1. Cultural Competence: Supporting All Families Presented by Diana Autin, Family Voices @ SPAN-NJ At the National Family Voices Conference, May, 2007

2. The Pebble in the Pond… “Do unto others as they would have you do unto them.” The Platinum Rule “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Steven Covey

3. What Impacts Relationships? Status Socially acceptable behavior Body Language How close we stand to each other How we communicate & process information How we interpret silence Comfort level with advocacy How we approach & resolve conflict

4. What Impacts Relationships? Parenting roles and functions Expectations of children Beliefs about appropriate developmental goals & independence Views about needing and accepting “help” from non-family members Fears about being judged unfavorably

5. Cultural Continuum Cultural Destructiveness Cultural Incapacity Cultural Blindness Cultural Pre-competence Cultural Competence Cultural Proficiency

6. Impact of American Cultural values Individual Success –Getting ahead –Making money Value & purpose of education Competition

7. Examine cultural values: Time What does it mean to be “on time?” How do you feel when someone arrives late to a meeting? Why?

8. Examine cultural values: Communication Verbal communication –Rates of speech –Voice modulation –Pauses –Use of silence –Time between Q&A What is rude? Polite?

9. Examine cultural values: Communication Nonverbal –Body language –Eye contact –Proximity –Deference –Respect

10. Cultural Scanning Is the behavior –Innocent –Ignorant –Insensitive –Racist How to respond? Do we –Know the person –Value the relationship –Have a history

11. Cultural Reciprocity with Families Challenging power Assuming risks Sharing stories & ourselves Listening with the heart Involving those affected Offering alternatives Balancing the scales of justice and equity Holding ourselves accountable

12. How Change Happens “Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will.” -Frederick Douglas

13. Agents of Cultural Competence Understand context, barriers to change, and stages of change Listen Respond Advocate Pursue change Intervene at the systems level Team with others Facilitate

14. Leadership in Cultural Competence Inspire and help people work toward the goal Share leadership Recognize diverse roles Become self-aware Accept responsibility Ask for help Be open to constructive criticism Encourage & motivate partners

15. Know Yourself Who am I? What am I doing here What are my: –Goals, purposes –Expectations –Motivations? What strengths & challenges do I bring? How can I best use my skills? How can I make space for others?

16. Know Yourself In my family, children are expected to ___ I feel like an outsider when _______ I believe the most important thing in life is ______________ My ethnic or cultural heritage is important to me because _____

17. Self-Reflection Roots, places of origin Ethnic group, socio- economic class, religion, age group, community Social interactions with people from ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, religions, age groups or communities different from your own

18. Self-Reflection Speaking language other than English Attitudes of your family of origin on people from different backgrounds Values, beliefs, cultural messages re: –Family –Child-rearing –External relationships –Community –Health –Education

19. Traits needed for Cultural Competence Trust Hope Shared relationships Honesty Openness Flexibility Love

20. Gaining Community Trust Trust is not automatic; it must be earned and it can be lost. Trust must be two- way: those who are not trusted, do not trust. Trust leads to belief in each other and in a cause.

21. Developing Trust Be honest about the problems, the barriers, the potential negative consequences – as well as the potential benefit of action

22. Developing Trust Be in it for the long haul. Don’t abandon ship after the first disappointment or failure. Admit mistakes. Ask for help!!! LISTEN!!! Acknowledge others’ contributions.

23. Honesty I don’t know. I haven’t had this experience before. I’m confused. I need your help. I don’t understand. I made a mistake.

24. Openness Openness means letting go of the present to focus on what could be. “What would it look like, feel like, smell like, taste like, sound like, if it was good?”

25. Flexibility Flexibility means willingness to change behavior based on circumstances and need. How have people accommodated your needs?

26. Moving toward cultural competence How do we get there? What supports are needed? What is each of our roles in providing those supports? How can it be sustained?

27. To See Clearly It is only with the heart that one can see clearly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. –The Little Prince Antoine de Saint Exupery

28. The Chinese characters that make up the verb “to listen” tell us something about this skill.

29. Gathering Community Knowledge Communities know: –Their history: where they have been –Their culture: who they are –Sacred places –Dangerous places –What is important to them

30. Gathering community knowledge Encourage and support community members to find their voice. Be ready to hear what community members say. Respect the passion of the community for change.

31. Sharing Community Knowledge Tell stories within the community to build shared knowledge Listen to the stories of families Help families share their stories with each other

32. Partnering for Cultural Competence Committed Leadership from all partners Maintaining a partnership with good communication, clear decision- making, & specific responsibilities

33. Myth: Cultural differences are unimportant Thoughts –All people should be treated “the same” Feelings –Pressure –Resentment Behaviors –Failure to accommodate differences

34. Reality: Cultural Differences are Strengths to Build on Thoughts –Cultural differences are strengths Feelings –Curiosity –Interest –Appreciation Behaviors –Affirm differences –Seek learning opportunities

35. Building Cultural Competence Quality information: –Develop accurate “map” of strengths & needs of families from diverse communities –who’s important, what’s important, relationships Formal Informal –Know how others have addressed these issues

36. Building Cultural Competence Ongoing: Planning Implementation Evaluation Revision of plan

37. Developing a Plan Who will do what? Under what conditions? To what extent? What resources do we need? How will we measure?

38. Specific Suggestions Allow time for reflection, don’t always fill silent spaces Engage community leaders and cultural liaisons Modify communication methods, processes and materials to respond to individual circumstances Provide ongoing training and support in diversity, cultural competence, flexibility Provide qualified, trained and prepared interpreters when needed

39. Implementing Changes to Enhance Cultural Competence Bring about changes Monitor implementation to make sure improvements take place

40. Commitment People say, what is the sense of our small effort. They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time. A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that. No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless. There’s too much work to do.