions provide cultural diversity training to leadership and employees. Generally speaking, cultural diversity experts develop and facilitate such programs.

Objectives

Although cultural diversity programs can be broad in scope, some common objectives are helping participants understand the value of inclusion and creating a supportive environment where groups can interact. Public entities such as the National Park Service offer far-reaching objectives, such as job creation and increased diversity among employees.

Benefits

Cultural diversity lecturer Chad Lewis of the Intercultural Consulting Group writes that cultural diversity programs benefit teams by training leaders to seek and value the ideas of others. Additionally, communities as a whole benefit when public service workers such as health care professionals, law-enforcement officers and teachers receive cultural diversity training to better serve diverse communities.

Significance

Some people believe that the measure of a society lies in its ability to value input from all of its members. As the United States becomes more culturally diverse, the services of cultural diversity experts may become even more sought after to ensure that all cultures receive equal respect.

References

• Intercultural Focus: Chad Lewis, PMP "Examining the Effects of Cultural Diversity on Project Management"
• City of Phoenix Cultural Diversity Program: "We're All On The Same Team"
• National Park Service: Cultural Diversity Resources Program Description

Resources

• DiversityInc