The Social Justice Research and Initiative Lunch & Learn Series is an opportunity for all interested in the advancement of equitable and just public policy in the state of Connecticut to engage in dialogue and learn about ongoing research and policy initiatives in the State.

Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to attend. Seminars are held the first Wednesday of every month from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

Seminars will be hosted in-person in the Hartford Times Building and online via Zoom

Lunch Provided

Check out additional upcoming events on their website.

We will discuss what makes partnerships and alliances work through the voices of seasoned nonprofit alliance builders. We will then examine the inner-workings of a living Connecticut cross-sector partnership of government, nonprofit, and private enterprise (WE RISE Together) that is assisting formerly justice-involved individuals restart their lives; providing social support, workforce training and a pathway to employment. We will see how this multi-sector eco-system works through system change. We will then use the collective knowledge of the class to examine your initiatives and those of your fellow classmates; assisting you in bringing your cross-sector partnership to its next stage.

This session will dive into the ethical expectations and obligations of public sector executives, managers, and employees - legal, moral, and practical. The interactive session will provide a framework for ethical decision-making, and provide tools for analyzing various scenarios that may confront public sector actors. Participants will confront fact-based scenarios and quandaries that arise in public service, and be asked to navigate the ethical issues that arise therefrom. Specific issues discussed and analyzed will include conflicts of interest; accepting gifts or favors; and, dealing with lobbyists and special interests. “Bright line” legal rules will be discussed, as well as nuanced ethical “norms” and culture in public sector work. Through this one-day course, participants will learn to better understand the relationship between ethical behavior and the overall success of public sector work.  Finally, the session will look into how public sector workers are held accountable for ethical behavior.