About the Fellowship Programme
The Practical Diversity and Inclusion (PDI) Fellowship Programme is designed with the primary objective of empowering and raising the profile of individuals who have a high “degree of difficulty” as explained by the Intersectionality Spectrum Framework [1].
This will be done by:
- getting the Fellows to recognise the value they provide due to their unique, challenging journey, and to explain how people with power can help them,
- helping the Fellows raise their profile in the community,
- providing a small payment to give the Fellows an opportunity to reflect using the Intersectionality Spectrum framework provided by Practical Diversity and Inclusion (PDI).
The secondary aim of this Fellowship Programme is to demonstrate the practicality and utility of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) framework provided by PDI, and to identify gaps and improvements.
By educating Fellows in this framework, the programme enables them to actively apply its principles in real-world scenarios that benefit them and others with high “degrees of difficulty”.
This aligns closely to one of the core strategic selection criteria that is in the “Strategy for Practical Diversity and Inclusion 2024-2026” document [2]: “Does this help to prove that this can be integrated into everyday processes for organisations and individuals?”
Three pathways in the Fellowship Programme
There are three pathways for Fellows in the programme, one is to provide outputs in a qualitative way, a professional way, and another is to provide outputs in a technical way.
Qualitative Fellowship
The outputs expected of the Fellow in a qualitative way would be to:
- write a public article, or equivalent, about the challenges they face, and how privileged individuals and organisations can share power more equitably, using language and example provided in PDI presentations and examples from www.nottheonlyone.org
- add stories more applicable to their situation into www.nottheonlyone.org to ensure that the diversity of stories there increases, and
- write a public article, or equivalent, about the process they went through, what they found helpful, and what could be improved for future Fellows.
Professional Fellowship
The outputs expected of the Fellow in a professional way would be to:
- help with a professional event or activity, like contributing to a grant application or marketing an event on social media, that is associated with Practical Diversity and Inclusion
- add stories more applicable to their situation into www.nottheonlyone.org to ensure that the diversity of stories there increases, and
- write a public article, or equivalent, about the process they went through, what they found helpful, and what could be improved for future Fellows.
Technical Fellowship
The outputs expected of the Fellow in a technical way would be to:
- Improve the technical quality, sustainability, or accessibility of the websites www.practicaldiversity.org and www.nottheonlyone.org
- add stories more applicable to their situation into www.nottheonlyone.org to ensure that the diversity of stories there increases, and
- write a public article, or equivalent, about the process they went through, what they found helpful, and what could be improved for future Fellows.
Becoming a Fellow
The methodology employed by PDI in selecting new Fellows will be based on the Intersectionality Spectrum Framework although the initial pilot in early 2024 will be invite-only. We are committed to making this an applicant-centric process.
Application
Applicants will be asked to write a short, two paragraph justification (about 150 words or 1/3 an A4 page) on how they would benefit from the Fellowship programme and what they would aim to do (outcomes) in concrete terms. Concrete outcomes could include writing an article, doing a presentation, writing a series of blogs (see Qualitative Fellowship, Professional Fellowship, and Technical Fellowship above). This is to ensure that the Fellows will receive a higher benefit than Practical Diversity and Inclusion so as to reduce extractive and exploitative processes.
The paragraphs can be provided as bullet points if that makes it easier for the applicant.
An example application might say:
This Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship aligns perfectly with my commitment to fostering inclusive spaces and to help myself and others be judged on our ability and recognise that we may not all have had the same opportunities. I’m driven to address societal disparities for myself and others and create positive change. This fellowship offers an invaluable opportunity to refine my skills and collaborate with fellow advocates.
Through this fellowship, I plan to channel my learnings into actionable initiatives. I aim to lead workshops on cultural competency in educational settings and drive the implementation of inclusive policies within organizations. I also aim to write a short series of blogs on how open source projects could be more inclusive, accessible, and equitable using the Intersectionality Spectrum.
Post Selection
Payments
Post selection, each candidate receives a financial support package valued at AUD 500. This grant is intended to provide some financial incentive to do the fellowship over a 3 month period. Please note this period of time can be flexible to suit the successful candidate’s schedule.
The schedule of payments would be $250 AUD at the start of the Fellowship, with the final $250 AUD payment to be paid at the end of the Fellowship.
Payment will be made to the best of our ability in AUD, however please note that it is likely that your bank will deduct a processing fee and that the currency conversion will further reduce the payment into your account.
First Steps
The first steps the Fellow can do after being selected are:
- Organise bank details to receive the initial Fellowship payment.
- Organise start date and discuss a potential finish date.
- In the first week organise a time to chat on questions about the Fellowship or the DEI frameworks, or discuss any mentorship needs they may have.
Continuous Improvement
We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all, with a focus on people from one or more marginalised or highly marginalised groups. We are also committed to making this an applicant-centric process. If you feel that this programme has not matched up to the commitment of these ideals, please let us know via info@practicaldiversity.org, or contact us via LinkedIn.
References
- Mosbergen, Rowland (2021). Improving Diversity and Inclusion in Senior Leadership: A workshop to help recruit diverse senior leaders. figshare. Presentation. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.14315846
- Mosbergen, Rowland (2023). Strategy for Practical Diversity and Inclusion 2024-2026. figshare. Presentation. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.24655203