The Immersion Project was an opportune moment for me to interact with several individuals from a different cultural group. After the project, I observed that every culture had its unique values, practices, and rituals. The targeted culture was the Hispanic population. The first observation about the culture was that its members were always willing to be part of the extended family. It was quite evident that the people wanted to get or give support to one another.
Decisions were made collectively since the individuals wanted to realize their goals. Respect among members of the culture was taken seriously. The elderly in the community were seen as intelligent citizens capable of giving the best advice to young people (Garran & WerkmeisterRozas, 2013). The individuals were always ready to interact with their counterparts in the society.
The project made it easier to understand the reason why the cultural group was against the wealthy individuals in the community. The targeted respondents indicated clearly that the occurrence of inequality had made it impossible for many people to succeed. However, the members of the cultural group were ready to coexist with the other people in the community. The targeted population was observed to embrace various practices such as parties and ceremonies.
Such ceremonies encouraged them to bond and interact with other racial groups in the society. The culture was also observed to enjoy a wide range of delicacies. Additionally, most of the respondents were observed to drink alcohol and promote unhealthy eating habits (Haight, Kayama, & Korang-Okrah, 2014). Consequently, the malpractices exposed majority of the individuals to various conditions such as obesity. The targeted persons were also willing to seek medication from both physicians and traditional healers.
Understanding and Respecting Other Cultures
My philosophy as a human service professional has improved significantly after completing the Immersion Experience project. I have realized that every cultural group has its unique values and practices. In order to meet the needs of the clients from a given culture, it will always be necessary to be aware of such practices. Professionals who want to offer sustainable human services must be ready to learn more about the attributes of the targeted cultural group.
Throughout the service delivery process, it is necessary to identify the behaviors, cultural practices, and family relationships (Haight et al., 2014). A proper understanding of these aspects will ensure a powerful model is designed to offer exemplary services to the beneficiaries. Clients whose rights, expectations, and values are respected will be willing to cooperate whenever providing quality services.
I am now willing to interact with more individuals from different communities across the nation. This goal will be successful because the United States is one of the most diverse nations in the world today. This approach will empower and equip me with the best ideas about the attributes defining different communities in the country. This knowledge will guide me to offer timely, evidence-based, and sustainable human services based on the unique needs of the targeted population. Issues such as religious practices, family relationships, and use of traditional healing methods will be considered whenever supporting the needs of a given population (Garran & WerkmeisterRozas, 2013).
When a counselor understands and respects the worldviews of the targeted clients and their respective cultural affiliations, it becomes possible to develop the best service delivery model. This knowledge will therefore support my future objectives as a human service professional.
References
Garran, M., & WerkmeisterRozas, L. (2013). Cultural competence revisited. Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 22(2), 97-111. Web.
Haight, W., Kayama, M., & Korang-Okrah, R. (2014). Ethnography in social work practice and policy. Qualitative Social Work, 13(1), 127–143. Web.