CLST085 - Decolonizing Organizational Systems

Course Description

Embark on a transformational journey into recognizing, confronting, and dismantling colonial influences within today’s workplaces. You will examine the historical roots and impacts of colonial systems, deepen your understanding of personal privilege and power, and learn practical strategies for fostering genuine inclusion and equity. 

Through interactive modules, reflective inquiry, collaborative discussion, and action-oriented projects, you’ll develop the skills to identify systemic barriers, create meaningful territorial acknowledgements, and advance organizational change rooted in respect for Indigenous presence and knowledge. By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped to champion decolonization with clarity, accountability, and a systems perspective—bringing reconciliation into actionable, everyday practice in your professional context.
 

Course Outline

• Investigate how colonial influences shape organizational culture, policies, relationships, and decision-making.
• Reflect on your own experiences of privilege, power, and bias, and how these impact your actions at work.
• Learn and apply strategies to disrupt colonial norms, shift workplace dynamics, and support authentic inclusion.
• Explore the meaning, purpose, and creation of territorial acknowledgements, practicing delivery in contextually appropriate ways.
• Assess and compare various frameworks, models, and approaches for decolonization—recognizing their strengths, limitations, and applications.
• Participate in collaborative discussions and peer learning to surface diverse perspectives and drive collective change projects within your organization.

Learner Outcomes

• Identify and describe specific colonial systems, norms, and practices operating within your organization or field.
• Examine and articulate your own biases, privileges, and positionality—and reflect on their influence in professional interactions.
• Apply concrete decolonizing strategies to shift workplace norms, influence policies, and promote equitable participation and outcomes.
• Craft and meaningfully deliver territorial acknowledgements that reflect relational accountability and localized understanding.
• Critically assess and compare decolonization frameworks, selecting and adapting approaches relevant to real-world scenarios.
• Facilitate and contribute to constructive, inclusive discussions about decolonization, demonstrating leadership in transformative organizational change.

Who It’s For:

This course is ideal for professionals, leaders, human resources personnel, and anyone interested in promoting inclusivity and equity within their organizations.

It is particularly beneficial for those working in fields related to social justice, community development, education, and organizational leadership who are committed to understanding and implementing decolonization principles.

Learner Effort:

4-6 hours/week

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

• Truth and Reconciliation at Work Micro-credential : Core Courses