WHAT WE DO

Since 2010, over 275 organizations, schools, colleges, and businesses across Vermont and beyond have sought our services. We have facilitated workshops for over 7500 people: from community organizers to superintendents to CEOs, with the goal of increasing equity and cultural proficiency in our communities.

TRAINING CAPACITY AREAS:

  • Social identity and group membership

  • Implicit Bias

  • Cultural norms in the workplace

  • Having difficult / “courageous” conversations

  • Recognizing and addressing microaggressions

  • Power and privilege in the workplace

  • Ally behavior

  • Culturally competent recruitment and hiring practices

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY AREAS:

  • Leadership and strategies for cultivating a positive organizational culture of change

  • Cultural competence in vision, mission, statement, and policy development

  • Marketing and community outreach

  • Professional development/learning affinity group structures

  • Strategic planning: organizational assessment and focused goal-setting

  • Ongoing advising and coaching

TRAINING DELIVERY METHODS

Each of the CQ Strategies trainers are familiar with and comfortable in using a multitude of active training and adult learning methods for diverse participant groups. CQ Strategies values a participant-centered approach that respects and affirms the diverse learning styles in the group.

CQ Strategies trainings include small and large group activities, paired and small group structured dialogues (concentric circle activities, case study discussions, etc.), experiential simulations, and / or videos followed by discussion. In all cases, participants are continuously asked to connect and apply workshop content with their everyday personal and work experiences. Within the training environment, 2 or more consultants are present to employ keen observation of nonverbal behaviors, track audience engagement and participation, monitor the group dynamics of who is less or more vocal, and constantly assess the flow and sequencing of activities in real time.

Each trainer brings their own perspective, offering personal stories to clarify points and to add a human touch to concepts that are at times challenging to understand. We find that the diversity of perspectives shared by the trainers significantly impacts the participants’ ability to feel secure enough to summon the personal courage that is needed to embrace learning in this work.