Case Study: HandsOn Twin Cities
“The work is challenging, inspiring, life-changing, and critical.”
WHERE WE STARTED
- From Ally to Accomplice 5-month program for 10 staff members and 18 board members
- From Ally to Accomplice – Part II for the full team
- Interactive Keynote Speeches
WHERE WE ARE
- Partnered to write organizational values
- Positive community feedback on the impact this work has had on more than 600+ community organizations
- Revamped internal processes with a equity lens
About the Organization
With more than 100 years of experience, this regional nonprofit is the leader in connecting nonprofits, volunteers, and companies to provide high impact in the community.
Before The Woke Coach
Before working with The Woke Coach, the organization was very much at the start of a DEI journey. As they say, “you don’t know what you don’t know”, and this organization wanted to embark on a journey that would allow them to serve the community in a more equitable way.
Why did they engage The Woke Coach?
The Executive Director participated in the first From Ally to Accomplice® cohort for individuals and recognized the responsibility and opportunity for the organization.
The Work
Starting in 2019, 10 staff members and 18 board members participated in the From Ally to Accomplice® – 5-month cohort.
The engagement has continued with a From Ally to Accomplice® – Part II, as well as an organization Equity Audit.
The work is challenging, inspiring, life-changing, and critical.
Results
The organization and The Woke Coach have been working together for almost two years. The organization describes it as “transformative for our staff, our board, and the way that we approach our work as a volunteer center.”
Individual Growth & Self-awareness
“We have done a lot as individuals who make up a team to explore ourselves, our biases, our privilege, and how we show up.” Staff and board members have taken those learnings to shape their organization and put a new lens on how they approach each aspect of their work.
Community Response
The organization received feedback from job applicants, external partners, and others about how they feel differently about them and recognize a change.
The equity work that they did with The Woke Coach has made them “more fierce advocates of the 600+ nonprofits and small businesses that they partner with.” With the work they do with their partners, the organization often serves as a gateway to the community, and has taken more seriously their role in not causing harm to BIPOC, even if it is often unintentional.
More Equitable Processes
Learning to reshape the organization has included the way that they write job descriptions and how they evaluate employee performance. Together with The Woke Coach, the team has developed organizational values as a standard to hold one another accountable – both board and staff.
“Our work with The Woke Coach has shaped the way that we look at everything we do. From HR practices, hiring, marketing/communications, and programming, we now look differently at what our purpose is and I think every person on our team thinks about our work with The Woke Coach every single day.”
Why should people hire The Woke Coach?
This is the most important work that you can do no matter what your job is. It will change the way you show up in the world and you will not be the same. I think every organization should have this experience.