Online Learning

Expand your EDI-related competencies and also lend your support to the University’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts by engaging with these online learning opportunities. Select an available topic below. 

Do you know of additional online learning opportunities?

In the Human Rights Office, we’re always on the look-out for great additions to this resource page. If you’re aware of other online learning opportunities, please send them to our attention.

Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI)

Western University is proud to be an Employer Partner of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). The information on this page will lead you to a number of interesting and valuable CCDI resources which can help support our communities’ EDI efforts.

What is CCDI?

The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion is a nonprofit, social organization committed to research and education to help Canadian workplaces move from diversity to inclusion. Their mission is to encourage workplaces to become "inclusive, free of prejudice and discrimination and to generate the awareness, dialogue and action for people to recognize that diversity is an asset and not an obstacle".

Why Western is partnering with CCDI

An Employer Partnership with CCDI helps to advance Western’s goal of building an inclusive and diverse community.

Our partnership with CCDI will provide Western employees with access to the following benefits:

  • Unlimited access to live and interactive webinars
  • Unlimited attendance to CCDI Community of Practice events, held across Canada
  • Unlimited access to an online Knowledge Repository, curated with 600+ documents, reports, toolkits, templates and other content

Western employees can take part in diversity and inclusion webinars or delve deeper with detailed content on specific topics through the Knowledge Repository’s recorded webinars or reports.

Register for access

Employees with a Western email address are eligible to sign in to the CCDI site. This includes those with Ivey and Schulich email addresses.

Visit the CCDI Subscription webpage to register and receive the monthly newsletter and to stay up-to-date about the information on diversity and inclusion, professional development, research, events and more.

Regular live educational webinars

To see what’s coming up, view the CCDI Event Calendar:

  • Click on an event/webinar you would like to attend
  • Register as an Employer Partner through the link at the bottom of the screen
  • Enter your name and contact information and select “I work for an Employer Partner”, select ‘Western University’ from the drop down menu
  • A confirmation email will be sent to your inbox.

Recorded sessions of past webinars can be accessed in the Knowledge Repository.

Knowledge Repository

The Knowledge Repository has recorded webinars, articles, videos. To access the repository (once you have registered), visit the CCDI home page and select the Login button on the top right hand side of the page. You may browse topics by terms or topic.

Foundational Diversity & Inclusion Resources

If you want a solid foundation for your equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) journey, check out these recorded webinars, accessible through the Knowledge Repository by name:

  • D&I Fundamentals
  • Unconscious Bias
  • Cultural Competence
  • Privilege
  • Allyship
  • Respect in the Workplace

If you have any comments or questions or would like assistance finding specific diversity and inclusion information, please contact the Human Rights Office.

Disability-related

Ableism and discrimination based on disability

This audio-cast provides an introduction to disability law, as well as how to identify, prevent and address disability-related discrimination.

  • Offered by: Ontario Human Rights Commission
  • Length: 20 minutes (audio-cast only)
  • Go to audiocast now

Domestic Violence

Make It Our Business: Domestic Violence in the Workplace

Increase your understanding of domestic violence, the warning signs and risk factors. You’ll also learn how to respond and seek help when workers are experiencing domestic violence.

  • Offered by: Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
  • Length: Each module takes 20 minutes (total time = 80 minutes). A certificate of completion is available.
  • Go to "Make it Our Business" now.

Gender-related

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

The concept of gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) is explained in this session and you’ll learn how identity factors (including gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability) can impact how individuals or members of diverse groups experience policies, programs or initiatives.

  • Offered by: Status of Women Canada
  • Length: approximately two hours
  • Go to program now.

Human Rights and the Duty to Accomodate

Human Rights 101

Learn about how the Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination and/or harassment based on protected grounds (including age, ancestry, colour, race, citizenship, ethnic origin, place of origin, creed, disability, family status, marital status, gender identity, gender expression, receipt of public assistance, record of offenses, sex, and sexual orientation).

Human Rights and the Duty to Accomodate

Gain an understanding of the duty to accommodate and the principles of accommodation, including the standard of undue hardship.

  • Offered by: Ontario Human Rights Commission
  • Length: self-paced (approximately 20-30 minutes)
  • Go to training now

Indigenous-related

Indigenous Land Acknowledgement: More than Words

Learn about the Land Acknowledgement at Western University and paying respect to the Original Peoples of the territory (includes pronunciation audio-file for speakers).

  • Offered by: Indigenous Initiatives Office
  • Length: self-paced (pronunciation audio-file)
  • View this program 

Race-related

Call It Out: Racism, racial discrimination and human rights

Understand human rights protections related to race and related grounds (including citizenship, creed/religion, ancestry, ethnicity and place of origin). This session offers an overview of racism and racial discrimination, as well as strategies for preventing and addressing racial discrimination.

Sexual Violence

Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence on University and College Campuses in Ontario

Designed specifically to support all employees of Universities/Colleges in Ontario, these modules will teach you how to supportively and effectively respond to disclosures of sexual violence on campus.

  • Offered by: The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
  • Length: Seven self-paced modules with videos and quizzes and a certificate of completion
  • View modules now

Unconscious Bias

Unconscious Bias in the Peer Review Process

Created specifically for the academic and research community, this module discusses how to mitigate the influence of unconscious bias in the peer review process.

  • Offered by: Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
  • Length: Self-paced (approx. 20 minutes) and a certificate of completion
  • View program now

Introduction to Unconscious Bias

This learning module for Western employees is one step in a journey to becoming more aware of unconscious bias. It will provide resources to help you learn how to reduce the impact bias has at Western.

  • Offered by: Western's Human Rights Office and Talent, Learning and Engagement
  • Length: 10 minutes
  • To access the course:
    • Log into OWL by clicking on the course link: Unconscious Bias - An Introduction
    • After logging in, click "Yes, please add me" to join the module site
    • Select "Learning Module" from the menu on the left
    • Select "Introduction to Unconscious Bias Learning Module" from the center
    • The module will open in another window, click "Play" to begin