Inclusion Champion Training Programme

Build confident, capable Inclusion Champions across your organisation

The ELIS Advantage Inclusion Champion Training Programme is a structured, practical learning experience designed to build confident and capable Inclusion Champions across organisations.

The programme equips participants with shared language, practical skills and clear role boundaries to support inclusive behaviours and contribute to meaningful culture change.

It focuses on awareness, communication, influence and action, helping organisations move beyond good intentions, individual goodwill and compliance-led approaches towards more thoughtful and sustainable inclusion practices.

Designed for HR, People & Culture, Learning and Development, Organisational Development, inclusion and leadership teams, the programme can be customised and delivered internally.

Choose the option that fits your Organisation:

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DIY Inclusion Champion
Training Programme
€795 plus VAT

Purchase the DIY Programme
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DIY Programme with ELIS
Advantage Implementation
Consultation €1,495 plus VAT

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Choose the Programme and Consultation

Move beyond intention towards sustainable inclusion

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This can result in:

  • Unclear or overloaded Inclusion Champion roles

  • Champions feeling responsible for fixing organisational inclusion

  • DEI initiatives that rely on goodwill rather than capability

  • Champions becoming informal compliance enforcers

  • Resistance, defensiveness or fatigue around inclusion work

  • Limited practical guidance for everyday inclusive behaviours

  • Over-reliance on policy or mandatory training

  • Champions working in isolation

  • Increased emotional labour for people from underrepresented groups

  • Inclusion activity that is disconnected from organisational strategy

  • Uncertainty about how to respond to exclusion, harm or resistance

Many organisations establish Inclusion Champion or DEI Champion networks because they want to create greater awareness, encourage inclusive behaviours and involve employees in culture change.

However, champions can be placed into these roles without enough clarity, preparation or organisational support.

The Inclusion Champion Training Programme provides a clear, practical and inclusive framework that helps champions understand their contribution without placing responsibility for organisational change on individuals alone.

A practical, ready-to-deliver Inclusion Champion programme

The programme combines training content, clear frameworks, practical activities, structured reflection and implementation support.

Participants explore how they can contribute to inclusion through their everyday interactions, relationships and influence while recognising the boundaries of the Inclusion Champion role.

The learning focuses on practical application rather than relying on awareness or theory alone.

What the programme helps your organisation achieve

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The programme supports organisations to:

  • Build greater confidence and capability among Inclusion Champions

  • Create clearer role boundaries and realistic expectations

  • Establish a shared language for discussing diversity, equity and inclusion

  • Develop practical skills for everyday inclusive communication

  • Support more consistent inclusive behaviours across teams

  • Reduce resistance and polarisation around inclusion conversations

  • Help champions navigate impact and intention constructively

  • Develop confidence in responding to exclusion or harm

  • Explore how organisational systems, norms and structures shape inclusion

  • Connect the human and organisational cases for inclusion

  • Build stronger Inclusion Champion networks

  • Reduce champion isolation and burnout

  • Position inclusion as a shared organisational responsibility

  • Align champion activity with wider organisational and cultural priorities

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Seven features of the Inclusion Champion Training Programme

Clear definition of the Inclusion Champion role

The programme clearly defines what Inclusion Champions are — and are not — responsible for.

Champions are supported to act as:

  1. Advocates

  2. Connectors

  3. Conversation starters

  4. Sources of reflection

  5. Contributors to culture change

  6. Supporters of inclusive practice

They are not positioned as:

  1. Compliance enforcers

  2. Investigators

  3. Organisational decision-makers

  4. Counsellors

  5. Mediators for every conflict

  6. Solely responsible for organisational inclusion

Clearer boundaries can reduce role overload and emotional labour while giving champions greater confidence in how they contribute.

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Support learning without unnecessary defensiveness

The programme explores how organisational norms, structures, processes and systems shape people’s experiences of inclusion.

This systemic lens supports participants to move beyond explanations based only on individual behaviour or intention.

Champions are encouraged to consider:

  • What is happening

  • Who may be affected

  • What organisational conditions contribute to the issue

  • Where responsibility sits

  • What action is within their role

  • What may require organisational or leadership attention

This can support more constructive conversations about change, responsibility and impact without relying on blame or shame.

Focus on systems, not blame

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Reduce isolation and reliance on individual heroics

The programme positions Inclusion Champions as part of a wider network rather than isolated individuals responsible for driving change alone.

Participants explore:

  • Peer connection

  • Shared learning

  • Reflective practice

  • Collective problem-solving

  • Organisational sponsorship

  • Leadership responsibility

  • Access to guidance and escalation routes

  • Sustainable expectations

Inclusion is framed as a shared organisational responsibility, supported by champions but not transferred entirely to them.

Champion networks and shared ownership

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Balanced business and human perspective

Connect organisational outcomes with dignity and belonging

The programme frames inclusion through both the human case and the organisational case.

The human case considers:

  • Dignity

  • Fairness

  • Belonging

  • Respect

  • Wellbeing

  • Access

  • Voice

  • Opportunity

This balanced perspective helps champions connect values, people’s experiences and organisational priorities. The organisational case considers:

  • Engagement

  • Retention

  • Performance

  • Decision-making

  • Innovation

  • Reputation

  • Risk

  • Organisational effectivenes

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Build confidence through application, not theory

Participants develop practical skills that can be applied within everyday workplace interactions.

These include:

  1. Inclusive communication

  2. Active listening

  3. Asking thoughtful questions

  4. Navigating impact and intention

  5. Responding constructively to exclusion

  6. Giving and receiving feedback

  7. Exploring different perspectives

  8. Recognising personal assumptions

  9. Knowing when to act, connect, support or escalate

Skills are developed through structured reflection, dialogue and practical application.

The focus is on learning, experimentation and continued development rather than expecting champions to have every answer.

Practical, skill-based learning

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Safe, structured approach to challenging conversations

Enable honest dialogue without pressure to overshare

The programme creates clear learning conditions for discussing inclusion, difference, exclusion and impact.

Participants are supported to engage thoughtfully with complex topics without pressure to disclose personal experiences, represent an entire group or “get it right” immediately.

The programme helps champions consider:

  • How to remain curious during disagreement

  • How to listen without becoming defensive

  • How to separate intention from impact

  • How to acknowledge harm without escalating blame

  • How to respond when they do not know what to say

  • How to recognise the boundaries of their role

  • When an issue may need to be referred elsewhere

This supports psychological safety while enabling honest and purposeful conversation.

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Adapt the programme to your organisation

The programme materials are designed for customisation and internal organisational delivery.

Organisations can adapt:

  1. Branding

  2. Language

  3. Examples

  4. Organisational terminology

  5. Participant communications

  6. Delivery format

  7. Session structure

  8. Programme length

This allows the programme to reflect the organisation’s context while maintaining the integrity of the core frameworks and learning outcomes.

Flexible and white-label ready

Benefits to your organisation

The Inclusion Champion Training Programme can support:

  • Increased confidence and capability among Inclusion Champions

  • Clearer champion roles, boundaries and expectations

  • More consistent inclusive behaviours across teams

  • Greater confidence in everyday inclusion conversations

  • Reduced resistance and polarisation

  • More constructive responses to exclusion or harm

  • Improved understanding of impact and intention

  • Stronger links between inclusion activity and organisational systems

  • Reduced reliance on compliance-led approaches

  • Greater shared responsibility for inclusion

  • Stronger Inclusion Champion networks

  • Reduced champion isolation and emotional overload

  • Practical tools that support continued culture change

  • Stronger alignment between inclusion efforts and organisational strategy

  • Reduced time and cost associated with developing champion training internally

Who is the programme designed for?

The programme is suitable for:

  • HR and People & Culture teams

  • Learning and Development teams

  • Organisational Development professionals

  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion teams

  • Employee experience teams

  • Leadership and culture development teams

  • Organisations establishing an Inclusion Champion network

  • Organisations refreshing an existing champion network

  • Inclusion and belonging initiatives

  • Employee resource group leaders

  • Culture ambassador programmes

  • Values and behaviours programmes

  • Leadership development initiatives

  • Organisations seeking to build internal inclusion capability

  • Organisations seeking a structured and licensable Inclusion Champion programme

  • The programme can support organisations across different sectors, locations and levels of DEI maturity.

Choose your Programme Option

DIY Inclusion Champion Training Programme

€795 plus VAT

Purchase the DIY Programme

✓ The complete Inclusion Champion Training Programme

✓ Customisable facilitator presentation

✓ Facilitator guidance

✓ Participant learning materials

✓ Inclusion Champion role framework

✓ Practical communication and listening tools

✓ Guidance on impact and intention

✓ Activities exploring organisational systems and inclusion

✓ Human and organisational cases for inclusion

✓ Guidance for challenging conversations

✓ Reflection and practical application exercises

✓ Champion network and shared-ownership guidance

✓ Organisational implementation guidance

✓ Editable Microsoft Word and PowerPoint materials

✓ White-label customisation rights

✓ Licence for internal delivery within one purchasing organisation

The complete programme for organisations with the internal capacity and confidence to customise and deliver Inclusion Champion training independently.

This option is designed for organisations with an internal facilitator, HR professional, Learning and Development specialist or inclusion lead who can customise and deliver the programme.

DIY Programme with ELIS Advantage Implementation Consultation

Purchase the Programme and Consultation

€1,495 plus VAT

The complete Inclusion Champion Training Programme combined with personalised implementation guidance from the ELIS Advantage team.

The consultation creates dedicated space to consider how the programme and champion network can operate within your organisation’s particular context.

This option is designed for organisations that want the flexibility of a DIY programme alongside specialist guidance, constructive challenge and implementation support.

This package includes everything in the DIY programme, plus:

✓ A pre-consultation implementation questionnaire

✓ A private 90-minute consultation with the ELIS Advantage team

✓ Guidance on defining the purpose of your Inclusion Champion network

✓ Discussion of champion roles and realistic expectations

✓ Support with adapting the training to your organisational context

✓ Consideration of participant recruitment and preparation

✓ Guidance on organisational sponsorship and shared responsibility

✓ Discussion of boundaries, support and escalation routes

✓ Consideration of inclusion, accessibility and emotional labour

✓ Guidance on connecting the champion network to organisational strategy

✓ Identification of possible implementation challenges

✓ Discussion of how the network can remain active and connected

✓ A concise written summary of agreed priorities and next actions

The DIY package includes:

Internal Organisational Licence

Both packages include a licence for the purchasing organisation to customise and deliver the programme internally.

The licence permits use within one purchasing organisation.

It does not include:

  • Resale of the programme or individual resources

  • Redistribution outside the purchasing organisation

  • Sublicensing

  • External client delivery

  • Use across unrelated organisations

  • Use by consultants or facilitators with multiple clients

Consultants, facilitators and delivery partners interested in using the programme with external clients can contact ELIS Advantage to discuss a separate licensing arrangement.

Enquire About Partner Licensing]

  • No. The programme is a complete Inclusion Champion training programme with supporting guidance for internal delivery.

    It develops champion capability and supports a clearer network structure. It does not replace organisational leadership, strategy, governance, policy, accountability or specialist HR and DEI responsibilities.

  • No. The programme creates clear boundaries between champion activity and formal organisational processes.

    Complaints, investigations, employee relations matters and safeguarding concerns remain within the appropriate organisational structures and professional roles.

  • Yes. The editable materials can be adapted to reflect your organisation’s branding, language, examples and internal context.

  • Yes. Organisations can use terminology that fits their context, including:

    • Inclusion Champion

    • DEI Champion

    • Diversity and Inclusion Champion

    • Inclusion Advocate

    • Culture Champion

    • Belonging Champion

  • The programme can be delivered by an experienced internal facilitator, Learning and Development professional, HR professional, DEI practitioner or organisational programme lead.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes. It can support both new and experienced champions by creating shared language, clarifying expectations and refreshing practical skills.

  • Yes. Managers and leaders can participate as champions or attend to understand how they can support the network without transferring their leadership responsibilities to champions.

  • No. The programme explores diversity, equity and inclusion broadly, including how identity, power, difference, organisational norms and workplace systems influence people’s experiences.

  • The DIY packages are designed for internal delivery. Organisations seeking facilitated delivery, consultation or wider implementation support can contact ELIS Advantage to discuss a tailored option.