Diversity Education and Training

Education/Training Coordinator: Neal Semel nasemel@columbus.gov
The Community Relations Commissions mission statement begins with the charge to educate citizens about cultural diversity. This is achieved by providing customized training to government, organizations and non-profits, corporations, and universities.

Cultural Diversity/Awareness Training
We provide customized four and eight-hour training sessions addressing issues of cultural sensitivity. Topic areas include managing change, impacts of stereotyping, perception vs. reality, analysis of culture, increasing cross-cultural communication, gender issues, legal compliance and more.

Facilitation
We work with a variety of facilitation techniques including mediation, consensus building, organizational development, retreat programming and community building.

Educational Outreach
Education on issues of civil rights and diversity can take many forms. The education and training component of the CRC includes materials development, educational outreach displays, media interaction, collaborations with local universities, and speaking engagements. Typical events include Days of Dialogue, and Youth Events.

Public Art Displays
The Community Relations Commission coordinates art exhibits in the hallways of city hall. This artwork reflects the cultural diversity of the Columbus community and highlights local artists.

Education Coordinator Biography
Neal Semel has been the Education Coordinator of the Community relations Commission for the last three years. He graduated from the Ohio State University and has studied at The University of Dayton and Columbia University. Neal is trained as a mediator and in consensus building. He also holds training certifications from National Coalition Building Institute and is certified as a Cultural Sensitivity Instructor by the Ohio Police Officers Training Academy / Attorney Generals Office. Neal has facilitated training throughout the United States and has recently served as an instructor at the Ohio State Universities’ Graduate School of Public Policy and Management.

Please contact Neal Semel at nasemel@columbus.gov or (614)645-1972 to schedule a training session for your organization.