Transparency
REDDING, Calif. — Far Northern Regional Center will host a cultural competency training on July 31 at Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, led by Dr. Nandi, a sociology professor at California State University, Chico, with more than 25 years of experience.
The event aims to support service providers, bilingual staff, and regional center employees in improving equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness for the diverse communities they serve across Northern California.
“We’re doing this because there’s been a huge disparity on the usage of our services compared to our Caucasian population,” said a Far Northern Regional Center staff member during the planning session. “The state allocated each regional center language and access and cultural competency funds, and we were awarded funds to target other cultures and provide general public training for service providers and staff.”
Dr. Nandi said her training will be highly interactive, focused on real-world applications, and tailored to Far Northern’s clients and staff’s needs.
“I do a lot of interactive, high-energy [training],” Nandi said. “I want to help cultivate a space where people feel comfortable to say, ‘I don’t know,’ or ‘I’m a little bit afraid.’”
The full-day session is expected to run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., including morning and afternoon blocks and a lunch break from 12 to 1 p.m. The workshop will be divided into three main parts:
- Foundations of Cultural Competency: Basic vocabulary, implicit bias, and tools for identifying and addressing personal and systemic bias.
- Intersectionality and Identity: An exploration of how multiple identities (race, gender, language, disability, etc.) affect access and experience within social services.
- Practical Application: Roleplay, scenarios, and toolkit development to implement equity and belonging in everyday service and workplace settings.
“Ultimately, what I want at the end of the day is for people to walk away and feel like, ‘Okay, I got something,’” Nandi said. “We now feel empowered to meet in a place that says we all have a common vision for empowering marginalized communities.”
Approximately 150 to 200 attendees are expected. The regional center plans to include bilingual staff, local service agencies, and other California regional centers.
“Language is one barrier, but sometimes it’s also the confidence to ask the hard questions,” a planner said. “This training is about understanding the people we work with — not just our workplace, but the families we serve.”
Attendees will receive training materials and small gift bags. The event will also include multimedia components, including video clips embedded in a PowerPoint presentation. Dr. Nandi encouraged regional center staff to send scenarios or barriers in advance to help tailor the content.
“I hope people leave with tools, language, and a stronger sense of how to serve with both compassion and competence,” Nandi said.
To get tickets for the event click the link below.
For more information, contact Maria at mnazari@farnorthernrc.org