For VOBS and all members of our community to thrive, our organization must change

We invite our community to hold VOBS accountable in our equity work. Please look for evidence of our progress in our policies, practices, staff training and student experiences.

VOBS commits to collaborate, innovate and put equitable systems in place to:

Assess & Improve

• Create an equity action plan through intentional partnership with the EI&D working group and internal leaders
• Improve our Human Resources practices that results in a more diverse workplace, with a staff that has clear opportunities for advancement, strengthening our overall retention
• Assess our enrollment practices, inclusive of our financial aid processes, to ensure a greater diversity of students experiencing Outward Bound
• Assess our internal and external communications to support inclusive language, welcome feedback and demonstrate our commitment to racial equity

Learn

• Listen and learn from people who have been and are still marginalized
• Provide an ongoing progression of learning opportunities about racial inequities in our society, education, and the outdoors, for all staff and board members

Grow

• Grow our Twin Cities partnerships as the foundation from which we will build toward racial equity, expand the diversity of the students we serve in all our programs, and create an inclusive culture on course and across our organization
• Explore how we can build relationships with Indigenous communities in each of our locations, starting with understanding the history or the land our locations occupy
• Institute systems that support data-driven decisions to ensure we understand the impact our organization and programs have on all who experience us (this includes disaggregating data by different identity groups – starting with race and gender)
• Dedicate resources to this continued work by instituting a permanent role to centralize this work and support the EI&D working group

How we’re measuring our progress:

• Assessing the current demographic makeup of our staff, board and students, setting goals, and tracking these demographics 
• Summarizing our work, progress and shortcomings openly and transparently through an annual EI&D report that will be published in our communications, social media and featured on our website

We commit to openness and transparency in our equity work. We will incorporate these commitments and practices into our work continually. We value your feedback and will make an effort to listen to and affirm all members of our community. Please reach out with questions, ideas or feedback here: eid@vobs.org.

RETURN TO EQUITY, INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY MAIN PAGE

**This statement is a working draft. It was last updated March 2022.**