Cultural Competence Practice Paper -The Cultural Competence Practice Paper is a compilation of course content covered and is the department’s Standardized Assignment for Cultural Diversity. In addition to a numeric grade, the assignment will be used to calculate scores for achievement of specific competencies. The instructor will provide students with a competency report before the end of the semester (see attached). The purpose of this is assignment is for students to (1) examine the dynamics of oppression and discrimination, especially for populations at risk, (2) apply knowledge of cultural diversity to individual development and behavior, (3) appropriately intervene in an advocacy role geared toward social change, and (4) develop the ability to demonstrate an understanding of values of diversity, human rights, and social and economic justice, and (5) understand from the various system levels (micro, mezzo, macro). Students will complete this assignment using their selected cultural group from the Diller (2019) textbook (Figure 1) and topic selections (Figure 2). The assignment expands the student’s awareness of both the cognitive knowledge and skill necessary to effectively interact with and serve culturally diverse populations utilizing the social work cultural competence framework (refer to Lum, 2011, chapters 4-7). The cultural competence framework has three functions: awareness, knowledge, and skill.
Figure 1.
Cultural Group Selection (Diller, 2019)
- African Americans Arab and Muslim Americans Asian Americans Bicultural Americans Diverse Parents and Families Individuals with Disabilities Latinos/as Americans LGBT Americans Men Native Americans White Americans Women.
Student will complete this assignment in an APA format 6-7-page paper (excluding title and reference pages). The paper will include a minimum of five (5) professional references, and a minimum of eight (8) in-text citations. References should be from scholarly publications and peer reviewed. Articles and/or books must be published in the past ten (10) years (2010 forward).
Included in the assignment should be the most salient themes and issues reflective of the cultural group that have been researched. Student will discuss the learning from both Diller (2019) and Lum (2011) that will be useful to their professional practice endeavors, but especially with the members of the group researched. Students are encouraged to incorporate resources and course assignments.
Utilize the items in bold as headings: Introduction (identify the population data as related to age, gender, etc. (i.e. LGBT, African Americans, etc.)
- Discuss major economic and health issues.
Historical Perspective.
- Provide a brief historical timeline of the major social experiences of the group (i.e. oppression, alienation, discrimination, etc.)
- Provide major historical milestones and/or social movements (i.e., Suffrage, Stone Wall, Civil Rights, etc.)
Dimensions of Health Factors.
- Discuss the major cause of morbidity and mortality.
- Discuss major health barriers.
Dimensions of Economic Factors.
- Discuss poverty, employment, and wealth gaps.
- Discuss major economic barriers.
Dimensions of Religion and Spirituality.
- Discuss major religion practiced by the group.
- Discuss similarities and differences with the dominant religion.
Traditions of the Culture a. Discuss the lifespan characteristics of the group (i.e., marriage, childrearing, etc.)
- Discuss of ideology on death and dying, help seeking behaviors rearing, etc.)
- Cultural Competency Practice.
- Cultural competency practices to effectively serve the group such as counseling practices, individual and family approaches, perception of time, space, gender role, etc.
- Discussion of the limitations of the social work cultural competence framework
- Self-Awareness.
- Discussion of how you identify yourself racially/ethnically/culturally.
- Discussion of how your sense of race/ethnicity or culture has changed over time.
- Discussion of your reactions, feelings, thoughts, or concerns come to mind when you think about working professionally with members of this group.
- Discussion of what kinds of answers, information, learning experiences, contact, and so forth do you need to become more comfortable with members of this group.
- Conclusion –Students are required to include a conclusion paragraph that
Addresses the entire body of the essay.
- Discuss one strategy that social workers or human service professionals can use to promote social and economic justice rights.
- Synthesis what was learned and how it may affect professional practice (i.e. managing personal biases and values)
- Students will state what was gained from the assignment and how it be useful to one’s process of truly becoming a culturally competent.
