A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute

As a leading provider of anti-bias education and diversity training programs, the Anti-Defamation League’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute recognizes that attitudes and beliefs affect actions, and that each of us can have an impact on others and ultimately, on the world in which we live.

The origins of the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Institute date back to 1985, when ADL and WCVB-TV in Boston initiated the A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE campaign, a series of education and media-driven programs designed to compact prejudice and create effective tools to address these issues in the classroom and community. The campaign’s immense success led to ongoing programs in Boston and 28 U.S. cities and several national awards including a Peabody, Gabriel, and Scripps-Howard.

Our Goals: The Institute’s programs and resources are designed to help participants:

• recognized bias and the harm it inflicts on individuals and society;
• build understanding of the value and benefits of diversity;
• improve intergroup relations and;
• confront racism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of bigotry

A CLASSROOM OF DIFFERENCE™ is at the heart of the Institute, developed to address diversity in the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade school communities.  A CLASSROOM OF DIFFERENCE™ includes:

Teacher Training Programs are professional development programs that provide teachers and administrators with the skills and knowledge to build safe, respectful learning environments for all students. Interdisciplinary, standards-based curricular materials help to integrate anti-bias education into existing curriculum throughout the school year. Workshops also provide effective strategies to address prejudice, name-calling, and bullying, face-to-face and in cyberspace.

Student Programs: The Institute’s Peer Education programs prepare middle and high school students to work with their peers and younger students to confront bias and prejudice in their schools and communities. Additional student workshops let teenagers explore the harms of name-calling and bullying and encourage them to challenge these behaviors with their peers and be allies to others.

• Becoming An Ally: Interrupting Name Calling and Bullying provides opportunities for educators and students with the knowledge, awareness and skills to respond to  name-calling and bullying behaviors, and to create safe and respectful school environments.
•  Peer Training offers high school students extensive training so they can lead anti-bias workshops for their peers. ADL’s award-winning interactive movie Hate Comes Home, helps students explore concepts of prejudice, stereotyping and scapegoating, and develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills to prevent hate-motivated behavior before it escalates to violence.
• CyberAlly® provides practical information and opportunities for skill-building that will support students in developing personal strategies for protecting themselves against cyberbullying as well as acting as cyberallies—preventing and taking action against cyberbullying and social cruelty in online forums.

A CAMPUS OF DIFFERENCE™ helps college administrators, faculty members, and students learn to examine stereotypes, expand cultural awareness, and combat bigotry.  Training programs are available for student leaders and resident assistants, new students orientation programs, faculty/ staff development workshops, and campus-wide presentations.

A COMMUNITY OF DIFFERENCE™ offers diversity training programs to parents and families, non-profit and community organizations, and civic leaders to enhance intergroup relations. The Youth Service Program offers anti-bias training and materials to after-school and youth service organizations and other providers of direct service to youth to help foster self-esteem and respect.

A WORKPLACE OF DIFFERENCE™ provides corporations, businesses, non-profit organizations, and government and law enforcement agencies with programs and services that help manage diversity successfully and create more productive, respectful, and inclusive work environments.

For more information please contact our office at 303-830-7177 or mountainstates@adl.org.