DEI Statement

 

Here at The Handwork Studio, we strive to be a kind and inclusive community committed to creating a holistic environment where all members feel included, respected, and celebrated. We are on an ongoing journey to make The Handwork Studio an inclusive community by committing to group equity through love, compassion, and kindness. 

 

No matter your age, culture, religion, ability, experience, gender identity and expression, or sexual orientation, you'll find your place here. Kindness is not just a "nice" thing we do – it's an active practice that we honor in our camp community.

 

• We’ve established a budget that supports our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, ensuring we invest in our values every year.
• We work with a DEI consultant to evaluate and adjust all facets of The Handwork Studio, including but not limited to our hiring practices, programming content, staff training, company wording and messaging, and general practices. 
• We have hired a DEI advocate who can help our families and team members understand and navigate our DEI initiatives.
• We communicate our culture to our families and team members. By registering for camp or choosing to work with The Handwork Studio, you commit to upholding our kind and inclusive environment.
• We continue to build a diverse leadership team both year-round and seasonally. 
• All of our staff engage in DEI-specific training, preparing them to celebrate and support campers of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences, and to treat one another with the same respect. We provide opportunities for discussion among all team members on relevant issues and topics related to our work in DEI.
• We respect all staff and campers’ gender identity and gender expression by honoring the right of campers and staff to be identified and addressed by their chosen name and pronouns.
• We provide all staff and students access to gender-inclusive restrooms.

• Create a DEI Advisory Board committing to constantly evaluating our operations and practices. We welcome outside perspectives to help us continue to be better.
• Provide DEI certification for our leadership team.   
• Being an ever-evolving organization. We will continue to commit to our core values of Trust, Care, Education & Creativity to build and sustain inclusion in all of our communities

We welcome YOU, our families, our creative community, and hand-work admirers to join us in committing to being a part of the kind and inclusive space at “The Handwork Studio.” If you have any questions regarding our ongoing practices or new initiatives, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We welcome and encourage feedback on this work.

 

To gain further understanding of the work we are doing, feel free to explore some helpful resources that go more in-depth into DEI work below: