Title

The Need for Diversity Training on an Ongoing Basis for the Employees of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud

Author

Barbara Louise Hamilton, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date

2002

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Chairperson (Advisor 1)

Michael McRath

Reader (Advisor 2)

Dr. Robert DeWerff

Abstract

Diversity is defined, in its broadest terms, by race and ethnicity and also involves gender, sexual orientation, and physical abilities. This study is intended to increase the awareness of the necessity of diversity training on an ongoing basis to the employees of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

The study suggests that diversity management, which refers to the systematic and planned commitment by organizations to recruit, retain, regard, and promote a heterogeneous mix of employees, needs to be in place in the organization before the support for diversity training can be implemented. Survey results from forty-seven colleagues were evaluated regarding the need for diversity training. The results are presented and the data gathered supports the intended purpose of the study. The entire organization needs to be on board and supportive in order for this project to succeed.

This thesis contains the research data, the analysis of the data, and the conclusions of the analysis. Recommendations include steps to assess the need for training, approaches to diversity training, and action steps to implement training. Further research is recommended to help define more about how and under what conditions work groups develop and change their perspectives on diversity, especially with integration and learning potential for connecting organizations' cultural diversity to the core work and work processes.

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