As an organization, we need to incorporate the discussions of racism and anti-racism right from intake. When somebody walks through the door, be comfortable in asking them questions around their experiences. Ask them, “Have you had any experiences of racism or oppression?” “Do you feel that you've been hurt in some interactions?” Service users may or may not identify something right away and it doesn't mean that you have to have a heart-wrenching discussion right at intake. It means you're creating the space for them to have that conversation whenever and wherever they feel comfortable. Speaking about experiences about racism has a therapeutic impact on people's lives. If you are able to talk about it, if you're able to validate those experiences, it allows people to move forward and not be caught up in that experience, in that feeling of blame, anger, hurt. It makes the person able to move forward. The other tip I would mention is that service providers need to be on a continuous journey of learning. They need to be mindful of emerging research and philosophies. Things like the white supremacist movement, alt-right movement and islamophobia. All of these things are ideologies that would have an impact on the service user. The other thing I would say is as part of that continuous journey, that the service provider be prepared to unlearn some of their own notions, their own biases that they have grown up with or carry without even themselves realizing it. It takes a lot of knowledge, practice, courage and humility to be able to question our locations and our privileges and to understand that as part of this learning what are those things that we need to unlearn.
Promotion of egalitarianism and power sharing
Understanding one's social location
Challenging existing social relationships
Participation in practice behaviours that minimize power imbalances and promote equity and empowerment for service users