Introduction. The manual is designed to provide some useful tips and information to community organisations as they plan for activities and events.

Transcription

1 Cultural Competency Resource Handbook This project has been funded by the Peace III Programme through the European Union's European Regional Development Fund managed for the Special EU Programme Body by Sligo County Council on behalf of Sligo Peace & Reconciliation Partnership Committee.

2 Introduction This manual has been designed as part of a training programme delivered by Groundwork Northern Ireland and Hazel Hicks Consulting funded through the PEACE III Programme. Training was made available to community organisations across Sligo, challenging organisations and individuals to examine how they engage and interact with people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds. The training is one of a series of actions identified in the Sligo Integration Plan, designed in response to an identified need in the county for greater inclusion of marginalised and minority communities in Sligo. It is widely recognised that there is a wealth of community development activity across the County, supported in the main through voluntary effort. Each year there are hundreds of community events that celebrate the diverse makeup of the County. Many groups do not seek participation for community events from religious or ethnic grouping different to themselves. This seems to happen from a lack of consciousness rather than a decision to exclude. The manual is designed to provide some useful tips and information to community organisations as they plan for activities and events. two

3 Sligo A Community Profile Key Facts The following information provides some detail on the community profile of Sligo. For further information please contact Community and Enterprise, Sligo County Council. There is a high degree of diversity in the County as shown from the 2011 Census results: 10.8% of respondents identified their nationality as other than Irish. 15% of respondents were born outside of Ireland. The largest group born outside of Ireland was born in the UK (5,316). 1,470 born in Poland, 496 from United States and 821 from Asia. People born in the Philippines account for 168 and people born in Pakistan account for 175. Polish people make up the third largest nationality (1,562 people) after Irish and people from the UK. People who have an Irish-Asian or Asian cultural background account for 1.3% of the population. People who identify as Catholics make up 85% of the population in Sligo. The second largest group is people with no religion (5%). three

4 What is CULTURE? Culture is something that we begin learning as very young children, rules of our culture are often not written but are learned from those around us, and as children we generally accept these rules without question. There are many definitions used to describe culture: An integrated pattern of human behaviour that includes thoughts, communications, languages, practices, beliefs, values, customs, courtesies, rituals, manners of interacting, roles, relationships, and expected behaviours of a racial, ethnic, religious, or social group and the ability to transmit the above to succeeding generations. A way of life traditions and customs transmitted through learning, which play a vital role in moulding the beliefs and behaviours of the people exposed to them. The integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thoughts, communication styles, actions, customs, beliefs, values and institutions to ensure that the needs of the children, youth and families are met within the context of their culturally informed world view. Culture is not a rigidly prescribed set of behaviours or characteristics. Instead, it is a framework through which actions are filtered or checked as individuals go about their daily lives. These cultural frameworks are constantly evolving and being reworked. Although people of the same cultural background may share tendencies, not all members of a group who share a common cultural background and/or history will behave in the same way. Behaviour is governed by many factors, such as socioeconomic status, gender, age, length of residence in a given location, and education. Each of these factors will have impact. Also, individuals may differ by the degree to which they choose to adhere to a set of cultural patterns. Some individuals identify strongly with a particular group, others combine practices from several cultural groups. It is important to have an understanding of your own culture before seeking to engage with others. Consider the following to describe your culture. 1. How did growing up and/or where you grew up shape your view of the world? 2. What is important to you about your culture? 3. What aspects of your culture are you willing to compromise / not compromise? 4. How does your own cultural experience and values impact on the way you interact with others? 5. How would you like your culture to be observed/acknowledged/recognised? 6. How would you feel if you could not openly express your culture? four

5 Why does CULTURE MATTER? Culture Gives Context and Meaning It is a filter through which people process their experiences and events of their lives. It influences people s values, actions, and expectations of themselves. It impacts people s perceptions and expectations of others. It affects Parenting and child rearing Communication Body language Perception of time Help-seeking behaviours; help-giving behaviours; stigma Attitudes and beliefs about the law, services, social support and kinship support Use of services and social supports Understanding of government systems How we see the world What Can Happen If We Are Not Aware of Cultural Differences? Stereotyping (Holding preconceived ideas about any culture) Leads to Prejudice (Factualising a stereotype into a belief about a specific person) Leads to Discrimination (A negative action directed at a member of a disliked group) Stereotypes + Prejudice = Ideas Discrimination = Action Source: Adapted from MPI Cultural Training Manual and Interlake RHA Aboriginal Workforce Strategy Aboriginal Human Resources Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training five

6 Thoughts about CULTURE Differences between cultures can be: Sources of learning or points of conflict External factors impact culture Technology Environment Geography Politics Communications Group Norms Cultures are based on values How values are interpreted and expressed may vary between cultures Culture Adapts Changes continuously Therefore culture is.. What is seen and what is not seen Learned Shared We each tend to see Our own culture as right and other cultures as wrong six

7 What is CULTURAL COMPETENCY? Cultural competency is the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultural backgrounds. Developing cultural competence results in an ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures. In other words, cultural competence means understanding other people, their values, and their concerns, from their point of view. Through engagement with others of a different cultural background many groups in Sligo are demonstrating their cultural competence. Cultural competence encompasses: Being aware of one s own world view Developing positive attitudes towards cultural differences Gaining knowledge of different cultural practices and world views Developing skills for communication and interaction across cultures. seven

8 Developing CULTURAL COMPETENCY SKILLS Communication The language and expressions we use as part of our everyday communication may hinder understanding and act as a barrier to participation. Words and phrases may have different meanings in different cultures. Making Yourself Clear & Checking for Understanding 1. Focus on key areas of speech that can make your message clearer: Speed Pace yourself - don t talk too fast, especially when speaking with people who do not speak English as a first language. Pronunciation Make an effort to pronounce words clearly and distinctly. Clear meaning Aim for clear meaning when you speak. If you say something and think it was not clear enough, try to use different words to say it again. Words and phrases We often use words and phrases that only first language speakers or people from the same region as ourselves understand. Try to use common, everyday language that can be understood by people from different parts of the country and different parts of the world. eight

9 Developing CULTURAL COMPETENCY SKILLS 2. Say the same thing in a number of ways If needed, try to support what you are saying and doing through the use of other forms of communication such as writing or even body language and gestures. 3. Be aware of how you speak Do you know how you sound to others? Can you identify why people from other cultures may find you difficult to understand? Do you speak too fast sometimes? Have you been told that you can be vague? Do you speak very quietly? 4. Check for understanding For some cultures it is more important to focus on agreement rather than understanding. To check for understanding you must learn to do three things: Read body language: While people may say they mean one thing, their body language may tell you something completely different Remember that different cultures may show confusion and misunderstanding in different ways, so it can take time to learn what to look for. Start by observing other people, then think of the ways they might show they are confused. Pay attention to signs of confusion such as a slightly tilted head, furrowed eyebrows or a slight hesitation in their voice. Check for understanding by asking different questions: Ask open-ended questions. Ask questions so that people will demonstrate that they have understood when they answer the question. Think about differences between groups and individuals. Some people may not be comfortable asking or answering questions in front of others. You may need to approach certain people on a one-to-one basis, especially when trying to resolve conflict. Encourage feedback: Let people know how you communicate. Being open about how you communicate will help others to be open with you. Be open to feedback. People will be more ready and willing to tell you they don t understand if you show you are open to their feedback. nine

10 Developing CULTURAL COMPETENCY SKILLS Developing Cultural Competency Skills Writing Notices Below are some tips about writing notices/invitations that are clear and easy to understand. Use plain English wherever you can. Make sure terms are clear. You may need to explain acronyms, e.g. B&B for Bed and Breakfast, or words and expressions that people may not be familiar with. Think about who will be reading the notice and remove unnecessary details. Pictures speak louder than words. Use diagrams to further detail your instructions. For example, you could put a picture of a mobile phone with a red line through it to show that people are not allowed to use them. Give people more time. Give instructions and agendas for meetings in advance, so people have time to read them properly and know what they need to do. Developing Cultural Competency Skills Planning for community events/functions The following guidelines will help when planning for community activity. Have you considered? Venue what is considered an appropriate venue; for example some people may object to an event being held where alcohol is served. Does it have disabled access? Time - Make sure it is at a time that members of the community invited can attend e.g. not early evening if you are holding an event where a large proportion of the community work in the restaurant business. Time keeping punctuality is important in some cultures if the event is due to start at 8pm but people do not arrive until 8.30pm this can be uncomfortable for those who have arrived on time. Likewise for some cultures time is not such an important consideration. Transport do you need to consider providing transport? Childcare do you need to consider providing childcare either at the event or elsewhere? Religious festivals does the event clash with religious festivals or prayer day that may prevent people from attending. If an event has to be organised during a period of religious observance make the reasons clear and if necessary provide a quiet room for prayers. Refreshments if food is provided make sure is caters for the needs of people attending e.g. will there be vegetarian or halal food? Also alongside teas and coffees ensure there is water and juice available. Invitation/advertising is it enough to put posters up and an advert in the local paper or do you need to consider hand delivered invitations to groups in the area or individual personal invites and offer to accompany the person to the event. Translation and interpreting services is it necessary to provide these services to ensure that all those attending can get maximum benefit from the event. Footwear some cultures remove footwear when indoors. If required have a safe place where footwear can be stored for the duration of the event. ten

11 Find out MORE INFORMATION Find out more information about the different cultural and ethnic groups in Sligo. Sligo Travellers Support Group T: E: Racist Incident Referral and Support Service for Co. Sligo Sligo Family Resource Centre 49 The Mall, Sligo Town, Co. Sligo. Phone: / Website: Sligo Intercultural Forum 49, The Mall, Sligo Phone: website: Sligo-Leitrim Filipino Association contact: Cecilia Region Phone: Kurdish Community in Sligo contact : Suran Karimi Phone: Bangladeshi Community in Sligo contact: Abdul Latifu Khan Phone: Sligo Family Resource Centre 49 The Mall, Sligo, Co. Sligo. Phone: sligofrc@gmail.com. eleven