In the second of Hercules’ labours, he challenges the Hydra – a nine-headed serpent who re-grows two heads for every one severed.

For many NPO leaders, increasing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their organization has come to resemble this mythical feat. No matter the inequalities lopped off, the system rebounds unchanged — uniform as ever.

Just as Hercules had to get creative to slay the beast, so too do we.

A foundational (and historical) problem.

Lack of EDI is not a modern issue, but it’s only recently become a focus. Historically, organizations were built by (and for) a homogenized culture. Because of this, a bias toward traditional uniformity is rooted deeply in organizations, shaping every decision, influencing every change, and subtly dictating leadership roles.

So, to shift this bias and perpetuate a culture of EDI, we must begin with the foundation and build with “new” materials.

If we don’t, not only do we risk petrification, but demoralization of those on top pushing for change that never comes, and members on the ground who grow tired of waiting for promised change.

The consequences of uniform leadership

No matter how demoralized we become, giving up is not an option. The fact is, as we head into a more diverse culture than ever before, EDI is more than a luxury.

It is a necessity.

Non-diverse organizations:

• Are less effective at giving back to their community – As our communities continue to diversify, traditional, uniform organizations are unable to fully understand and address the needs of the people they seek to serve.
• Attract fewer, less diverse people – When an NPO remains uniform, it communicates to outsiders that they are unwelcome. This makes recruiting new members, and increasing EDI, much more difficult.
• Restricts access to upstream leadership opportunities – Board leadership at an NPO is a tremendous training ground for future leadership opportunities. If we are unwilling to promote marginalized and minority groups into leadership, we close the door for them to experience next-level opportunities.

By intentionally opening our boards to diverse groups, we can address each of these issues and create more vibrant, effective organizations that attract more people and increase EDI — from the ground up. However, before we can move forward, we need a strong, cohesive plan that will strike at the heart of the issue.

A foundational shift in EDI

When Hercules grappled with Hydra, he had the help of his nephew, Iolaus. First, Hercules would sever one of its heads, then Iolaus would hold a torch to the cut to cauterize the wound. In this way, they stopped the regrowth of new heads, and together, they were able to defeat a monster that Hercules could not do alone. Likewise, we believe the best approach to increasing EDI is through a two-pronged approach that changes culture through education.

Internal education

The first step to increase EDI is to educate existing board members, helping them to understand the value of diversification, and creating a plan for the organization to begin the process of opening up to other communities.

External education (marketing)

Communicating changes to the greater community is essential. Without reaching out, those under-served communities will assume an organization is unchanged, immovable, and so, will not interact. Through focussed marketing, it is possible to educate diverse communities about the changes in organizations. This will encourage them to reach out and engage.

Leading the way forward

Every NPO has a mandate. Some were created to help children, others to facilitate the integration of new-comers into our society.

With their efforts and energy primarily focussed on tackling external challenges, internal challenges often fall out of focus. While this seems like the right tactic in the present, it only leads to the calcification of the organization’s culture, making it much more difficult to increase EDI down the road.

And eventually, this will lead to the consequences above.

This is where organizations focussed on capacity-building – on the people within NPOs – need to step up and lead.

By creating and implementing the education-focussed program outlined above, we can blaze a trail for other organizations. Through our victories (and failures), we can model a more effective way forward that’s authentic and powerful.

This leadership is now part of Volunteer Lethbridge’s mandate, and we are committed to building a path for NPOs to make more space for marginalized people. We hope others in our sector will join with us to push forward into a more equitable, diverse and inclusive future together.