Evaluation of ALLY workshop finds that it raises awareness of DSG issues and increases confidence to promote DSG inclusion

Helen Gremillion – Associate Professor – Social Practice and Research Professional Development Liaison at Tuapapa Rangahau

Six years on from the inception of Unitec’s ALLY Network, the effectiveness of our ALLY workshop has been evaluated, and the findings are impressive.

Unitec launched the ALLY Network in 2012, as part of the Trans-Tasman ALLY Network. A local ALLY network was developed here to ensure all staff and students feel valued, respected and connected in an environment that values diverse sexualities and genders (DSG).

A requirement of joining the ALLY Network is attending the one-day ALLY workshop. The workshop draws on personal experiences to raise consciousness about issues around gender and sexuality so that participants will develop skills and an understanding of how to be truly inclusive.

Noticing a gap in the literature regarding the effectiveness of diversity education such as our ALLY workshop, Helen Gremillion, Associate Professor – Social Practice and Research Professional Development Liaison at Tuapapa Rangahau undertook an evaluation with Sport Waitakere’s Catherine Powell.  Catherine is a former staff member at Unitec, and was a founding ALLY member and trainer. The resulting article has been published in the Evaluation Journal of Australasia.

Catherine Powell from Sport Waitākere

Helen and Catherine posed the following two questions to a group of ALLY workshop participants:

1. Does the ALLY workshop raise awareness around the impact of heteronormativity and gender normativity?
2. Are workshop participants more confident to act in ways that enhance DSG inclusion?

The findings, obtained through questionnaires and interview responses, indicated that the answer to both questions was a strong ‘yes’.

All but one of the 22 participants said that their hopes for the workshop had been realised or exceeded.

One participant said “I’ll be more conscious of the language I use and how I respond to discrimination when I see it.”

Another said that the workshop helped them to be “more confident to speak up and take action”.

The personal stories told during the workshop were seen as very valuable, with participants saying, for example:

“…the poem touched my heart and knowing the struggle and pain people go through opened my heart to help and support.”

“…people have been generous enough and courageous enough to share their very personal stories. They are not going to go away either. They will remain in someone’s emotive experience.”

To read more of the findings, check out the full article in the Evaluation Journal of Australasia, and find out more about our ALLY Network on the Nest. The next ALLY workshop will be held on Wednesday 20 November.