Am I being unwoke?

TBH I can’t imagine that the sort of ‘tick box’ training we had to do, would have done anything at all to alter the mindset of anyone with ingrained prejudices.

I dare say much better courses do exist.

I think these type of training courses are routine for most businesses and they're something all volunteers will eventually be asked to undertake whatever charity we volunteer with. This way if a problem develops the people in charge can say they sent everybody on a course so there can be no blame attributed to the business.

If I was told to go on a course like that, well I would not be volunteering any longer. How patronising can they get? Every single human being on the planet has unconscious biases, and these courses are a complete waste of time and money that would be better spent on helping whichever group of people the charity is concerned with. Anyone who asks for my pronouns is likely to get a very short answer - I do not do woke.

You’re probably right there knspol. It’s all about appearances and covering backsides , more so than in th3 past. I worked with and trained volunteers for over 20 years and most of the training was about listening well and confidentiality in those days . Plus not being judgemental. I would never, ever talk down to my wonderful volunteers. Many of them were highly trained professionals, medical and other who knew far more about their field than I did.

I certainly wouldn't have anything to do with any of it - totally absurd.

It sounds like the charity is covering it's back. I'm sure they don't want to spend the money on the training either but it would cost them far more if someone sued them. This forced spending of precious budgets has been going on for years....ever since we morphed into a litigation society. When I was teaching (over a decade ago) we had to spend part of our precious budget on foam and fluorescent tape. The foam was to protect any child who bumped into the metal fence and the tape was wrapped around tree trunks at child face height to ensure that they could be seen and no child ran into them. In the whole time I worked at that school no child had ever run into a tree or been hurt by the fence. Even the children queried it and decided it was stupid. But we had to do it in case one child hit the fence or the tree because it would have left the school open to negligence litigation if we hadn't.

I'd unvolunteer if they imposed Equality and Inclusivity training on me. It's not needed and wasting time and money on it is a travesty especially as such training only provokes and antipathy towards its goal

Musicgirl

I.think most of us were brought up at a time when we were told that the feelings of others were paramount and always had to be considered all times. Politeness and good manners were seen as vital and surely most of us try to adhere to this principle. I am sure everyone is guilty of unconscious bias at some point or another but, I hope, try to rectify it once we realise this.
I do think that the world has gone mad with the woke agenda that is being forced on us at every turn. As ever, the minority are intolerant of the majority who are told that they/we are intolerant, even though we are trying our best. Take the self-identification moment and the two thirteen year olds who were shouted at by their teacher for not recognising another member of the class as the cat they were self-identifying as. Apparently, self-identifying as a cat is becoming quite a trend. Only yesterday, a pupil who had just finished A levels told me that several students at her sixth form college identify in this way and when their names are read out in the register acknowledge themselves with miaow! Madness.

Take the self-identification moment and the two thirteen year olds who were shouted at by their teacher for not recognising another member of the class as the cat they were self-identifying as. Apparently, self-identifying as a cat is becoming quite a trend. Only yesterday, a pupil who had just finished A levels told me that several students at her sixth form college identify in this way and when their names are read out in the register acknowledge themselves with miaow! Madness.

I wonder if the cat-identifiers have transitioned sufficiently to enjoy a bowl of Whiskas-Fish-in-Jelly with a side of kibble in the corner of the kitchen when they're hungry, or if they only identify to the point where they can seek attention / annoy their teachers, and be part of a trend?

I'm not going to respond to anyone who meows at me in reply to a question... I shall identify as someone who doesn't tolerate deliberate provocation and silliness...

One can have an affinity with cats - dogs, all animals, commune with nature and be transfixed by a new moon, but this is just ridiculous and anyone who encourages it needs to give their head a wobble.

It might be an irritating lecture type course or it might be something that the Charity has identified really needs to be addressed in its 100+ volunteers.

That’s a lot of volunteers, all with their own opinions and assumptions and their ways of dealing with people. The Charity needs to make sure that all their clients are dealt with sensitively and fairly by volunteers they come into contact with.

Amongst the unconscious bias that I ( and many of us here) have experienced would be

Being female
Being older
Being single
Being disabled
Being ill
Accent
Appearance
Family circumstances

If like to think people were willing to explore their possible unconscious bias and the way it affects how they interact with others.

I ve worked for the same charity for 9 years and the only training I ve ever done is an online lifting advise course annually takes about 15 minutes
The cat identity thing is a load of rubbish and I m afraid they should have a saucer of milk for their lunch

At Our Age… we are already one of two things - we’re either woke or not.

You’re either raised, educated and embrace one way of thinking… or the other. Don’t imagine too many will be changing at this point in our lives. What the heck is “woke” anyway??? You’re either In or Out, you’re either Good or Bad…? It’s so ridiculous.

There are politicians (especially in my country) who throw around the word Woke in every other sentence… like they are the knowledgeable ones and you’d better listen to me! They are absolute idiots!! Shallow thinkers who are trying to gain attention of their political base and stir up fear - also a bunch of losers.

This is a phase of vaudeville that will die out. In the end acceptance and inclusivity will continue to grow organically and become the norm of the future. It’s on a good track, let’s not snuff it out by being stupid.
USA Gundy

The training will almost certainly be free to the charity.

Why not do the course and then make the decision

What qualifications do the people who run these courses have? Who decides on the rules, and how do we know that they are not racialist, homophobic etc. themselves?

aggie

I’m duolingoing French at the moment ! Everything is male or female ! Not an easy thing to get used to in these times !

Try German. Everything is masculine, feminine or neuter.,

What a waste of money and so unnecessary. I would never knowingly support any charity investing in such woke nonsense.

Thank you all for your replies.
I don’t have a problem with doing the training, I have undertaken similar when I was working. It’s the financial aspect and the true values of the charity that I am questioning. However, as some have said, it may be that some funding or grant is subject to them carrying out this training. I will continue volunteering with them for the time being but will be asking questions about why this training has come about.

Charities do have to follow the law

This training and others could be very well mandatory if they want to keep the status as non profits

Dickens

If you treat all fellow human beings as human beings, regardless of status, abilities, sex, gender, ethnicity or age, and deal them the same respect and allow them the same dignity you'd hope to be dealt yourself... isn't that sufficient?

Unfortunately that is not the way some people see it. I, like you, used to believe that the best way I could behave was to treat everyone equally with respect. Now that is not enough. We have to treat people differently depending on who they are and how they identify. This is proving a recipe for disaster.

I wouldn’t attend as I am sure I would challenge the wokeness of it all. I feel they would be trying to indoctrinate me. So whatever happened I would be dismissed.

It’s a sad old world imo and it will only get worse.

PS I was once challenged for offering a student black or white coffee. I was told to say ‘with or without milk’. How bloomin’ absurd. Needless to say it was a white middle class person who told me, not one of my lovely Asian students who I got on with very well.

Finally I have nothing against white middle class people, I think I am one myself. 🤔

I do unto others as I would be done by. It seems you have to walk on egg shells in case you inadvertently say the wrong thing now. Was going to look for voluntary work now I’m feeling better but think I would be too worried in case someone thought I was not woke enough. The whole woke thing has become threatening. If I were Namdad I would leave.
Perhaps that’s why three charity shops by me are closed half the time as they can’t keep staff.

Merylstreep
Just because you have great diversity in your shop does no necessarily mean that nobody in it has any bias, conscious or not.
I have had chats with lots of different people with different backgrounds and have come to the conclusion that if you are white, able-bodied and heterosexual (as I.am) and brought up in this country you cannot escape having bias.
A lot of these courses, as people have said, are cr*p. I go along with them because there might be some nugget in there, something that had not occurred to me. I have a lot to learn.

Yes we can always find common sense reasons to not have our biases challenged. Its no skin off your nose, why not do the course. The charity wants to make sure that all its volunteers understand the issues and the unconscious bias which we all suffer from. Your heart is in the right place. You want to help. Wouldnt it be Great to get a better understanding so you dont inadvertantly add to a vulnerable person's hurt

I will continue volunteering with them for the time being but will be asking questions about why this training has come about.

I'd wait till after you've done the training to question it. You may find it useful, after all.