Core Competencies:

Knowledge: The cross culturally competent worker in the health and human services knows the basic issues associated with cultural competence, knows her or his own culture and the impact it has on professional practice, and has knowledge of the specific beliefs and practices of the different cultural groups (broadly defined) with whom she or he will be working.

Skills: The cross culturally competent worker in the health and human services knows how to access available information and resources to improve services to the groups he or she is working with, and adopts professional practices to meet culturally unique needs.

Attitudes: The cross culturally competent worker in the health and human services acknowledges the importance of culture and maintains vigilance toward the dynamics of cultural differences.

Supporting Competencies:

The entry-level cross culturally competent worker in the health and human services has the ability to:

• Recognize the limits of one's own knowledge, competencies, and expertise and how those limits effect interactions with people from other cultural backgrounds
  
  
• Demonstrate a positive attitude and approach to learning about the characteristics of different cultural communities and the resources available to serve them
  
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of one's racially and culturally bound values and attitudes and to seeks to cultivate a non-racist worldview
  
  
• Challenge assumptions, stereotypes, and paradigms of others
  
  
• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of how oppression, racism, discrimination, and stereotyping affect all people, including a history of the oppression of some groups by the dominant culture and the role of internalized oppression
  
  
• Claim one's own cultural identity; to have a working knowledge of that culture, including an awareness of how it affects one's own beliefs, values, and behaviors; and be able to present that culture to others
  
  
• Contrast his or her own beliefs and attitudes with those from other cultures and challenge one's own biases and practices
  
  
• Demonstrate an understanding of communication style differences
  
  
• Establish an approach that actively seeks out educational and social experiences that foster her or his own knowledge, understanding, and cross cultural skills
  
  
• Adapt practice to different cultural situations
  
  
• Acknowledge that one individual need not have all the answers and to be open to one's self and others taking risks, reaching out across cultures, and learning from one's mistakes
  
  
• Acknowledge the role of indigenous helping practices and respect intrinsic help-giving networks in the community
  
  
• Seek professional experiences (e.g., training, education, consultation) to improve effectiveness in working with others who differ culturally
  
  
• Think critically on matters of cultural diversity

Course(s):

International & Multicultural Women’s Health & Social Issues - CHHS 360