Lambton College believes that every person should have the opportunity to live a full authentic life.
As a College, we believe the rich diversity among our student body and the communities we serve should be reflected throughout our campus. As an educational institution, we also have a responsibility to play a leadership role in advancing the principles
of equity, diversity, and inclusion in our region and across the country.
Inclusivity Assessment
To ensure we continue to focus on our own growth in this area, Lambton College will be conducting an in-depth Inclusivity Assessment. The Assessment is being conducted by a third-party consultant, Turner Consulting Group Inc. and will include the following
components:
- A review of employment policies and practices
- A review of student policies and practices
- Consultations with students, staff and faculty through focus groups and an online survey
- One-on-one interviews with senior leaders, human resources staff, and union representatives
- Consultations with stakeholders in the college community
The goal of the assessment is to help us better understand where Lambton College stands today as it relates to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Based on the results of the Assessment, the consultants will make recommendations to help our
College create a more diverse workforce, equitable policies and practices, and a more inclusive work and learning environment. These recommendations will form the basis of Lambton College’s first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
This Strategy will act as a road map for the College, providing direction on everything from our curricular and pedagogical practices to enhancing student supports, research infrastructure, leadership development, and organizational culture.
Virtual Focus Groups
A significant component of the Inclusivity Assessment will be the virtual focus group sessions with targeted groups (students, employees, and community stakeholders) to gather their experiences and perceptions about the issues faced by various
stakeholder groups and potential solutions to these challenges.
The focus groups will allow participation from a cross-section of staff, faculty, and students, including those who identify as Women, Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ2S+, Persons with Disabilities, Racialized Persons, International Students and Straight
White Able-Bodied Men.
Online Survey
The online survey is another important part of the Inclusivity Assessment designed to allow Lambton College students, staff, and faculty to share their experiences and perspectives, especially if they are unable to participate in a focus group
session.
Two surveys will be designed: one for staff and faculty, and one for students.
A link to the survey will be sent via email on October 18, 2021 and remain open until November 30, 2021. The survey is completely anonymous, and results will be sent directly to Turner Consulting Group for analysis in conjunction with other tactics
to identify equity issues for Lambton College, and to make recommendations for change.
Confidentiality
We want every member of the College community to feel comfortable and confident about participating in the Inclusivity Assessment, knowing that full confidentiality will be respected.
Here’s how the College will ensure the protection of your privacy and confidentiality:
- Lambton College employees will not have access to your individual input through the consultations or online surveys.
- Turner Consulting Group will host the focus groups, analyze the data, and provide a report of their findings to Lambton College.
- Turner Consulting Group will host the online survey through Survey Monkey, which can be accessed from any computer. No one at Lambton College will have access to the database or individual responses to the survey.
- The Inclusivity Assessment Report will include quotes from the information shared in the consultations. When quotes are used, identifying information such as names of individuals or specific departments will be removed.
For more information and details about the process, please review our Frequently Asked Questions (pdf).
Schedule & Implementation
- October - November
- Consultation - internal and external
- December
- Analysis and development of Draft 1 and synthesis of results
- January
- Presentation of assessment and recommendations for feedback to the senior leadership team
- Finalize Equity, Diversity & Inclusion strategy
Student & Employee Support
We understand that participation in these conversations or sharing lived experiences can sometimes be difficult. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or upset during or after completion of the survey or focus group, please reach out and talk to someone.
If you are a student and would like to connect with a counsellor, please email counselling@lambtoncollege.ca.
For after hours support, you can contact Good2Talk helpline at 1-866-925-5454, and talk to a trained counsellor.
The Indigenous Student Centre also provides a host of supports for Indigenous learners and employees. Virtual Elder visits are also available by appointment for those who would like to talk or need information. Visit the Indigenous Student Centre web section for contact information.
An Employee and Family Assistance Plan is also available for all employees and is designed to provide critical and confidential support for people in a variety of areas and at many different points in their journeys. Visit mylambton.ca for more information on these benefits.
Lambton College understands this is just the beginning of our journey towards creating an institutional long-term strategy that focuses on adopting best practices as a fully integrated student and employee experience strategy.