An Assessment of the City of Beaverton’s Readiness for Cultural Inclusion Initiatives

Holly Thompson Capstone EMPA 2011 Dr. Masami Nishishiba ∙ Advisor ∙ Portland State University

Background

• Beaverton is a diverse city • One in four foreign born • Nearly 100 languages spoken • Priority for the City and Mayor • Leadership focus ethnic minority outreach – new position The city has not conducted a cultural inclusion readiness assessment before now.

Literature Review

Defining culture – “the totality of ways that shape how individuals see and respond

to the world and community around them,” (Rice 2007)

• Cultural competency is a core skill for public administrators • Dimensions of cultural competency • Assessments are a critical starting point

Key Research Questions – is the City ready for cultural inclusion?

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Consistent understanding of the term cultural inclusion? What are the key challenges to implementation?

What support or tools does the city need?

What is the relationship between leadership’s expressed desire to increase cultural inclusion with external community members and the state within the organization?

What are the leadership implications?

Research Methods

• Stakeholder Interviews (25 people) • Employee Survey (43% response rate)

Findings

65% of stakeholders described or rated the

city as not very ready or prepared. Of stakeholders, 58% defined culture broadly while 42% defined culture as

more focused on ethnicity or nation of origin

• Strong appreciation for cultural inclusion • No clear definition of terms or city’s goals • The city workforce is not ready • People would like a more diverse workforce • Tools and support needed include language assistance, cultural awareness training and help with hiring practices • The organization needs to improve information flow

Significance of Project

Opportunity to apply lessons learned to help the city achieve its goal …….to be more culturally inclusive

Recommendations

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Clarify intent through clear policy statement Continue assessment efforts Invest in broad cultural inclusion training Human Resources should lead – including hiring practices Clarify role of cultural inclusion coordinator Create an internal advisory committee Keep leadership talking Create a cultural inclusion action plan Better align the city’s overall public engagement groups

EMPA Lessons Learned

• Lead from where you sit • We all have a part to play as part of institutions • Public servants are responsible for the greater good • Leadership - Model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, encourage others to act, and enable the heart

Acknowledgements

• Family • Faculty • City of Beaverton • Friends • Cohort

PEOPLE by Peter Spier © 1980

“Now, isn’t it wonderful that each and every one of us is unlike any other?”