Impact of an LGBTQ Campus Recreation Student Employee Training Initiative on Professional Competencies

Abstract

Campus recreational sport programs strive to create an environment that is accessible to diverse participants, including LGBTQ population groups. While improvement has been made in promoting resources and workgroups related to diversity management practices, little empirical evidence exists as it relates to the efficacy of diversity trainings for recreational sport employees. This study analyzed the impact of a diversity training program geared toward the development of affirming recreational sport practices for LGBTQ populations and exploring the professional competencies related to LGBTQ inclusion that are practiced within in a collegiate recreational sport setting. Results indicated that the targeted training initiative was effective in statistically improving employee confidence as it relates to LGBTQ professional competencies ( p < .000), while nonattendance at the training showed no statistically significant differences in such competencies. This study serves as a starting point for investigating the impact of LGBTQ-specific diversity training programs on recreational sport staff members.

Impact of diversity training on employees and consumers: A review and research agenda

“…There were five categories of quantitative studies based on the data collection measure used by the authors. In the first category of articles, authors developed the instrument for data collection based on effective guidelines for scale development (Anderson et al, 2021; Reynolds et al, 2014), while in the second category of articles, the measurement was done on basic dichotomous scales of yes or no or true or false. These works did not follow any protocol of scale development or literature (Caligiuri et al, 2001; Edmond, 2002; Hu et al, 2002; King et al, 2012; Sanchez‐Burks et al, 2007; Wurtz, 2014).…”

“…As results of the current review delineated, DT significantly impacts the skills and competencies of the employees (Anderson et al, 2021; Selmer, 2010) and enables them to enhance their communication (Bücker & Korzilius, 2015); it is evident that these changes will have a critical impact on consumer experiences. Especially in consumer‐contact industries such as tourism and hospitality, where delivery success is highly correlated with the employee‐consumer interaction, employee DT can be a gamechanger for organizations.…”

“…The second point is that all the dependent variables in the abovementioned studies are significantly related to the consumer experience. Skills and Competency (Anderson et al, 2021;Selmer, 2010), Adjustment (Caligiuri et al, 2019;Noman et al, 2020;Okpara & Kabongo, 2011;Puck et al, 2008;Tahir, 2018;Wang & Tran, 2012), Job Performance (Bhatti et al, 2019;Chen, 2015;Prendergast, 2016;Ramalu et al, 2017;Reynolds et al, 2014;Spong & Kamau, 2012;Wurtz, 2014), Training Transfer (Combs & Luthans, 2007;Cunningham, 2012) Internal factors ( 25)…”

“A Group of Guys is Enough to Really Scare Me in General”: Sexual Minorities’ Vetting of Athletic Spaces

“…Promoting inclusion via trainings for athletics staff is one promising intervention. Recreational sports staff remain uncomfortable addressing SM inclusivity within their roles, but cultural competency programming has shown potential in increasing confidence to do so (Anderson et al, 2020(Anderson et al, , 2021. This institutionallevel intervention likely could be enhanced by investigation and action at other levels of influence, such as interpersonal and structural levels.…”

Policies and Practices for Equity: Perspectives of Campus Recreation Staff in North America

“…However, evidence suggests that such legislation is being overlooked, and policies and practices are simply not in place and/or prioritized. For example, while gendered spaces represent barriers to use of campus recreation facilities for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning (LGBTQ) community and modifications to existing infrastructure may not be immediately feasible (Anderson et al, 2018), there is little stopping campus recreation departments from implementing policies to protect LGBTQ community members (Patchett & Foster, 2015) or providing their staff with training which is uncommon (Kaltenbaugh et al, 2017; Patchett & Foster, 2015) despite being effective (Anderson et al, 2021). All the more confusing is that department missions, visions, values typically encompass equity, diversity, and inclusion (Wilson et al, 2020; Patchett & Foster, 2015) yet relevant policies remain largely absent (Patchett & Foster, 2015).…”