Category 1 - Introduction to anti-racism/anti-racism fundamentals36
Purpose
To provide an understanding of fundamental anti-racism context, principles, and terms, including colonization; racial and cultural awareness; eurocentrism; racial discrimination and harassment; whiteness, white privilege, and white supremacy; microaggressions; and unconscious biases.
Rationale
Counsellors and healthcare providers at the University have indicated an interest to better understand how to embed anti-racism principles/lens in their practices. To do this, a foundational knowledge of this subject is needed.
This general training is also a needed precursor to further training.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the histories of Black, Indigenous, and other racialized peoples in Canada.
- Develop an understanding of how colonization and racism affect individuals and systems.
- Explore strategies to de-condition our own minds and actions.
- Learn how to have conversations about race in an empowered, but safe and respectful manner.
- Understand anti-racism terminology/concepts and understand the importance of engaging in ongoing learning and discussion.
- Develop tools to counter racism in its different forms (e.g., Black racism, Indigenous racism).
Relevant courses
EDI-R offers relevant courses, including:
- Introduction to Equity
- Introduction to Understanding Racism and Racial Microaggressions Within the University Context
- Confronting Anti-Black Racism
Other relevant courses offered externally:
Category 2 - Social determinants of health
Purpose
To provide an understanding of how to address the negative impacts of the social determinants of health (SDOH) and intersectionality in clinical practice, with an emphasis on Black, Indigenous, and other racialized persons.
Rationale
Experiences of discrimination, racism and historical trauma are important social determinants of health for certain groups such as Indigenous Peoples and Black Canadians 37. In addition, racialized individuals with intersecting identities, such as differing gender identity or sexual orientation suffer much more discrimination and therefore worse health outcomes. For this reason, it is important for the University’s healthcare providers to develop the skills to address the impacts of SDOH and intersectionality effectively.
Learning outcomes
- Develop a clear understanding of how racial stratification impacts an individual’s status and opportunities and intersects with other social locations and identities.
- Identify and understand how the structure and functioning of the healthcare system influences health outcomes and health equity.
- Develop the ability to recognize intersectionality and adjust clinical practice, as needed.
- Develop strategies and processes for identifying and addressing SDOH and improving health equity in clinical practice 38.
- Recognize opportunities to influence policy and practices to promote population health and health equity.
- Understand how race-conscious clinical practice reduces health inequities and develop strategies to incorporate race-conscious practices into healthcare.
Relevant courses
The Equity Office offers relevant courses, including:
- Anti-Blackness at the intersections
- Understanding Islamophobia: Root Causes, Impact and Action
Other relevant courses offered externally:
- Population Health and Health Equity
Category 3 - Racism and discrimination in healthcare
Purpose
To provide an understanding of structural racism and discrimination in the Canadian healthcare system.
Rationale
Racial discrimination is pervasive in the Canadian healthcare system. It is important for the University’s clinical care providers to understand the negative consequences of this racism, as it often leads to higher risks of illness and lower standards of care for Black, Indigenous, and other racialized persons.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the effects of structural racism on racialized persons, and their health and mental health (e.g., interpersonal conflicts and unresolved trauma).
- Develop an understanding of the histories of various racial and cultural communities with the healthcare system
- Develop an awareness of the issues encountered when racialized groups access the healthcare system
- Understand the impact of Eurocentric and western-based clinical approaches on racialized persons
Relevant courses
Relevant courses offered externally:
Category 4 - Culturally responsible and culturally safe healthcare/anti-racist framework for clinical practice
Purpose
To provide an anti-racism lens to the work of healthcare providers.
Rationale
Black, Indigenous, and other racialized persons often complain about the culturally insensitive service that they experience when visiting healthcare providers, including having to educate the clinician and/or having their concerns minimized or misunderstood.
Learning outcomes
- Understand how to provide culturally sensitive, culturally responsible, and culturally safe care including exploration of relevant case studies to educate health care providers (clinicians) about scenarios they may encounter when working with various racial/cultural groups.
- Understand how communication and behaviour (e.g., eye contact, hand shaking, clothing) in clinical situations is received by racialized persons.
- Understand how to adapt current clinical practices/modalities to be more racially and culturally appropriate.
- Understand holistic cultural worldviews and belief systems of wellness, illness and help or treatment seeking behaviours.
- Develop an awareness of non-western medical practices (e.g., Indigenous medical wisdom, methodologies, and healing practices, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Chinese medicine).
- Be able to apply specific “bias-busting” techniques that can be used in a healthcare setting.
- Develop strategies on how to incorporate race-conscious practices into clinical care.
Relevant courses
Relevant courses offered externally:
Category 5 - Racial and intergenerational trauma39
Purpose
To provide an understanding of how to manage the adverse impact of racial and intergenerational trauma, experienced by Black, Indigenous, and other racialized persons.
Rationale
Racial trauma can result from experiences of racism including workplace/ classroom discrimination, hate crimes, media coverage of racist and violent acts or it can be the result of an accumulation of many small occurrences, including discrimination and microaggressions.
Learning outcomes
Demonstrate an adequate knowledge of racism and be comfortable and competent when discussing racism and cultural concerns with Black, Indigenous and racialized clients.
Recognize and conceptualize racial trauma and intergenerational trauma, and understand their root causes and impacts (e.g., chronic health and mental health problems).
Understand the key components of trauma-informed clinical interventions that can support the whole person.
Develop tools and techniques to engage in relevant clinical interventions with clients who experience racial and intergenerational trauma.
Relevant courses
Relevant courses offered externally:
36Facilitators should include those with lived experiences (i.e., Black, Indigenous, and/or other racialized persons).
37canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html
38aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/patient_care/everyone_project/team-based-approach.pdf
39It is understood that trainings in the areas of Anti-Racism, Culturally Responsive and Safe Care, and Social Determinants of Health are necessary pre-requisites to Racial Trauma training. Health Care Providers/Clinicians without this necessary background are not equipped to provide effective and safe care to racialized students managing concerns related to racial trauma.