CULTURAL COMPETENCY FOR ALL CLASSES

Cultural competence or the lack of it will be reflected in how

communities relate to and interact with service providers and their representatives.

As a biological concept, it defines groups of people based on a set of genetically transmitted characteristics.

RACE

Achieving Cultural Competence Individually

--Do you have close personal relationships with people who are culturally and socio-economically different? --Do you have the desire, knowledge, and skill to integrate culturally relevant considerations into your work? --How do your own cultural experience and values impact they way you work? --Do you continuously engage in an open and honest dialogue about culture and diversity with diverse groups of people?

Achieving Cultural Competence Organizationally

--Value diversity --Conduct cultural self-assessment --Identify cross-cultural dynamics --Institutionalize cultural knowledge --Adapt service delivery to diversity within and between cultures

This is the point where we begin seeing the worth in the things that fall outside our own cultural paradigms.

APPRECIATION/VALUING

This is the point at which we begin to realize that there are things that exist which fall outside the realm of our cultural paradigms.

AWARENESS

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL PRE-COMPETENCE

Cultural Pre-competence implies movement towards reaching out to other cultures. The pre-competent agency realizes its weaknesses in working with people of other cultures and attempts to improve that relationship with a specific population.

Cultural competency is the ability of individuals

and systems to respond respectfully and effectively to people of all cultures, classes, races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and faiths or religions-in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, tribes, and communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each.

The ability to be open to learning about and accepting of different cultural groups.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY

COMMUNICATING ACROSS THE CULTURAL LINES

Communication is one of the most basic means of getting your idea across, but when it comes down to communicating with someone outside your comfort zone things can become a little unnerving. some suggestions that may alleviate apprehensions.

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL BLINDNESS

Cultural Blindness is characterized by a well intended philosophy; however, the consequence of such a belief can often camouflage the reality of ethnocentrism. This system suffers from a deficit of information and often lack the avenues through which they can obtain needed information. While these agencies often view themselves as unbiased and responsive to the needs of minority people, their ability to effectively work with a diverse population maybe severely limited.

The belief in the inherent superiority of one sex (gender) over the other and thereby the right to dominance.

SEXISM

CULTURE

Culture is the distinctive life-way of a people united by a common language and governed by rules and models for their beliefs and behavior. Culture is the thoughts, ideas, behavior patterns, customs, values, skills, language, arts, and faith or religion of a particular people at a given point in time.

This is the point at which, we begin using things that were initially outside our own cultural paradigms.

SELECTIVE ADOPTION

LEARNING IS LIKE A JOURNEY

Learning is like a journey. --Learning is a path that we follow to enlightenment. --The capacity to develop cultural competency is in each of us. --Competency implies having the capacity to function effectively within a diverse society.

Culture and culture competency?

--What is culture, and why is it important? --What is cultural competence, and why is it important? --How can we achieve and assess cultural competence?

Culturally Competent Helping

--Is ready and willing to examine the life of the client --Is ready and willing to learn about the uniqueness of the client's culture --Makes the effort to find the necessary skills to work with a client from a different culture --Keeps goals consistent with the life experience of the client --Knows which skills are universally helpful and which are culturally specific --Understands three identities: individual, group, and universal --Determines if the client has an individualistic perspective or a collective perspective

How Do We Acquire Cultural Competence?

--Recognize the broad dimensions of culture --Respect families as the primary source for defining needs and priorities --Increase sensitivity to alienating behaviors --Change decision-making processes to include families and the community --Commit to structural and policy changes that support cultural diversity --Make policies and practices fluid to accommodate necessary adjustments

Identify Cross-Cultural Dynamics

--Understand how historical and political differences between cultural groups impact relationships and opinions --Build capacity to communicate with non-English-speaking families --Develop written materials that are appropriate for the literacy levels of families served --Be responsive to non-traditional families (gay and lesbian parents, kinship families, single fathers, etc.) --Understand how religion influences values and behavior

Ten Things you should do to promote cultural competence (Child Welfare League of America)

1. Make a commitment to expand knowledge about culture, cultural competence and the various dimensions of culture in your organization. 2. Make a commitment to develop an understanding of the various cultural groups within communities served by your agency. 3. Include culture and cultural competence principles in the strategic planning, policy development, program design, and service delivery process. Increase the organizational and individual understanding of how the various dimensions of culture impact the families the agency serves and the staff that work with them. 4. Be committed to promoting cultural competence. Develop this commitment through staff development and training, hiring, retention, career advancement, performance evaluations, and employee policies that support culturally competent and linguistically appropriate practice. 5. Create a safe, secure, and supportive environment where staff can explore and develop an understanding for all cultures. Create formal partnerships with community organizations and encourage staff to actively engage communities and families in the development of policy, program design, and service delivery models. 6. Be active in local communities. Engage communities by recruiting local citizens for the Board of Directors, in voting positions, and on advisory teams and task forces. Encourage and support staff to become involved in community boards and cultural activities. 7. Be an example to tribes, communities and families that work with your agency by making hiring decisions that are reflective of the diversity of those populations. More importantly, make sure that staff develop an understanding and respect for the richness, strength, and additional capacity culture and diversity bring to the workplace. 8. Advocate for the development of cultural competence principles in other groups to which your agency belongs. Include criteria in Requests for Proposals and other contracts that place emphasis on the ability of the applicant, contractor, or consultant to demonstrate the capacity and ability to achieve positive results that are culturally competent and linguistically appropriate and applicable to the needs of children and families being served. 9. Become more proactive about recognizing and resolving conflicts that can occur when different cultures interact. Encourage staff to speak out when they recognize intolerance whether or not they are the targets. 10. If your agency provides educational and/or recreational opportunities for the community and families served, make sure that they include experiences that are reflective of all cultural groups. For instance, many tribes and communities have museums or cultural centers that host a variety of events throughout the year and on holidays. Also, during the summer may communities have various festivals that celebrate the culture, traditions, artwork, and dance of racial and ethnic groups. Encourage children and youth to share their knowledge about the cultural groups to which they belong.

CULTURE IS

An integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting, roles, relationships, and expected behaviors of a racial, ethnic, religious, or social group and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations

A body of learned beliefs, traditions, principles, and guides for behavior that are shared among members of a particular group.

CULTURE

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Cultural Competence is characterized by acceptance of and respect for differences, continuing self assessment regarding culture, careful attention to the dynamics of differences, and continuous expansion of cultural knowledge and resources.

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL INCAPACITY

Cultural Incapacity occurs when agencies do not intentionally seek to be culturally destructive, but rather have no capacity to help people from other cultures. This system remains extremely biased, and believes in the superiority of the dominant group. It assumes a paternal posture towards "lesser" groups.

Continuum of Cultural Competency

Cultural Proficiency Cultural Competence Cultural Pre-Competence Cultural Blindness Cultural Incapacity Cultural Destructiveness

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL PROFECIENCY

Cultural Proficiency is the culmination point on the continuum Cultural Proficiency is characterized by holding culture in high esteem. These agencies actively seek to hire a diverse workforce.

WHAT IS CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Cultural competence: 1. The integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies, practices, And attitudes used in appropriate cultural settings to increase the quality of services, thereby producing better outcomes. 2. The ability to think, feel, and act in ways that acknowledge, respect, and build upon ethnic, socio-cultural, and linguistic diversity

DEFINITIONS IMPORT TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Culture — Expressed through common values, habits, norms of behavior, symbols, artifacts, language, and customs Prejudice — judging a person or a group based on preconceived notions about the group Stereotypes — rigidly held beliefs that most or all members of a group share certain characteristics, behaviors, or beliefs Racism — a specific belief that one race is superior to another Discrimination — an active behavior that results in differential treatment of individuals within specific ethnic or cultural groups. Micro-aggression — a subtle type of discrimination that is conscious or unconscious and includes brief, subtle, and common putdowns or indignities directed toward individuals from diverse cultures. Ethnicity — A group of people who share a common ancestry, which may include specific cultural and social patterns such as a similar language, values, religion, foods, and artistic expressions (not based on genetics) Minority — Any person or group of people who are being singled out due to their cultural or physical characteristics and are being systematically oppressed by those individuals who are in a position of power. Because of negative connotations, the term nondominant groups is often used. Power Differentials: Real or perceived power disparities between people Religion — an organized or unified set of practices and beliefs that have moral underpinnings and define a group's way of understanding the world. Race — Traditionally defined as permanent physical differences as perceived by an external authority. Used to be based on genetics; now issue is clouded and unclear, so better to avoid this term Spirituality — Residing in a person, not a group. Defines the person's understanding of self, self in relationship to others, and self in relationship to a self-defined higher power or lack thereof. Sexism — discrimination or stigmatization of another due to his or her gender Heterosexism — (formerly known as homophobia) discrimination, denigration, or stigmatization of a person for nonheterosexual behaviors Sexual Prejudice — a blanket term for negative attitudes targeted toward homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, or transgendered individuals Sexual Orientation — the predominant gender "for which a person has consistent attachments, longings, and sexual fantasies"

Continuum of Cultural Competency in the Workplace

Even though, we may be culturally sensitive, our work environment may not be at the same level. This can be attributed to the numerous people employed and the different ideologies they possess. As you review this continuum, one can see how these steps parallel those in the Individuals' path to Cultural Competency.

Culture defines us as individuals; it makes us who we are.

Everyone has culture, which influences how each of us sees others. Organizations have distinct cultures that are developed by their mission and goals Communities have different cultures influenced by their members, the environment, and socioeconomic conditions.

Continuum of Cultural Competency CULTURAL DESTRUCTIVENESS

It is the attitudes, policies, and practices that are destructive to cultures and the individuals within these cultures. A system that adheres to a destructive extreme assumes that one race or culture is superior and eradicates lesser cultures because of their perceived sub-human condition. Bigotry coupled with vast power allows the dominant group to disenfranchise, control, exploit, or systemically destroys the less powerful population.

Meeting with Diversity and Different Cultures in Our Day-to-Day Lives

Just because we may know people of different ethnicities, races, and religions does not mean we understand their culture. Eating different food and listening to different music does not equal understanding a different culture. Avoid transferring your own values onto other people.

The recognition and acknowledgement that society is pluralistic. In addition to the dominant cultural, there exists many other cultures based around ethnicity, sexual orientation, geography, religion, gender, and class.

MULTICULTRALISM

This is when we have begun integrating our lives with our experiences from a variety of cultural experiences.

MULTICULTURATION

A generalization of characteristics that is applied to all members of a cultural group.

STEREOTYPE

SERVICE DELIVERY

Social workers shall be knowledgeable about and skillful in the use of services available in the community and broader society and be able to make appropriate referrals for their diverse clients.

CROSS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE

Social workers shall have and continue to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values, family systems, and artistic expressions of major client groups that they serve.

SELF-AWARENESS

Social workers shall seek to develop an understanding of their own personal, cultural values and beliefs as one way of appreciating the importance of multicultural identities in the lives of people

DIVERSE WORKFORCE

Social workers shall support and advocate for recruitment, admissions and hiring, and retention efforts in social work programs and agencies that ensure diversity within the profession

CROSS CULTURAL SKILLS

Social workers shall use appropriate methodological approaches, skills, and techniques that reflect the workers' understanding of the role of culture in the helping process

Ethical, Professional, and Legal Issues/Effective Human Service Professional

We are often unaware of our own prejudices and bias. Therefore, it is important to actively work on our knowledge and skills. The effective human service professional realizes that becoming culturally competent is a process with many stages.

Social Justice Work

Purpose of Social Justice Work To broaden culturally competent helping by including a wide range of activities that affect the client's broader system. This ultimately creates a better life for the client. Advocacy Competencies Acting with the client, community, and public Client empowerment Community collaboration Public information Acting on behalf of the client, community, and public Client advocacy Systems advocacy Social/political advocacy

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY SECONDARY

Secondary dimensions are elements we have some power to change. People are less sensitive about secondary dimensions. We also have the choice of whether to disclose this information or not; we can conceal these characteristics.

Culture is the root, the stem and the branch

Civilization is the branch, the leaf and the blossom.

The Need for Cultural Competence

Clients from diverse cultures are: --Frequently misunderstood. --Often misdiagnosed. --Have the impact of negative social forces minimized by the helper. --Find the helping relationship less helpful. --Seek mental health services at lower rates. --Terminate helping relationships earlier.

Cultural competence is a vehicle used to broaden our

knowledge and understanding of individuals and communities

Cultural competence is having the knowledge, ability and skill necessary to identify and address

the issues facing organizations and staff, that have cultural implications, and the ability to operationalize the knowledge into the routine functioning of an agency.

PATH OF INTERCULTURAL LEARNING

Multiculturation Selective Adoption Appreciation/Valuing Acceptance/Respect Understanding Awareness Ethnocentricity

Cultural competence is a continuous process of learning

about the cultural strengths of others and integrating their unique abilities and perspectives into our lives

To make a difference in treatment on a basis other than individual character.

DISCRIMINATION

GETTING STARTED

1. Identify cultural diversity within the community 2, Conduct a comprehensive assessment of yourself and your organization: Is cultural diversity celebrated? --Do staff and the organization understand and respect the cultures represented? --Do programs address the unique needs and concerns of the cultures represented? Is cultural competence reflected in policies, practices, and procedures? --Do staff at all levels reflect the cultures of the community? 3. Engage in dialogue with cultural communities with which you work: --Convene informal gatherings with personnel to explore beliefs, values, and attitudes related to cultural competence --Build and use a network of community experts who have knowledge of the groups served --Network with parents and family organizations 4. Identify and understand the needs and behaviors of individuals and families 5. Identify best practices by learning from other organizations and individuals 6. Design and implement services that are based upon families' and the communities' culturally based choices 7. Institutionalize policies, practices, and structures 8. Reassess and make needed adjustments 9. KEEP LEARNING

COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE CULTURAL BOUNDRIES

1. Recognize and respect differences 2. Increase your Self-Awareness 3. Describe, Identify, then Interpret 4. Don't assume your interpretation is correct 5. Verbalize your own non-verbal signs 6. Share your experience honestly 7. Acknowledge any discomfort, hesitation, or concern 8. Practice politically correct communication 9. Give your time and attention when communicating 10. Don't be judgmental or evaluate

This is when we begin allowing those from other cultures to just be who they are, and that it is OKAY for things to not always fit into our paradigms.

ACCEPTANCE/RESPECT

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY LEADS TO

Cultural Competency

Sharing a strong sense of identity with a particular religious, racial, or national group.

ETHNICITY

This is a state of relying on our own, and only our own, paradigms based on our cultural heritage. We view the world through narrow filters, and we will only accept information that fits our paradigms. We resist and/or discard others.

ETHNOCENTRICITY

To judge other cultures by the standards of one's own, and beyond that, to see one's own standards as the true universal and the other culture in a negative way.

ETHNOCENTRISM

A belief in the inherent superiority of one pattern of living over all and thereby the right to dominance.

HETEROSEXISM

Helper Incompetence

Helper incompetence stems from the following viewpoints: 1. The melting pot myth 2. Incongruent expectations about the helping relationship 3. Not understanding the negative impact of social forces 4. Ethnocentric world view 5. Ignorance of one's own racist attitudes and prejudices 6. Not understanding cultural differences is the expression of symptomatology 7. Unreliability of assessment and research procedures 8. Institutional racism

A subconscious belief in negative stereotypes about one's group that results in an attempt to fulfill those stereotypes and a projection of those stereotypes onto other members of that group.

INTERNALIZED OPPRESSION

IN LAYMAN'S TERMS

In layman's terms, culture is what we live everyday and what we bring with us to the workplace.

CULTURE IS A FILTER

Is a filter through which people process their experiences and events of their lives. It influences people's values, actions, and expectations of themselves. It impacts people's perceptions and expectations of others.

Culture Is Inherent in Family Support Practice

It informs our understanding of when support is needed. It influences how and from whom we seek support. It influences how we attempt to provide support. The belief is that one should first have an understanding and awareness of cultural issues before specific information is given. This is to reduce the chance of stereotyping.

An attitude, opinion, or feeling formed without adequate prior knowledge, thought, or reason.

PREJUDICE

PARADIGMS

Paradigms establish the rules and boundaries for the way we see things.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY PRIMARY

Primary & Secondary Dimensions of Diversity Primary dimensions are aspects of ourselves that we cannot change. They are things people know about us before we even open our mouths, because they are physically visible (except sexual orientation). When people feel they are being stereotyped based on primary dimension, they can be very sensitive about it.

ETHICS AND VALUES

Social worker shall function in accordance with the values, ethics, and standards of the profession, recognizing how personal and professional values may conflict with or accommodate the needs of diverse clients

EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY

Social workers shall be aware of the effect of social policies and programs on diverse client populations, advocating for and with clients whenever appropriate.

This is the point at which we are not only aware that there are things that fall outside our cultural paradigms, but we see the reason for their existence.

UNDERSTANDING

A belief that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.

RACISIM

Cultural Diversity in the US

--America is the most diverse country in the world. --A mix of cultures, religions, and sexual orientations --Other diversities include people with physical disabilities, people with mental health issues, people who are homeless, people who are poor, people with HIV, people over the age of 65. --Our world is diverse

Adapt Service Delivery

--Communicate with parents in the manner they prefer (orally, in native language, etc.) --Provide staffing that is linguistically and ethnically representative --Develop community-based teams to assist with program development and implementation --Make referrals to culturally competent providers --Leverage cultural strengths (faith, respect for elders, broad sense of family, etc.) --Tailor outreach methods to the cultures represented in the community

Value Diversity

--Create an environment in which people feel safe to express culturally based values, perceptions, and experiences --Host social events at which music, food, & entertainment reflect cultures represented --Hire staff and leaders who reflect the community's cultural diversity --Partner with cultural organizations and institutions

Institutionalize Cultural Knowledge

--Create and / or adopt principles of practice around cultural competence --Develop a permanent advisory group that focuses on cultural competence --Maintain a library of publications, meeting notes, and materials from trainings --Create a budget line-item for cultural exchanges and competence training

Cultural Competence vs. Cultural Awareness

--Cultural competence: The ability to effectively operate within different cultural contexts ==Cultural awareness: Sensitivity and understanding toward members of other ethnic groups

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS (NASW) 2001Approved 10 Standards For Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice

1. Ethics and Values 2. Self -Awareness 3. Cross-Cultural Knowledge 4. Cross-Cultural skills 5. Service Delivery 6. Empowerment and Advocacy 7. Diverse Workforce 8. Professional Education 9. Language Diversity 10. Cross-Cultural Leadership

WHEN CULTURE IS IGNORED

When culture is ignored, families are at risk of not getting the support they need, or worse yet, receiving assistance that is more harmful than helpful.

Conduct Self-Assessment

--Honestly explore values, beliefs, and attitudes about your culture and others' --Non-defensively engage the entire organization, families, and the larger community in the self-assessment --Investigate whether recruiting and hiring practices and policies ensure diverse staffing and representative leadership Examine: --Participation and satisfaction rates of families served from various cultures --Program practices, activities, and services --Methods of communication --Program environment and décor --Be open to revising the organization's mission and objectives --Evaluate whether current staff can lead the organization to cultural competence

Cultural competence is an ongoing process, not a destination.

By actively working on cultural competence and including its principles in our daily work, we enhance our ability to meet the needs of individuals, families, tribes, and communities.