cultural competence: inspiring, mobilizing, and energizing volunteers and beyond

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Cultural Competence: Inspiring, Mobilizing, and Energizing

Volunteers and BeyondDecember 3, 2010

Ahmad Daniels, M.Ed., Transformation FacilitatorCreative Interchange

“Where Changed Philosophies Lead to Changed Behaviors”


IMPORTANCE OF CULTURE

“THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF AN INDIVIDUAL IS DEPENDANT UPON THE CULTURAL WELL-BEING OF A PEOPLE.”

-----Dr. Wade Nobles


CULTURAL COMPETENCE

A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations.

----- Terry Cross


CULTURE

Implies the integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups.

-----Mark A. King, Anthony Sims and David Asher


CULTURE

The totality of thought and practice through which a people creates itself, sustains itself,, develops itself and introduces itself to history and to humanity.

------Dr. Maulana Karenga


COMPETENCE

Having the capacity to function in a particular way: the capacity to function within the context of culturally integrated patterns of human behavior defined by a group.

Being competent in cross-cultural functioning means learning new patterns of behavior and effectively applying them in the appropriate setting.

-----Mark A. King, Anthony Sims and David Asher


EFFECTIVE CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Must occur at both the intellectual and emotional level.

Referencing relevant literature and crucial statistics are important.

Acknowledging the importance of sharing feelings as well as thoughts.

----Rohini Anand, Ph.D.


REMEMBER

Ours is not to discover diversity (cultural competence) but to determine what it is that is currently preventing us from experiencing it.

“Talking doesn’t solve all problems but no problems can be solved without talking.”

Frederick Douglass, Abolitionist


CHANGING ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Cultural competence training alone does not change organizational culture.

Workshops designed to enhance cultural competence is only one component of a larger system change initiative.


ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN ACULTURALLY COMPETENT

ORGANIZATION

1. Structure -Formal policies and procedures that ensure equal access and opportunity.2. Systems – Systems of implementation and methods used to interpret and implement the organizational policies including recruitment and retention, promotions and employee development, and systems of rewards and recognition. (cont.)


(cont.) ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN ACULTURALLY COMPETENT

ORGANIZATION

Culture (organizational and Individual)

1. Represents the most ambiguous and informal yet perhaps the most powerful of the three levels.

2. Culture impacts individual and organizational values, core assumptions, and norms.


THE BENNETT MODEL OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

There are many developmental models of cultural competence.

Commonly referenced is the (Thomas) Bennett model.

Consists of six stages moving from “ethnocentrism” to “ethnorelativism.”


BENNETT MODEL OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE SIX STAGES

ETHNOCENTRISM

1. Denial

2. Defense

3. Minimization

ETHNORELATIVISM

4. Acceptance

5. Adaptation

6. Integration


ETHNOCENTRIC STAGES

1. DENIAL – Individual denies that cultural

differences exist. This belief may reflect either physical or

social isolation from people of different cultural backgrounds.


(cont.) ETHNOCENTRIC STAGE

2. DEFENSE – An individual acknowledges the existence of certain cultural differences, but because those differences are threatening to his/her own reality and sense of self, the individual constructs defenses against those differences.

Bennett offers three commonly used defense mechanism.


(cont.) ETHNOCENTRIC STAGE (2)

DEFENSE MECHANISMS

1. Denigration – Negative stereotyping of

another group.

2. Superiority - Individual places his or her

group above another.

3. Reversal - It involves the denigration

of one’s own culture and the

idealizing of another.


(cont.) ETHNOCENTRIC STAGE

3. MINIMIZATION – Individual in this stage acknowledges cultural differences but trivializes them in the belief that similarities far outweigh any differences. Similarities are assumed rather than known.

Generally speaking, people who have experienced cultural oppression are wary of the “liberal” assumption of common humanity. Too often the assumption has meant “be like me.”


ETHNORELATIVE STAGE

4. ACCEPTANCE – Individual recognizes and values cultural differences without evaluating those differences as positive or negative. This stage moves an individual from ethnocentrism to ethnorelativism. First comes a respect for cultural differences in behavior, and then a deeper respect for cultural differences in values.


ETHNORELATIVE STAGE

5. ADAPTATION – Individual develops and improve skills for interacting and communicating with people of other cultures. The principal skill at this stage is perspective-shifting, the ability to look at the world “through different eyes.”


ETHNORELATIVE STAGE

6. INTEGRATION – Characterized by individuals valuing a variety of cultures and are constantly redefining their own identity and evaluating behavior and values in contrast to and in concert with a multitude of cultures.

Insists on rising above the limitations of one culture, these individuals integrate aspects of their own original cultural perspectives with those of other cultures.


THE (TERRY) CROSS MODEL OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Cultural Competence Defined--Individual Level--

Cultural competence can be defined as “the state of being capable of functioning effectively in the context of cultural differences.”


Cultural Competence Defined--Organizational Level--

At the organizational level, cultural competence can be defined as “a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and practices which come together in a system, agency, or amongst professionals to work effectively in the context of cultural differences.


Cultural Destruction(Most negative end of the continuum)

Individuals: View culture as a

problem. Believe that if culture

could be suppressed or destroyed people would be better off.

Believe that people should be more like the “mainstream.”

Assume that one culture is superior and should eradicate “lesser” cultures.


Cultural Incapacity(corresponds with the Denial stage of the

Bennet Model)

Individuals in this phase: Lack cultural awareness and skills. May have been brought up in a homogenous

society and were taught to behave in certain ways and have never questioned it.

(cont.)


Cultural Incapacity(cont.)

Believe in racial superiority of a dominant group and assume a paternalistic posture towards others.

Maintain stereotypes. At the organizational level, this translates into

supporting segregation or having lower expectations of persons from other cultures.


Cultural Blindness(corresponds with Bennett’s Minimization

stage)

Individuals in this phase: See others in terms of their own culture and

claim that all people are exactly alike. Believe that culture makes no difference.

“We are all the same.” Believe that all people should be treated in

the same way regardless of race, etc.


Cultural Pre-Competence(corresponds with Bennett’s Acceptance

stage)

Individuals in this stage: Recognize that there are cultural differences and

start to educate themselves and others concerning these differences.

Realize their shortcomings in interacting within a diverse environment.

At the organizational level, an attempt is made to address diversity issues by, for instance, hiring a diverse staff, offering cultural sensitivity training, promoting diverse staff to upper management, etc.


Basic Cultural Competence(corresponds with Bennett’s Adaption stage)

Individuals in this stage: Accept, appreciate, and accommodate cultural difference. Value diversity and accept and respect differences. Accept the influence of their own culture in relations to other

cultures. Understand and manage the dynamics of difference when

cultures intersect. Are willing to examine components of cross-cultural

interactions (communications, problem solving, etc.) (Cont.)


Basic Cultural Competence(corresponds with Bennett’s Adaption stage)(cont.)

At the organizational level, an effort is made to hire unbiased employees, to seek advice from communities of color, and to assess what can be provided to diverse clients.


Advanced Cultural Competence

Move beyond accepting, appreciating, and accommodating cultural difference and actively educate less informed individuals about cultural differences.

Seek out knowledge, develop skills to interact in diverse environments, become allies with and are comfortable interacting with others in multicultural settings. (cont.)


Advanced Cultural Competence(cont.)

At the organizational level, this translates into conducting research, hiring staff who are specialists in cultural competence practices, and acting as an advocate.


REFERENCES

Anand, Rohini (1999) Teaching Skills and Cultural Competency. NMCI Publications, Third Edition, Washington, DC.

Bennett, M.J. (1993). Towards Ethnorelativism: A developmental model of intercultural sensitivity. In R. M. Paige (Ed.). Education for the intercultural experience. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press.

Cross T., Bazron, B., Dennis, K., & Isaacs, M. (1989). Towards a culturally competent system of care, volume I. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Child Development Center, CASSP Technical Assistance Center.

Davis, K. (1997). Exploring the intersection between cultural competency and managed behavioral health care policy: Implications for state and county mental health agencies. Alexandria, VA: National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning.


Strategies For Strong Cross-Cultural Team Relationships

--Exercise--

Objective:1. To identify the benefits of strong cross-cultural

teams to an organization and strategies for building team relationships.

2. To identify barriers to strong team relationships and strategies for overcoming them.

3. To identify characteristics of strong and weak team relationships.

4. To create a common vision of an effective multicultural team. (cont.)


Strategies For Strong Cross-Cultural Team Relationships

--Exercise-- (cont)

a) What are the characteristics of weak and strong team relationships?

b) What are the behaviors and values necessary to build strong cross-cultural team relationships?

c) What are the barriers to strong cross-cultural team relationships?

d) What are the strategies to overcome these barriers and build strong cross-cultural team relationships?

e) What are the key points from your discussion?

cultural competence: inspiring, mobilizing, and energizing volunteers and beyond

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