cultural competency diversity
TRANSCRIPT
Cultural Competency &
Diversity
Nichele J. Carver, M.S.
Monday, April 30, 2018
We will discuss
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Objectives
Cultural Competence
Diversity
Benefits of a diverse
workforce
Conducting a cultural
audit
Culture
The customary beliefs, social forms,
and material traits of a racial, religious,
or social group
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Culture exampleFunerals in the African-American community
• It would be “odd” for African-Americans to hold a funeral earlier than seven to 10
days after death, with much of that traced to West African traditions, said professor
Ronald Barrett of Loyola Marymount University, an expert on African-American
funeral customs.
• In West Africa, out of respect for the dead, and to honor their life (whether commoner
or royalty) plus have time to gather family and relatives, funerals were and still are put
off.
• This all had a lasting impact once Africans were taken to the U.S. as slaves. Unlike
some ethnicities, many black people still view funeral services as “primary rituals,” so
time is taken to arrange and gather finances, make preparations and inform friends
and relatives (often via word of mouth).
• Loved ones may be scattered geographically, but “in the African-American tradition ...
there’s a high communal value in having everyone there,” so services are delayed to
allow for travel time, Barrett said.4
Cultural Competence
Cultural competence refers to the process by which
individuals and systems respond respectfully and
effectively to people of all cultures, languages, classes,
races, ethnic backgrounds, religions, and other diversity
factors in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the
worth of individuals, families and communities and protects
and preserves the dignity of each
(NASW Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work
Practice).
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Cultural Competence
Cultural competence is the ability to interact
effectively with people of different cultures.
In practice, both individuals and organizations
can be culturally competent.
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Diversity
Individual differences (e.g., personality, learning styles, thought
and life experiences) and group/social differences (e.g.,
Aboriginal, race/ethnicity, class, sex, gender, gender identity and
expression, sexual orientation, ability as cultural, political,
religious/spirituality, mental health status, language or other
affiliations).
To have a truly diverse organization requires an inherent
commitment, demonstrated through actions, that recognizes and values these differences.
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Reflection
Does the make-up of your
organization look like the
people you serve?
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Reflection
Has your organization invested
in cultural competency or
diversity training?
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Why do cultural
competency initiatives fail?
Cultural Competency
Inclusion
Diversion
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Benefits of Diversity
Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates means a more qualified workforce.
A diverse workplace can better align an organization’s culture with the
demographic make-up of the community being served.
Diverse cultural perspectives can inspire creativity and drive innovation.
Employees from diverse backgrounds instill organizations with creative new
ideas and perspectives informed by their cultural experiences
Increased customer satisfaction by improving how employees interact with a
diverse clientele and public.
Diverse teams are more productive and perform better.
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Tips for Managing Diversity
Prioritize communication
Treat each employee as an individual
Encourage work in diverse groups
Base standards on objective criteria
Be open-minded
http://www.hult.edu/blog/benefits-challenges-cultural-diversity-workplace/
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Goal for cultural competence
- Individual level - increase respectful engagement by yourself or
other members
- Organizational level - change policy and practices to enhance
respectful engagement with different groups.
- Program level - redesign programs or intervention so that they are
more effective and a better fit with cultural beliefs and practices.
- Community level - increase respectful engagement among those
from diverse cultures and decrease intolerant practices by
community members.
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Conducting a cultural audit
Identify the different cultures or
shared experiences represented
in the organization, group, and
community in which you belong
or work. These may include
groups that differ in: (fill in those
that are appropriate for your
organization or group)
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– Nationality
– Ethnicity
– Native language
– Race
– Gender
– Religion or spiritual beliefs
– Occupational Status
– Educational Status
– Economic status or social class
– Physical attributes
– Relationship Status
– Age group
– Geographical/regional residency
– Health status
– Others specific to a group
Conducting a cultural audit
Identify the current expectations
and stereotypes in your group or
community about people from
each of these cultures, and how
these stereotypes might affect
communication and your ability
to work together. Examples of
stereotypes, which can be
positive, negative, or neutral,
may include:
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– Hardworking or lazy
– Family-oriented or work-
focused
– Withholding or generous
– Expressive or quiet
– Suspicious of strangers,
unfriendly, or open and warm
– Aggressive or gentle
– Emotional or unfeeling
– Traditional or open to change
– Intelligent or ignorant
Conducting a cultural audit
Characterize the current relationships among cultures
within your organization, group, or community:
• What cultures are represented in your organization currently? which ones are
excluded?
• What kinds of relationships are already established among cultural groups?
• How well are different cultural groups well organized?
• What kinds of conflicts or struggles currently exist among cultural groups? What
historical events set the stage for the current conflict?
• How well are conflicts between groups openly recognized and talked about?
• Over which issues in the community have different cultural groups historically
worked together to make improvements?
• Have there been or are there efforts to strengthen alliances among groups?
• What values and concerns do different cultural groups have in common?
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Conducting a cultural audit
Assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
related to cultural competence of those in your
organization or community:
• Knowledge of the characteristics, experiences, beliefs, values, and
norms of the cultural group(s) of interest.
• Respect for these cultural elements without assumptions of superiority
or inferiority.
• Behavioral skills for working with people from different cultures.
• Presence of supportive relationships within the culture, and among with
whom you are working and in your own culture.
• The state of curiosity, appreciation of your limited knowledge, and a
commitment to learn about others.
• Awareness of how your own culture and experiences have shaped how
you see others. 17
Conducting a cultural audit
Identify possible difficulties (or opportunities) you or your organization
may encounter due to cultural differences. Describe how differences
in the varied aspects listed will affect your ability to understand and
work effectively with diverse cultural groups:
• Communication styles
• Attitudes towards conflicts
• Approaches to completing tasks
• Decision-making styles
• Attitudes about open emotional and personal matters
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Conducting a cultural audit
Assess the level of cultural competence (i.e., ability to respectfully
engage those from different cultures or backgrounds) of your
organization or community. Consider the current practice or ability to:
• Be involved and comfortable with people from different cultures and
backgrounds.
• Show genuine respect for others who are different.
• Work effectively with people from different cultures and backgrounds.
• Link to networks of people and groups from different cultures and
backgrounds.
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