Introduction Why is appreciating diversity important for youth and adults? The face of the United States and its workplace is changing. A growing number of neighborhoods and communities contain a complex mix of races, cultures, languages, and religious affiliations. At the same time, the widening gap between the rich and the poor is creating greater social class diversity. In addition, the U.S. Population includes more than 43 million people with physical and mental challenges. For these reasons, today’s youth and adults are more likely to face the challenges of interacting and working with people different from themselves. Creative Download Software.
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The ability to relate well to all types of people in the workplace is a leadership skill that is becoming increasingly important. Understanding, accepting, and valuing diverse backgrounds can help young people and adults thrive in this ever-changing society.
How can these activities boost understanding of diversity? Learning about diversity can be fun. The activities in this publication can help participants: • Recognize how we place self-imposed limits on the way we think. • Discover that, in many ways, people from different cultures and backgrounds hold similar values and beliefs. • Become more aware of our own cultural viewpoints and the stereotypes we may have inadvertently picked up. • Accept and respect the differences and similarities in people.
When and where should these activities be used? The activities in this publication are appropriate for use by teachers, youth leaders, and child care professionals. While most of the activities are appropriate for older youth (middle school and above) and adults, some of the activities may be adapted for younger children.
Decisions should be based on the facilitator’s knowledge of the group’s cognitive level and needs. Some of the activities—including “Complimentary Round Table” and “Chocolate Milk and Shades of Skin Color”—can be used as discussion starters or icebreakers. Others such as “Is That a Fact?” may be the basis for an entire lesson. In either case, the facilitator should allow enough time for discussion at the end of each activity. Debriefing is important for dealing with unresolved feelings or misunderstandings.