Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Junior Achievement of Central Iowa is committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is at the center of everything we do. We at Junior Achievement are dedicated to providing a positive, enriching learning experience free of bias that promotes greater economic opportunity and equity.
Junior Achievement welcomes K-12 students, volunteers, educators, staff, and other partners and stakeholders, regardless of race, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other legally protected characteristic.
Defining DEI
The key to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion is achieved is through consistency among our internal and external stakeholders.
Diversity
Diversity embodies inclusiveness, mutual respect, and multiple perspectives and serves as a catalyst for change resulting in equity. It includes all aspects of human differences such as socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, geography, disability, and age, among other characteristics.
Equity
The proportional distribution or parity of desirable outcomes across groups. Sometimes confused with equality, equity refers to outcomes, while equality connotes equal treatment. Where individuals or groups are dissimilarly situated, equal treatment may be insufficient for or even detrimental to equitable outcomes. An example is individualized educational accommodations for students with disabilites, which treat some students differently to ensure their equitable access to education.
Inclusion
A core element for successfully achieving diversity, inclusion is created by nurturing the culture and climate of the institution through professional development, education, policy, and practice. The objective is to create a climate that fosters belonging, respect, and value for all and encourages engagement and connection throughout the institution and community. In schools, inclusion often is used to refer to the practice of mainstreaming children with disabilities in general education classrooms.
Our Ongoing Commitment To The Future
Junior Achievement is committed to promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in every facet of what we do. In fact, the goal becoming an organization more representative of the communities we serve is one of three main objectives outlined in the Junior Achievement National Strategic Plan. To help achieve this goal, Junior Achievement has undertaken the following actions:
- The creation of the Junior Achievement Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Network. The JA JEDI Network is an employee-led group designed to foster diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion across the Junior Achievement network of offices. With nearly one-in-seven JA Associates participating in the JA JEDI Network, the group brings education, understanding, and a greater appreciation of DEI to a critical mass of JA Associates across the country.
- Launching initiatives to ensure that JA learning experiences are representative of the communities Junior Achievement serves. This includes enlisting DEI subject matter experts to review JA educational materials, testing and updating JA digital and learning platforms to make sure they are accessible under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and translating JA programs to better meet the needs of ESL students.
- Forming partnerships with organizations that expand JA's engagement with diverse communities across the country.
- Being responsive in our organizational culture so that Junior Achievement is an employer of choice, regardless of a candidate's socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, language, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, geography, disability, and age.
Transparency Statement From Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement is a federated network of 104 offices that reflect local communities across the United States. While ethnic diversity hasn't always been displayed in every Junior Achievement territory, our Area offices are committed to ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion is at the center of all endeavours in the present and future.
Junior Achievement USA has undertaken a thorough review of its learning experiences to ensure they are reflective of the communities we serve. This includes engaging subject matter experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
With the support of the CITI Foundation, Junior Achievement has implemented the Paradigm Reach platform, an online training site for JA associates dedicated to advancing awareness, knowledge, and skills that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.