The Anti-Racism Blueprint: Action Planning Toolkit for Organizations
AAISA has developed a guiding resource to help Organizations strengthen their anti-racism work in Alberta. The resource includes an implementation checklist, practical templates for building Anti-Racism Action Plans, and key resources to support development. These tools are aligned with IRCC’s requirements, which include maintaining a commitment to combatting racism, acknowledging systemic racism, and making informed, accountable decisions to address racism.
Table of Contents
| Section | Title | What You’ll Find in This Section |
| 1 | Check List for SPOS Anti-Racism Action Plans | A practical checklist outlining what newcomer-serving organizations (SPOs) are to include in their anti-racism action plans, aligned with IRCC requirements and equity principles.
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| 2 | Examples of Anti-Racism Action Plans | A collection of examples and working documents from organizations across sectors to inspire and guide action plan development. |
| 3 | Laying the Groundwork: Concepts and Frameworks to Support Meaningful Action
| Foundational knowledge and conceptual tools to understand anti-racism, including key models, positionality resources, and frameworks for turning knowledge into action. |
| 3 | Indigenous Concepts in Anti-Racism Action Planning | Indigenous worldviews, teachings, and frameworks (ex. Medicine Wheel, Seven Grandfather Teachings) that can ground anti-racism work in relational, holistic, and culturally safe approaches. |
| 4 | Available Trainings | A list of programs, courses to build anti-racism capacity across newcomer-serving agencies and frontline staff. |
| 5 | GBA Plus Available Resources
| Resources to apply a Gender-Based Analysis Plus lens to anti-racism planning, emphasizing intersectionality, systemic inequities, and inclusive service delivery. |
- Checklist for SPOS Anti-Racism Action Plans
Checklist PDF : Anti-Racism Action Plan Checklist
- Understanding Anti-Racism Centered Approaches
These models are used to inform anti-racism planning and embed racial equity into operations, human resources (HR), evaluation protocols, and service delivery.
Examples to consider while building Anti-Racism Action Plans
- AARAISA Anti-Racism Action Planning: Link
- Ideal for guiding sector specific anti-racism planning with practical steps and context-relevant frameworks
- Anti-Racism Working Document Action Plan: Link
- Useful for creating flexible, evolving action plans that can be refined through ongoing staff and stakeholder input.
- UN Addressing Racism Action Plan: Link
- Valuable for incorporating global human rights language and internationally recognized anti-racism commitments into local policies
- City of Calgary Anti-Racism Strategic Plan: Link
- Helpful when adapting community engagement strategies to organizational settings, municipal-level frameworks, and public accountability measures
- 3. Laying the Groundwork: Concepts and Frameworks to Support Meaningful Action for Anti-Racism Plans
Personal Foundation & Context for Action
- Individual Positionality: Link
- IRCC Wheel of Privilege and Power: Link
- Understanding Bias: A Resource Guide: Link
Frameworks to consider for Action
- Knowledge to Action Framework: Link
- The City of Calgary Anti-Racism Maturity Model: Link
- OCAIS Analytical Frameworks for Building Equity (pg.4) : Link
- Anti-Racism, Cultural Safety & Humility Framework: Link
- The National Standards for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace: Link
Embedding Organizational Change towards Anti-Racism
- Boys & Girls Club Anti-Racism Toolkit : Link
- Government of Canada Anti Racism Toolkit: Link
- Native Women’s Association of Canada Research Toolkit: Link
- Fighting Racism and Discrimination UNESCO: Link
Structured Indigenous Frameworks & Concepts for Action
- Indigenous Anti-racism and Anti-colonial (ARC) Practice: Link
- Valuable to ensure anti-indigenous racism and that anti-racism plans move beyond interpersonal issues and address policy, funding, and service delivery inequities
- The Seven Grandfather Teachings Anishinaabe/Ojibwe: Link
- Helpful teachings as core organizational values to shape the tone, objectives, and accountability measures of anti-racism plans
- Medicine Wheel Teachings Holistic Framework of Balance and Interconnectedness
- Useful to apply the four quadrants to assess and design anti-racism initiatives
- Support and address staff well-being, community trust, and cultural safety and emotional health of racialized communities
- Examples of Medicine Wheels in practice in Action Plans
- Culture & Language Medicine Wheel : Link
- Holistic Education: Link
- Holistic Health: Link
Continuous Improvement
- MANSO Anti-Racism Resources: Link
- MANSO Anti-Racism Policy for the Settlement Sector:Link
- Anti Racism Framework for Canadas International Cooperation Sector: Link
- 4. Available Trainings
- Action Dignity Systems Led Anti-Racism Training Program: Link
- Training focused on helping organizations identify and address systemic racism at the policy, program, and institutional level, using community engagement and systems-change tools
- MANSO – Anti-racism Training Resource for the Settlement Sector: Link
- A tailored resource for frontline settlement workers and managers, offering practical tools, scenarios, and reflection exercises to integrate anti-racism into daily practice
- University of Alberta – Enroll in the Anti-Racism Tools and Thoughts course: Link
- An academic-style course that explores anti-racism concepts, frameworks, and practical applications, encouraging critical thinking and self-reflection for professionals across sectors
- AAISA Courses : Link
- Welcoming Diversity
- Developing (Inter)Cultural Competencies, Anti-Discrimination and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in Settlement.
5. GBA Plus Available Resources
- AAISA National Resource Guide GBA Plus: Link
- An Introduction to GBA+ / Mutiple Elements of Anti Racism: Link
- GBA Plus Glossary of Terms & Definitions : Link
- ARAISA – Atlantic Introduction to Gender-Based Analysis Plus : Link
- ARAISA – Atlantic Organizational Capacity Building Through a GBA Plus Lens : Link
- An Introduction to GBA+ / Mutiple Elements of Anti Racism: Link
- The five steps of GBA+: Link
- Putting GBA+ into practice: Link
- How to Apply Gender-based Analysis Plus to your work : Link