Free Courageous Conversation Facilitator Training for Nonprofits

NICNE, in partnership with United Way of Northwest Illinois (UWNI) and United Way of Rock River Valley (UWRRV) is offering a FREE courageous conversation facilitator training during Spring 2021.

This training, made possible by funds awarded by the Healing Illinois Initiative, will be facilitated by Dr. Traci D. Ellis, JD, SHRM-SCP of Candid Conversations Matter, LLC (CCM). Dr. Ellis is a senior leaders in her organization working to address bias and inequities in access and opportunity for historically marginalized groups, and helping organizations create equitable, diverse, and inclusive work environments.

Dr. Ellis of Candid Conversations Matter (CCM) will lead a Facilitator training workshop for individuals interested in leading challenging conversations within their organizations or communities utilizing the four agreements of Courageous Conversations and the Crucial Conversations framework.

CCM will provide participants with the skills to engage in and lead healthy discourse around issues of diversity and inclusion, barriers to anti-racism, and patterns of inequity that exist within an organization and the broader society. The session will be held on March 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

• March 19 Preparation to Facilitate Courageous Conversations

For facilitators who complete the March 19 training, and who are interested in continuing to share and learn from one another, a post-workshop monthly Community of Practice session will be co-facilitated by Dr. Ellis and local expert, Ellyn Ahmer. The session will be held the third Friday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Community of Practice sessions are progressive and build upon one another:

• April 16 Courageous Conversations Observation & Debrief

• May 21 Courageous Conversations Observation & Debrief Part II

• June 18 Courageous Conversations & Anti-Racism Sustainability

Candid Conversations Matter, LLC (CCM) is a company created by Dr. Adrienne Coleman in the late fall of 2018 to advance DEI work among clients outside of her full-time employment. Dr. Coleman invited Traci D. Ellis, JD, SHRMSCP to work with her as an independent consultant. Together, they have a combined expertise of over 30 years in leading deep and impactful diversity, equity and inclusion work in government, nonprofit, K-12 and higher education sectors.

Dr. Coleman and Dr. Ellis are senior leaders in their respective organizations specifically addressing bias and inequities in access and opportunity for historically marginalized groups, as well as helping organizations create equitable, diverse and inclusive environments. They are equally adept at addressing systems on the institutional and societal levels and provide workshop focused on DEI, Implicit Bias, Cultural Competence, Social Justice and services and assessments focused on DEI research, DEI policy development, DEI strategic planning, coaching, talent acquisition, e-curriculum development and other related topics.