A significant issue found in the videos and being raised by contemporary society is the lack of cultural intelligence among members of the community. Nowadays, everyone should understand the basic principles of cultural diversity and avoid forming their judgments based on stereotypes or personal preferences. In all areas of life, certain conditions have developed that have long made cultural minorities face inequality because the reasons of the majority’s dominance. For example, even today, one can still find racially restricted hiring or training, an abundance of prejudice among others, or segregation on the basis of race, both housing and other factors. Cultural competence is more relevant than ever and is almost the focus of a multicultural society (Danso, 2018). It is the foundation for promoting culturally sensitive practices and training workers in a cross-cultural environment. The concept of cultural competence, along with calls for equality and tolerance, is evident throughout the main ideas of the theme. The National Social Workers’ Association (NASW) organized the National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, which was able to develop and strengthen the organization’s own understanding of cultural competence and define the association’s position on basic standards for that competence. To date, NASW has supported and promoted the implementation of three levels of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic competence (NASW, 2015). These levels include the public, the institutional, and the personal. Starting with the individual employee, everyone must consider the importance of their own cultural identity in order to recognize and respect the racial, gender, religious, and further cultural identities of others. The NASW’s definition of basic standards of cultural competence, which all social workers should know and incorporate into their work, is likewise very important. Two new things I discovered while studying this material were self-awareness and cultural language and their significance. In order to relate fully and properly to the cultural differences of others, individuals must be aware of their own position, know the origins of their culture, and be aware of powers or privileges (NASW, 2015). Moreover, the language of communication has its own cultural features, even if the interlocutor is blind, deaf or has a very limited English proficiency skill. Any disability does not deprive a person of his or her cultural characteristics; it only changes the methods of communication with them.
References
Danso, R. (2018). Cultural competence and cultural humility: A critical reflection on key cultural diversity concepts. Journal of Social Work, 18(4), 410-430.
NASW. (2015). Standards and indicators for cultural competence in social work practice [PDF document]. Web.