“(Anti-Oppression means) giving up power, being inclusive of all groups, of all marginalized groups, having representation from these groups and having joint decision-making about policy, procedures and practices.”
– Consultation Participant, 2009 (Anti-Oppression Framework for Child Welfare in Ontario, 2010)
Do’s:
- Disaggregate data to capture relevant information for your organization and its values. In addition, try to understand the values that are most important for your programs, networks and funders; make sure these values are measured, so you can report on them.
- Evaluate your public engagement activity, as well as your outcomes, through an anti-oppressive lens. Ask yourself if the public engagement activity itself was inclusive and accessible. Was it designed in such a way as to be inclusive of, and actively promote the participation of, a diverse group of participants? Refer to the “Gender Checklist” to help you find gender-aware indicators.
Don’ts:
- Don’t assume that disaggregating the data is sufficient in assessing your programs through an anti-oppressive lens. Instead, disaggregated data should be seen as a necessary, though not sufficient, first step in evaluation.
CCR Resources: Anti-Oppression
Practitioners’ perspectives:
“All of our facilitation and leadership training sessions begin with an introduction to anti-oppressive practice. This happens before we introduce participants to public engagement topics and activities. We consider it to be a foundational piece without which effective public engagement simply could not take place.
We work with community partners to offer this training. Quite often, in post-facilitation training feedback forms, participants note that their introduction to anti-oppressive practice was the most valuable part of the training weekend. For our youth facilitators, this is often new information that they are keen to hear about and reflect upon.”–Project Coordinator for a small NGO
