Coming Together Across Cultures: Intentional Relationship Building August 3, 2011

Quality in Action

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Courtney EricksonAmeriCorps Technical Assistance & Training Specialist

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Elements of Effective Practice Standard: Train prospective mentors in the basic

knowledge and skills needed to build an effective mentoring relationship. Benchmarks

B.3.1 Program provides a minimum of two hours of pre-match, in-person training.

B.3.2 Mentor training includes the follow topics, at a minimum: program rules; mentor’s goals & expectations; mentor’s obligations & rules; relationship development & maintenance; ethical issues that may arise related to the mentoring relationship; effective closure of the mentoring relationship; sources of assistance available to support mentors.

Enhancements E.3.3 Program addresses the following developmental

topics in the training: youth development process; cultural, gender, economic issues; opportunities & challenges related to mentoring specific populations of children

Our Panelist

Sarah Kremer

Program Director, Friends for Youth

Coming Together Across Cultures:

Intentional Relationship

Building

Sarah E. Kremer, ATR-BC

Program Director

Friends for Youth’s Mentoring Institute

Transforming lives through

the power of mentoring

• Highlight activities from in-person training

• Provide resources for own trainings or workshops

• Contribute to ongoing discussion on intersection of culture and youth mentoring

Goals

Research

• Same-race matches have not “received consistent support from studies to date” and results are mixed

• “Similarity in experiences and interests may be an equally or even more important matching criteria”

• In naturally occurring mentoring relationships with urban, Latino, and African American youth, most mentors are same race/ethnicity

• But most racial minority youth are matched with White mentors in formal programs

• Factors to consider: Stereotype threats, cultural values (collectivism vs. individualism)

Sanchez & Colón, 2005

Research

• Evidence “overwhelmingly in support of ‘no more than skin-deep’ hypothesis”

Haddad, Chen, Greenberger, 2011

• “It matters when it matters.”• Matching by demographic similarities

under some conditions: when it is important to youth– Relevant to where they are– Important to identity

• Working out cultural identity• Taking pride in cultural identity

Powers, 2011

• Quantitative study: potential effects of social class differences

• Factors make a difference– Amount of time in relationship– Level of trust

• Same race matching– Good for general support and assistance– May matter in early phases

• Distinctly different matching– Good for expanding social network, knowledge,

opportunities– Does not have negative impact in long term– Social class differences have no significant effect

Gaddis, 2011

Research

Research: Recommendations

• Consider role of race/ethnicity/culture • Do not match pairs on race/ethnicity only• Use assessments of cultural factors to

target support• Provide cultural competency training to

mentors • Utilize natural support systems for youth• Consider developing culturally specific

mentoring programsSanchez & Colón, 2005

Research: Recommendations

• “…Need to be flexible and listen more closely to experiences of indigenous peoples and diverse populations to ensure programming is responsive to their unique needs.”

Marshall & Shaver, 2010

In-Person Training Agenda • Start Where You Are

• Personal

– Creating the Foundation

– Self Awareness

– Change

– Connecting with Others

– Intentional Relationship Building

• Professional

• Nurturing Seeds of Diversity

Two Truths and A Lie, Cultural Version

• Name

• Agency

• Two Truths

• One Lie

Dimensions of Diversity

RACE ETHNICITY CLASS SEXUALITY GENDER LANGUAGE

ABILITY NATIONALITY AGE RELIGION ACHIEVEMENT EDUCATION

FAMILY SYSTEM

POLITICS VALUES MEDIA LEGAL STATUS

PHYSICAL/ MENTAL HEALTH

ACTIVITYExpress thoughts/feelings that arise around:

culture, cultural diversity, multiculturalism, cultural competency

Two people will read aloud all POSITIVE papers and all NEGATIVE papers

NEGATIVEPOSITIVE

Creating the

Foundation

Tear all paper into tiny pieces and leave in pile

Self Awareness: Select Pot

Self Assessment: Promoting Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competency from National Center for Cultural Competence (Goode, 2009 revised)

Select A, B, or C for each item• A = Frequently or applies to great deal• B = Occasionally or applies moderately• C = Rarely/never or applies

minimally/not at all

Change

• Cultural awareness–Cultural Iceberg

Change (add

rocks)

• Parts of self that are difficult to change–Test Yourself for Hidden Bias

Connecting with Others• Definition/understanding of mentoring (collectivism

vs. individualism perspective) • Specific tools to use with youth

– TT: What’s a Teacher To Do– TT: Mutual Learning Through Conversation– MPM: Influence of Culture on Mentoring

Relationships– WB: EnCountering Stereotypes– Friends for Youth’s Mentoring Journal: Multiple

Identities

(add soil)

Obstacles in

Connecting with

Youth

• Existing family dynamics/systems• Educational expectations• Languages spoken• Level of gang involvement• History of trauma• Common stereotypes

Solutions to

Obstacles

• Work on yourself• Work on your program’s approach• Connect with other community

groups– Faith-based– Ethnic/ nationality– Conflict Resolution Centers

• Know your mentees• Train your mentors• Promote being open to

understanding how culture impacts other issues and situations

PracticeAdvantages of same-race matches• Potential to create clear pictures of positive values and role behaviors• Offer a built-in “comfort zone” that facilitates the relationship’s

development• Mentees and their parents/guardians prefer Advantages of cross-race matches • Opportunity to expand world views and to break down stigmas and

prejudices• Matching youth right away vs. waiting for specific matchAsk mentors, mentees and parents: • “Would you feel comfortable with someone who is of different

race/ethnicity than you?” North & Sherk, 2000

Practice: RecommendationsGENDER • Most programs don’t cross-gender match

LANGUAGE • Most program match entors and mentees who speak the same language

GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY • Ensure they live close enough to allow frequent contact

MUTUAL INTERESTS • When possible, match by interest

“CHEMISTRY” • Program staff – as catalyst – get to know personalities involved

ENVIRONMENT • Every match is between mentee’s “total environment” and mentor’s “total environment”• family situation, living situation, work demands, neighborhood and community

North & Sherk, 2000

Intentional Relationship

Building(plant seeds)

EquanimityMeditation

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.Stanford University

Professional

• Small groups of 3 or 4• Identify current or past

challenges and successes related to culture in work setting– Cultural Competence Checklist– Achieving Cultural Competence

Guidebook

Nurturing(add water)

Commitments: Identify 1 or 2 new approaches or new thinking you agree to implement now

Questions?

Resources: Handouts• National Center for Cultural Competence: Self-Assessment Checklist for Personnel

Providing Services and Supports to Children with Disabilities & Special Health Needs and their Families

• Language and Culture Worldwide: The Cultural Iceberg• Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota: Tools for Mentoring Adolescents, #7: The

Influence of Culture on the Mentoring Relationship http://www.mpmn.org/Files/TMA-7Culture2.pdf

• Teaching Tolerance: Test Yourself for Hidden Bias, What’s A Teacher To Do?, Mutual Learning through Conversation

• WorldBridges: EnCountering Stereotypes http://world-bridges.org/ • Friends for Youth’s Mentoring Institute: Mentoring Journal Multiple Identities

activity http://www.friendsforyouth.org/MentorJournal.html • American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: Cultural Competence Checklist

Policies and Procedures• US Dept HHS: Achieving Cultural Competence: Guidebook for Providers of Services

to Oder Americans and their Families

Resources: Research & Practice• Barajas, J. (2005) Mentoring Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth. Center

for Applied Research Solutions. http://www.carsmentoring.org/publications/listing.php?publication_id=157

• Gaddis, S.M. (2011). What's in a Relationship? An Examination of Social Capital, Race, and Class in Mentoring Relationships. UNC at Chapel Hill.

• Haddad, E., Chen, C., & Greenberger, E. (2011). The Role of Important Non-Parental Adults (VIPs) in the Lives of Older Adolescents: A Comparison of Three Ethnic Groups. Journal of Youth Adolescence. 40:310-319.

• Jucovy, L. (2002) Same-Race and Cross-Race Matching (Technical Assistance Packet #7) Public/Private Ventures and Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory/National Mentoring Center. www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/26_publication.pdf

• Marshall, D. & Shaver, K. (2010). Culture, Context, and Innovation: A Kiwi Canuck Perspective. In Karcher, M. & Nakkula, M. (Eds.) New Directions for Youth Development: Theory, Practice, Research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• North, D. & Sherk, J.(2000) Creating and Sustaining A Winning Match. Center for Applied Research Solutions. http://carsmentoring.org/publications/listing.php?publication_id=152

• Sanchez, B & Colon, Y. (2005). Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Mentoring Relationships. In DuBois, D. & Karcher, M. (Eds.) Handbook on Youth Mentoring. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

www.mentoringinstitute.org

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Thank you!

Culturally Smart Relationships

Training from MPM for mentors on how to be smart about addressing the issue of cultural, race, socio-economic status with mentees

Usually added on to our Maximize Your Impact Training

Contact the Training Institute if you are interested in having this training delivered to your program

Resources

Mentoring Immigrant & Refugee Youth A toolkit for programs from MENTOR.

EdChange A collaborative effort that provides resources to encourage cultural competency in schools.

YWCA Locally, the YWCA provides trainings and forums on addressing racism in our community.

Other Resources

This presentation & others www.slideshare.net/traininginstitute

MPM Training www.mpmn.org/traininginstitute

Web sites & PDFs www.delicious.com/traininginstitute

Next Quality In Action Webinar

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A mention of youth mentoring brings to mind powerful and often poignant stories of how a committed and concerned adult came along at just the right time and made all the difference in the life of a young person. But what happens when mentoring relationships do not go well? Join Dr. Renée Spencer as she reviews research on the frequency and reasons behind failed mentoring relationships, including new data from a longitudinal study she led and from a chapter she authored for the second edition of the Handbook of Youth Mentoring (not yet published). Participate in this webinar to get a sneak peek of Dr. Spencer's keynote!