How can you make your presentations more diverse and inclusive?

1 Know your audience

Before you start designing your presentation, do some research on your audience. What are their backgrounds, interests, needs, and expectations? How can you tailor your message and style to suit them? For example, if you are presenting to a group of young volunteers, you may want to use more visuals, stories, and interactive activities, rather than long texts and statistics. If you are presenting to a group of people from different cultures, you may want to avoid jargon, slang, or jokes that may not translate well or may offend someone.

2 Use inclusive language

Language is a powerful tool to communicate your values and intentions. Use language that is respectful, accurate, and inclusive of everyone. Avoid stereotypes, assumptions, or generalizations that may exclude or harm some groups or individuals. For example, instead of saying "the homeless", say "people experiencing homelessness". Instead of saying "the disabled", say "people with disabilities". Use gender-neutral terms, such as "they" or "them", when you are not sure about someone's pronouns, or ask them politely. Use the names and terms that people prefer to identify themselves, such as "Black", "Indigenous", or "LGBTQ+".

3 Choose diverse and relevant examples

When you are giving examples, stories, or case studies in your presentation, make sure that they are diverse and relevant to your audience. Include examples that showcase the diversity of your volunteers, beneficiaries, or partners, and how they contribute to your mission and goals. Avoid using examples that are too narrow, biased, or outdated, and that may not reflect the reality or needs of your audience. For example, if you are presenting about the impact of your volunteer program on education, you may want to include examples from different regions, genders, ages, and backgrounds, rather than focusing on one group or country.

5 Seek feedback and improvement

Finally, one of the best ways to make your presentations more diverse and inclusive is to seek feedback and improvement. Ask your audience for their opinions and suggestions on how you can improve your presentation skills and content. Listen to their perspectives and experiences, and learn from their insights and recommendations. Thank them for their participation and support, and follow up with them if needed. Keep learning and updating your knowledge and practices on diversity and inclusion, and apply them to your future presentations.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?