Current status

In early June 2008, there was some concern about the complexity and scope of the Project. After discussions with the College, we decided that that there would be an opportunity to keep the Diversity Challenge alive in 2008 at Western Springs College by keeping working informally with the students that were already involved with the project (with the option of opening it up to a few more students that express interest).

Some new thinking (or rather, a return to previous thinking) was to remove the competitive aspect and hence the showcase and awards format. Not only was this quite an onerous task in itself, it had been nagging me that the judging premise may not sit too well within the diversity ethic and may discourage some students' involvement (if you've seen the movie "Freedom Writers", I'm thinking about the student journals). Instead we would put more effort into developing the Diversity Challenge Website for students to upload their work, engage in discussion etc, and display it without fear of public critique.

After more consultation with senior management at the school it was decided to hold a one day diversity workshop on 6 September at the school. This went ahead successfully, attended by 7 students, two of whom were disabled. The workshop was facilitated by Natalie and myself and filmed by the school’s media teacher. The workshop was complemented by a workbook (Appendix 2), and a Wiki (collaborative website) was set up in mid-September, asking students to draw on the workshop to:

Imagine it's 2028 and all high school students have been doing the Diversity Challenge since 2008. As the first Challengers, you are asked to evaluate the impact of the programme on society. Consider some or all of the questions. Think about disabled and non-disabled people in your assessments – or maybe there is no such distinction anymore???
❏ How is the world different?
❏ What roles are people playing now?
❏ What are their relationships like?
❏ What responsibilities do they have?
❏ What kinds of experiences do people have?
❏ What are their attributes?
❏ What is important to learn?
❏ What do people realise about themselves and others?
❏ How do people feel about themselves and others?
❏ How do people express themselves socially, physically, emotionally, culturally, intellectually, economically, spiritually?

The Wiki’s purpose was also to gain feedback on the workshop.

The Project has been one of exploration and experimentation, creating the need to rethink and revise the process and direction several times. It has also been unique in its commitment to involve the school community, both students and staff, in its evolution. From my experience and knowledge of social innovation, it has been largely typical, in that it has required a balance of free reign in its design, testing and reigning in to achieve a realistic model of delivery.

While the involvement of students so far has been small (only about 25 at the initial presentation and then a dozen on and off in the last year), the experience of these students working especially with disabled people in leadership roles has been a valuable exercise in modelling inclusive relationships. This “contained impact” over 18 months should be viewed as a healthy investment in the future of the Project, which is currently in review for relaunch in 2009.

Philip Patston
Project Director