Different Cultures, Beliefs And Costumes

Ethnic/cultural beliefs and customs - Whilst children and young people should feel proud of their ethnicity, some may experience racism which can have an impact on their self-esteem, what they would like to do and their outlook. This factor may affect how they dress, their dietary requirements and socialising. They may encounter discrimination an insufficient equality that can effect their opportunities in life. All settings and staff should show awareness and understanding of their needs.

Growing up in a predominantly white community, I had never thought of the issue of race as a child. My neighbor and I were best friends, and I never thought of myself as different. She had blonde hair; I had black. She had blue eyes; I had dark brown. We loved to play with the same things, thus we were

Each client is influenced by race, ethnicity, national origin, life stage, educational level, social class, and sex roles (Ibrahim, 1985). The counsellor must view the identity and development of culturally diverse people in terms of multiple interactive factors rather than a strictly cultural framework (Romero, 1985).

As a result, it is imperative to take a look at current and historical oppressions that a client experience by being part of a minority social group or a group that does not conform to popular culture (Aviera, 2002). These oppressions will offer me a deeper insight into the source of challenges that a client faces. By merely looking at the individual without considering these oppressions, I could fail to determine what drives him to experience life the way that he does. Therefore, in order to build a practice that is useful to a different set of cultures, keeping in mind significant experiences encountered as a collective is fundamental in cultivating effective cross-cultural counseling

My block was a melting pot of people but my high school was not. After entering high school is when I realized that I was white or Caucasian. During this time, I was also given the

In this era, diversity and cultural competence are extremely important to understand, regarding the foundations of human development in the social environment. Diversity can alter or affect an individual’s behavior in many ways. Diversity is considered when an individual is different, or composed of differing elements. Therefore, diversity can include different nationality, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, disability, gender identity, immigration status, political ideology, and religion. At any time, an individual is determined as belonging to another group, different from the majority, the individual is considered to be subject to the effects of diversity. Many children coming from different countries have a problem with language. Not being able to speak the language of the community can cause huge barriers for the children to overcome. Many parents believe that the key to a successful life and fulfillment is to get an education. These parents encourage their kids, that with an education nothing can defeat you. It is also very important for the social worker, or human service provider to be comfortable with diversity, and is culturally competent. Cross-cultured means the individual appreciates and compares the differences and the similarities of different cultures as well as their own.

This caused me to think about various aspects of cultural diversity that are fundamental while dealing with clients. The information I gathered was key to my path to becoming a culturally competent occupational therapist in various ways. First, the idea of viewing patients from culturally and linguistically diverse community from various perspectives is new to me, and I intend to incorporate it into strategies with my potential clients by taking each individual as unique and distinct from the other hence serving them better. Secondly, the information on cultural competency being a dynamic and complex process requiring continuous expansion of personal, cultural know-how and self-evaluation was new. I intended to incorporate this while dealing with potential clients by continuous interaction with people from distinct cultures to be acquainted with knowledge on how best to serve the needs of each person

The article helped me to understand that multicultural counseling plays a major part in the understanding of the client. Understanding my own biases regarding multiculturalism based upon my own racial group and identity will fundamentally impact my counseling approach. My Way of Being with the client in the counseling session will be directly affect by my ability to understand his or her cultural differences.

Learning about a culture can be time-consuming as there is so much information to assimilate and often, a short time to gain the knowledge needed to support a client. And the learning does not stop within a race, or ethnicity, it also extends to disabled, lesbian, gay, transgender, or bisexual individuals within society. Each sector has their own values and beliefs that deserve to be respected, and by fostering that respect, knowledge can easily be gained through communication within the groups. However, “effective care is impossible without a working knowledge and understanding of a person’s or group’s culture and background”, (2. NASW, 2015) which can lead to misplacements or act as a deterrent between the individual and

It is important to understand “cultural accessibility” which includes “understanding, appreciation, and affirmation of values and beliefs that are held by the communit (Delgado, 1999, p. 34). Nonverbal communication is also an aspect of cultural associability due to the communication to the client in a way they understand (Delgado, 1999,). This is an important aspect because it allows the social worker to be available to learn from the client in order to build competence at the time of face-to-face contact. Each client is an individual and is more than just the cultural norm’s they can be stereotyped by.

Recognizing that ethnic identity is only one facet of diversity. My clinical practices involve serving many individuals who have diverse personal and cultural identities. During case conceptualization I routinely ask clients to describe their own values and perspectives to add to my understanding while increasing their comfort. As I serve an increasingly diverse population, keen observation and feedback from clients will continue to illuminate pathways to expanding my awareness and understanding. I see no end to my professional journey to provide culturally responsive

Counselors who are unaware of diverse cultural viewpoints are more than likely to do intentional or unintentional damage when working within communities opposite of their own and with those whose cultures and worldviews differ from theirs. If a counselor is unaware of their own cultural identity, biases, and stereotypes, how then will they know if they are unintentionally causing harm to their clients or build rapport? Cultural self-awareness is relevant because counselors need to know their cultural identity and what they must offer their clients in a therapeutic relationship and to help clients become aware their cultural identities.

It is imperative that social workers become knowledgeable about their clients’ cultures and are culturally sensitive. In learning about their clients’ cultures, social workers need to be aware of how powerful and significant culture is in relating to clients’ behavior, values, and beliefs. Becoming culturally competent requires the ability to integrate awareness, knowledge, and skills while maintaining a positive working relationship with the client (Sue and Zane, 1987). Today, the concerns regarding cultural competency continue to accentuate the importance of preparing social workers for a diversified society.

Professionals should also strive to be culturally competent and continuously educate themselves to aim to “understand the nature of social diversity and oppression with respect to race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, and mental or physical disability,” and should use respectful language while communicating to or about clients. (5)

I learned the keys to recognizing and working around cultural differences at a very young age and it is this that helps me navigate the myriad differences I encounter among people and nationalities. It is a thin line to walk – to determine where cultural differences bring colour to life and where they limit growth and progress – and that is why my open mindedness matters to me most: it is a constant debate and one that keeps me focused on both people and purpose in every