The OICD INSTITUTE COURSES
Unlock Potential, Ignite Change
Leverage the power of Identity and Culture in Life and Practice
Unlocking the Benefits of Identity Literacy
Understanding Yourself and Others for Personal and Professional Growth
This course provides an overview of what identity literacy is and how it can benefit individuals and organizations. It covers the importance of self-and-other-awareness, the impact of identity on relationships and community, and how to develop identity literacy skills. Unlocking the Benefits of Identity Literacy is a great introduction for anyone looking to improve their understanding of identity and its role in personal and professional growth.
Sharpening Your Identity Literacy
Tools and Techniques for Personal and Professional Growth
This course delves deeper into the practical side of identity literacy, providing tools and techniques for developing self-awareness, understanding others, and building stronger connections. It covers various methods for identity reflection, observation, and interpretation, and provides exercises to help participants increase their awareness, observation, and agency - the three pillars of identity literacy. This course is suitable for anyone who wants to take their understanding of identity to the next level and use it to improve their personal and professional growth.
Identity Literacy and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Building a More Inclusive Workplace and Society
This course explores how identity literacy can help individuals to create a more inclusive workplace and society. It covers topics such as understanding and valuing diversity, the impact of identity on equity and inclusion, and strategies for using identity literacy to create a more inclusive workplace and society. This course is ideal for anyone interested in creating a more inclusive workplace and society.
Identity Mastery
Optimizing Mental Health and Performance Through Self-and-Other Awareness
Optimizing Mental Health and Performance Through Self-and-Other Awareness: This course focuses on how identity literacy can be used to improve mental health and performance. It covers how cultural, social, and personal identity can influence behavior and attitudes, and provides strategies for overcoming identity-based barriers to mental health and performance. This course is ideal for anyone looking to improve their mental health and performance in work or personal life.
Identity and Polarization
Understanding and Navigating the Impact of Identity on Political, Social, and Cultural Divides
This course explores how identity can play a role in driving political, social, and cultural polarization, and how these divides can impact individuals, communities, and society as a whole. This course covers a range of topics, such as how identity shapes political views and attitudes, how social media and other forms of technology exacerbate or mitigate polarization, and how polarization affects mental health and well-being. It also provides strategies for navigating polarization, for understanding and addressing identity-based polarization, and ways to combat negative identity weaponization and polarization, such as developing self-other awareness, and the ability to engage with perspectives and positioning that seem different from one's own.
Building Stronger Connections
How Identity Literacy Can Enhance Relationships
This course explores how understanding our own and others' identities can lead to stronger connections and relationships. It covers topics such as how identity shapes our interactions and communication with others, the impact of identity on relationship building and maintenance, and strategies for developing identity-based empathy and understanding in relationships. This course is ideal for anyone looking to improve their relationships, both personal and professional.
Breaking Free from Fixed Identities
Embracing Versatility and Empowerment
This course explores the concept of fixed identities and how they can limit personal and professional growth. It covers topics such as the impact of societal and cultural norms on identity development, the importance of embracing versatility and flexibility in identity, and strategies for breaking free from fixed identities. This course is ideal for anyone looking to improve their personal and professional growth and development.
Identity and Community
The Importance of Understanding Ourselves and Others for Sustainability
This course explores the role of identity in creating and maintaining sustainable communities. It covers topics such as how identity shapes our sense of belonging and connection to community, the impact of identity on community cohesion and resilience, and strategies for fostering identity-based understanding and inclusivity in communities. This course is ideal for community leaders, policymakers, and anyone interested in building more sustainable and inclusive communities.
Helping Others Break Free
Strategies for Supporting Those Stuck in Fixed Identities
This course builds on the previous course, "Breaking Free from Fixed Identities", and focuses on helping others to break free from fixed identities. It covers topics such as identifying those who are stuck in fixed identities, strategies for supporting and empowering others to break free, and the importance of empathy and understanding in this process. This course is ideal for anyone looking to support and empower those around them to reach their full potential.
Raising Identity-Literate Children
Encouraging Exploration and Acceptance
This course explores the importance of identity literacy in child development and education. It covers topics such as the impact of societal and cultural norms on children's identity development, strategies for encouraging exploration and acceptance of identity in children, and the importance of fostering empathy and understanding in children. This course is ideal for parents, teachers, and anyone working with children and looking to support their healthy identity development.
Identity and Conflict Resolution
Leveraging Cultural Understanding and Strategies to Transform Ethnic and Religious Conflicts
This course examines how cultural and identity factors contribute to ethnic and religious conflicts, and provides strategies for understanding and addressing these conflicts. It covers topics such as the impact of identity on group dynamics and conflicts, the role of culture and identity in shaping perceptions of conflicts, and strategies for conflict transformation and resolution. This course is valuable for professionals in fields such as international relations, conflict resolution, and peacekeeping, as well as anyone interested in understanding and addressing ethnic and religious conflicts.
Identity Crisis and Loss
Recognizing the Signs and Taking Action
This course examines the causes and effects of identity crisis and loss and provides strategies for recognizing the signs and taking action. It covers topics such as the impact of identity loss and crisis on mental health and well-being, strategies for coping and recovering from identity loss and crisis, and resources for support and assistance. This course is ideal for anyone experiencing or supporting someone experiencing an identity crisis or loss.
Identity and Public Health
Understanding and Overcoming Identity-Based Barriers to Effective Messaging and Action
This course explores how identity can shape public health messaging and responses to crises such as pandemics and climate change. It cover topics such as how cultural, social and personal identity can influence health behaviours and attitudes, how to design effective public health campaigns and messages that take into account identity, and strategies for overcoming identity-based barriers to action. This course is a valuable resource for public health professionals, policymakers, social workers, and anyone interested in understanding and addressing the role of identity in public health messaging and action.
Identity in the Digital Age
Navigating Technology and Online Identity
This course explores the intersection of technology and identity in the digital age. It covers topics such as how technology is shaping our understanding and expression of identity, the impact of social media on identity formation and self-presentation, online identity management, and the ethical and privacy considerations surrounding online identity. This course is valuable for anyone interested in understanding how technology is affecting our sense of self and the ways in which we interact with others online. It will provide participants with the tools and knowledge to navigate the digital landscape in a way that is respectful of themselves and others, and to make informed decisions about their online presence.
Identity Literacy and Leadership
Developing Self-Awareness and Empathy to Become a More Effective Leader
This course explores how identity literacy can help individuals to become more effective leaders. It covers topics such as how self-and-other awareness, empathy and agency can help leaders to understand and connect with others, how understanding identity can help leaders to build more inclusive and diverse teams, and strategies for using identity literacy to become a more effective leader. This course is ideal for anyone interested in becoming a more effective leader.
Identity and Antisocial Behaviour
Understanding and Preventing Bullying, Social Media Influence, Gang Recruitment, and other Negative Behaviours
This course examines the role of identity in antisocial behaviour, including bullying, social media influence, gang recruitment, and other negative behaviour. It covers topics such as how identity can be weaponized to drive negative behaviours and strategies for understanding and addressing these behaviours, including ways to combat and prevent negative identity manipulation.
Identity Literacy in Education
Fostering Resilience, Growth and Empathy in the Classroom
This course examines the role of identity in antisocial behaviour, including bullying, social media influence, gang recruitment, and other negative behaviour. It covers topics such as how identity can be weaponized to drive negative behaviours and strategies for understanding and addressing these behaviours, including ways to combat and prevent negative identity manipulation.
Identity Literacy and Social Change
Using Identity Understanding to Create a More Just and Equitable World.
This course explores how identity literacy can be used to promote social change and create a more just and equitable world. It covers topics such as how identity shapes and manipulates power dynamics, how to use identity literacy to promote new forms of positive community, and strategies for using identity understanding to create positive social change. This course is ideal for activists, community leaders, and anyone interested in using identity literacy to create a more just and equitable world.
The OICDi is driven by a passion for change
The OICD was formed in 2006 to apply knowledge and practice to positively transform individual and collective life. Today, OICDi experts from many sectors share a passion to apply their work to helping to continue to achieve this mission.
OICDi courses are written by experts
The OICDi itself is a project built by experts from academic and practitioner communities. All courses incorporate the latest evidence-based knowledge and practices from the respective fields. Teaching is conducted by highly qualified and experienced instructors.
OICDi courses are designed to be applied
There is often a risk that training stays in the training room. OICDi courses are designed from the bottom-up to ensure that every framework, concept and method can be effectively and immediately practically applied.
Gain Key Perspectives
Learn the essential concepts that unlock an understanding of identity and culture. Gain perspectives that will reveal ways in which identities can be put to work to either promote divisions or to fight and overcome them. Learn through article summaries and mini-modules with quizzes and online discussion.
Master Key Techniques
Introducing practical skills that you can use to create positive change. Understand how to gather identity-related information and build effective strategies and interventions to counter division and promote cohesion.
Access Special Content
Taking the most relevant findings from anthropology, psychology and many more relevant disciplines, expose yourself to a world of knowledge relevant to your work.
Full Educational Content 2023
Here's a break-down of the full OICD Institute educational and training content coming throughout 1Q 2023.
- Accessible online interactive and self-guided training - Easy to follow audio, video and text-based training
- Supporting articles and materials - Go deeper by reading more
- Optional online forum for guided support - Ask our experts and the community when you're unsure
- Practical research methods training - Equip yourself with the skills to discover the roots of the problem
- Practical research analysis tools - Learn how to manage your findings and go to the next step
- Practical strategy building guide - Design actual real world strategies rooted in an understanding of identity and culture
- Public engagement sessions with key academics and practitioners in relevant fields
- Media and reference libraries
- Imaginative exercises and activities which access emotions and lock-in knowledge and methods
Phil Vernon, former Director of Programmes International Alert, London, UK (2004-2017)Identity is a core issue for peacebuilding work, but also a very complex one. What I found interesting and relevant about the OICD's approach is the way it combines a high level conceptual model with practical application.
Dr. Aliya Tskhay, Research Associate University of St. AndrewsWith an interest in conflict prevention and resolution, I was looking for an opportunity to apply my academic knowledge to real-world projects. The interdisciplinary approach and unique methodology of conflict management that OICD applies is unparalleled.
The OICD Institute will be Hosting Open-Access Material
Preregister to gain open access to a variety of educational materials upon launch.