SANDRA A. LOPEZ, LCSW, ACSW, DCSWCLINICAL ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTONGRADUATE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY OF CHILDREN & YOUTH:

EMBRACING THE MOSAIC

KEYNOTE OBJECTIVES

1. Explore diversity in homeless children & youth;

2. Examine a framework for cultural competence;

3. Identify challenges in being culturally competent;

4. Develop practical approaches for enhancing and honoring diversity

WHY IS DIVERSITY IMPORTANT?

Impact of the Global Market in U.S. and high competition in business

Dramatic changes in U. S. population demographics

Individual celebration about diversity

vs. “melting pot” approach

HARSH REALITIES ABOUT DIVERSITY

HATE GROUPS IN AMERICA

926 Active Hate Groups in U. S. (2008)California has the highest number – 84Texas - 66Florida – 56South Carolina - 45Georgia – 40 & New Jersey - 40Maine, New Mexico, North Dakota – 1

Southern Poverty Law Center www.splcenter.org

DRAMATIC INCREASE IN HATE GROUPS

THE CULTURE OF HOMELESS YOUTH

FACES OF HOMELESS YOUTH

FACES OF HOMELESS YOUTH

HOMELESS YOUTH WITH CHALLENGES

CHALLENGES FOR REFUGEE YOUTH

Culture conflict/acculturation stress

Migration circumstances/trauma experiences

Family fragmentation

Legal status & resettlement process

CHALLENGES OF LGBTQ YOUTH

Coming out & disclosure

Mental health & substance abuse & suicide

Sexuality & sexually transmitted diseases

Harassment & violence

Family conflict & often forced to leave home

LGBTQ AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH

Experience significant disparities in mental and physical health: high rates of depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, and risk for STD and HIV

Often suffer dual discrimination, i.e., racism within the

gay community and homophobia within African American community

Feel pressure to choose between their ethnic and sexual identities

CHALLENGES OF RURAL YOUTH

Often excluded from national attention & studies

Policy makers often operate from urban perspective

Less likely to live in a shelter or on streets but may sleep outdoors in the woods or parks

May be at higher risk for health risk behaviors, substance abuse, sexual activity

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

DEFINING CULTURE

Social heritage of a person

Way of life of a society, consisting of prescribed ways of behaving or norms of conduct, beliefs, values, and skills

Sum total of life patterns passed on from generation to generation within a group

COMPONENTS OF CULTURE

Collective Cultural Influences

Cultural Choices

Cultural Arts

Cultural Coping Systems

COLLECTIVE CULTURAL INFLUENCES

Ways of relating within the group and use of time, language, beliefs, group experience, group identity, and way of life

CULTURAL CHOICES

Food, dress, accepted norms and values, lifestyle, religion, emphasis on education

CULTURAL ARTS

Music, dancing, architecture, and

other forms of expression

CULTURAL COPING SYSTEMS

Child rearing practices, health care practices, family structure and network, ways of identifying problems, ways of problem solving, and use of available resources

CULTURALLY COMPETENT PRACTICE

DEFINING CULTURAL COMPETENCE

Refers to a set of academic and interpersonal skills that allow individuals to increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and similarities within, among, and between groups

National Center for Cultural Competence

CULTURAL COMPETENCE MODEL

Competency One: (Sue, 2006)

Becoming aware of one’s own assumptions, values, and biases about human behaviors

9 THINGS WE NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE

Skin color

Gender

Age

Appearance

Facial expressions

Eye contact

Movement

Personal space

Touch

The 4 Minute Self – Jane Elsea

CULTURAL IDENTITY EXERCISE

What is your culture? How important is your culture to you? What are beliefs/values of your culture? What are your cultural biases?

CULTURAL COMPETENCE MODEL

Competency Two:

Understanding the worldview of culturally diverse clients

RESPECTFUL APPROACH

Refrain from judgments or assumptionsPractice respectful curiosityHelp me to understand you betterTake a “tell me more” approachRespect diversity and differencesSeek out cultural brokersPromote cultural competence

CULTURAL COMPETENCE MODEL

Competency Three:

Developing appropriate intervention

strategies and techniques

CULTURAL BRIDGING EXERCISE

Discuss a time when you were able to effectively bridge across cultures with a student? How did you practice cultural competence? What strategies did you use?

CULTURAL COMPETENCE MODEL

Competency Four:

Understanding organizational and institutional forces that enhance or negate cultural competence

SYSTEM CHALLENGES EXERCISE

Discuss a time when your system enhanced or negated your efforts towards cultural competence? What was this like for you?

GOAL OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE

A CALL TO EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS

On an organizational/educational/societal level, cultural competence means advocating effectively to develop new theories, practices, policies, and organizational structures that are more responsive to diverse homeless children & youth.

EMBRACING THE MOSAIC

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

“Starting today, I will commit to being aware and appreciative of diversity and make a conscious effort to promote cultural sensitivity and competence in all of my actions”.