2.4 Leading towards - National Disability Services€¦ · 2.1 Terminology and data – a guide to understanding cultural diversity and disability 2.2 Making the business case –

Workbook2.4PersonCentredPracticeAcrossCultures

Leadingtowardsculturalresponsiveness-apracticalguideformanagers,teamleadersandcoachesJuly2016

futures UPFRONT

ThisworkbookhasbeendevelopedforNationalDisabilityServicesby:BarbelWinter,ManagingDirector,futuresUpfrontandMariaKatrivesis,ConsultantandTrainerFirstpublished(July2016)©futuresUpfrontFormoreinformationandforpermissiontoreproducepleasecontact:futuresUpfrontemail:[email protected]:www.futuresupfront.com.au ProducedbyNDSNSWLevel18,1CastlereaghStSydney,NSW2000FundedbyNSWDepartmentofFamilyandCommunityServices.©ThispublicationiscopyrightAllrightsreserved.ExceptasprovidedintheCopyrightAct1968(Commonwealth),nouseofthiswork,whichiswithintheexclusiverightofthecopyrightowners,maybemade.ContactNDS0292563100ndsnsw@nds.org.auwww.nds.org.auAboutNationalDisabilityServicesNationalDisabilityServicesisthepeakbodyfornon-governmentdisabilityservices.Itspurposeistopromotequalityserviceprovisionandlifeopportunitiesforpeoplewithdisability.NDS’sAustralia-widemembershipincludesmorethan1000non-governmentorganisations,whichsupportpeoplewithallformsofdisability.NDSprovidesinformationandnetworkingopportunitiestoitsmembersandpolicyadvicetostate,territoryandfederalgovernments.

Table of Contents

1. Preface.......................................................................................................................21.1 Howtousethisworkbook?......................................................................................................21.2 Whatisthisworkbookabout?..................................................................................................31.3 Outcomes..................................................................................................................................31.4 Whoisthisworkbookfor?........................................................................................................31.5 Howlongwillittaketocomplete?...........................................................................................3

2. TheWorkbook............................................................................................................42.1 Introduction..............................................................................................................................42.2 Whymovefromculturalawarenesstoculturalresponsiveness?............................................5

2.2.1 Whatdoesculturalawarenessmean?..............................................................................52.2.2 Whatisculturalresponsiveness?......................................................................................62.2.3 Myroleasateamleader/manager..................................................................................7

2.3 Howtomovefromculturalawarenesstoculturalresponsiveness?........................................72.3.1 Understandingculture–beyondculturalstereotypes......................................................72.3.2 Understandingmyidentity................................................................................................9

3. Conclusion.................................................................................................................13

Workbook 2.4: Leading towards cultural responsiveness

©futuresUpfront|2016|PersonCentredPracticeAcrossCultures

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1. Preface

ThisworkbookispartofaseriesofresourcesforthedisabilityservicessectordesignedbyfuturesUpfrontforNDSwithfundingprovidedbytheNSWDepartmentofFamilyandCommunityServices;Ageing,DisabilityandHomeCare.

1.IndividualPractices–workingwithpeoplefromCALDbackgroundswithdisability

1.1Empathy–apracticetoconnectacrosscultures

1.2Activelistening–unconditionalpositiveregardacrosscultures

1.3Choicemaking–cross-culturaldifferencesandwhatcanwelearnfromthem

1.4ReflectivePractice–whydifferentpointsofviewmatter

1.5Workingeffectivelywithinterpreters

2.OrganisationalPractices–buildingaculturallyresponsiveorganisation

2.1Terminologyanddata–aguidetounderstandingculturaldiversityanddisability

2.2Makingthebusinesscase–whydiversityisgoodforbusiness

2.3Aculturallyresponsivepersoncentredorganisation–keyelements

2.4Leadingtowardsculturalresponsiveness–apracticalguideformanagers,teamleadersandcoaches

2.5Buildingadiverseworkforce–practicalstrategies

2.6Valuingbilingualworkers–strategiestorecruit,trainandretain

3.CommunityEngagement–workingalongsidediversecommunities

3.11Community@atime–culturallyresponsivecommunityengagementprinciplesandelements

3.2MakingLinks–networkingwithCALDCommunities

3.3Cross-culturalstory-basedmarketing–1story@atime

Thisworkbookispartof“OrganisationalPractices-buildingaculturallyresponsiveorganisation”series.

1.1 How to use this workbook? Thisworkbookcanbeusedinmanydifferentways,including:

´ Asaself-pacedlearningprogrambyanindividual

´ Asaself-pacedlearningprogramforagroup



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´ Aspartofformaltrainingorganisedbyanorganisation

´ Aspartofcoachingandmentoring.

Thisworkbookincludesexercisesandopportunitiesforreflections(whenworkingbyyourself)ordiscussions(whenworkingwithothers).

Thereisplentyofroominyourworkbooktotakenotesandmakecomments.

1.2 What is this workbook about? Thisworkbookisapracticalguidedesignedforanyonewholeads,supervises,coachesormentors.Theworkbooktakesyouthroughfromwhytohowyoucanguideyourteammember/stowardsmoreculturalresponsivepersoncentredpractices.

Werecommendyoualsousesomeoftheotherworkbooksinthisseries

1.3 Outcomes Attheendoftheworkbookyouwill:

´ Beabletounderstandwhyculturalresponsivenessandnotjustculturalawarenessiscriticalinprovidingpersoncentredsupports

´ Usethreepracticalexerciseswithyourteam/stafftoexploretheideaofculturalresponsiveness

1.4 Who is this workbook for? ´ Anyoneleading,managing,coaching,mentoringorguidingothersto

becomebetterinworkingalongsidepeoplewithdisability

´ Peopleinterestedinimprovingtheirownculturallyresponsivepersoncentredpractice

1.5 How long will it take to complete? Thisworkbookshouldtakeabout30minutestoreadthrough.Doingtheexercisesfullyeitherbyyourselforwithotherswilladdsignificantlymoretime.



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2. The Workbook

2.1 Introduction Weallwantiteasysomedays.Weallloveaneasyanswerandwewantnomorethanafewdotpointstoguideustothesolution.Ifyoudon’tbelieveushavealookat“TheUniverse:BigBangtoNowin10easysteps”1.Nomatterhowcomplexordifficultanissue,wewantanicelychunkeddownanswer.

Soitisnowonderthatdespiteallofoureffortstothinkaboutthepeoplewesupportasindividuals,tofocusononepersonatatimeandtoreallyappreciatethesaying“ifyoumeetonepersonwithadisabilityyouhavemet…onepersonwithadisability”,westrugglewiththis.

Becausewewanteasyanswerseventhoughweknoweveryoneisdifferent,wewantstandardisedknowledgeandtools,stereotypestoguideusthroughworkingwithpeople,especiallyiftheyaredifferentfromourselves.

Thisworkbookwillgiveyousomeanswersastowhy,inworkingfromapersoncentredperspective,weneedtobeculturallyresponsivenotsimplyculturallyaware.Itwillalsoprovideyouwithsomeeasytoimplementexercisesyoucansharewithyourteam/stafftoexplorethelimitationsofculturalawarenessandbegintoseetheopportunitiesofculturalresponsivepersoncentredpractice.

Reflections

Whatdoyoudowhenyourteammembers/staffaskforeasyanswerswhenitcomestoworkingwithpeople?Forexample,howdoyourespondwhenyourstaffasksyou:“TellmewhatIneedtodotoworkwiththispersonfromLebanesebackground?”

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1http://www.space.com/13320-big-bang-universe-10-steps-explainer.html



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2.2 Why move from cultural awareness to cultural responsiveness?

Inworkingwithpeoplewithdisabilitywearemovingawayfromdefining,andthuslimiting,peoplebyfocusingonlyontheirdisability.Wearemovingtowardsthinkingaboutpeopleasindividualswithdifferentneedsandwants.Whileclearlydisabilitymatters,itisfarfromtheonlythingthatmattersinaperson’slife.

Thisisattheheartofpersoncentredthinkinganddoing.

Yet,whenitcomestoworkingwithpeoplewhoarefromadifferentethnicbackground,westillwanttounderstandculturalnormsandusethosetoguideusinourdealingswithpeoplewhoareculturallydifferentfromus.

2.2.1 Whatdoesculturalawarenessmean?

Traditionallyculturalawarenesstrainingwasdeliveredinsimilarwaystohowweusedtodeliverdisabilityawarenesstraining.Itwasallaboutgroupsofpeoplethatsharedacharacteristic–theirethnicbackgroundinculturalawarenesstrainingandtheirdisabilitytypeindisabilityawarenesstraining.Wewereprovidedwithchecklistsonhowto‘deal’withpeoplewhohadthischaracteristic.

Herearesomeexamples:

Similarities between disability & cultural awareness training

Disabilityawarenesstraining Culturalawarenesstraining

Peoplewithautismlackempathy PeoplefromChinaareverycompliant

Peoplewith intellectual disability needsupportinmakingdecisions

FamiliesfromIndialookaftertheirownfamilymemberswithdisability

Peoplewithmental illness resist beingmedicated

EasternEuropeansdonottrustservicesnorgovernments

Deaf people struggle with complexabstractideas

AfricanrefugeesstrugglewithunderstandingWesterndemocraticideas.

Ofcourseweknowthatnotallpeoplewithautismlackempathy,nordoallpeoplewithmentalillnessresistmedication.Butwealsoknowthatthosestereotypesarestillaroundandthatthosestereotypesarenothelpfulinworkingalongsidepeoplewithdisability.

Thistypeoftrainingisnotonlyunhelpful,itcanactuallycreatebarrierswhenworkingwithpeople.Itcanlimitourthinkingawayfromtheperson–andsteerustoworkingfromassumptionsandstereotypes.



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Learningaboutacultureorcommunitymightbeusefulwhenthinkingaboutagroupofpeoplethatmaysharecertaincharacteristics.Yet,whenappliedtoanindividualtheriskisthatweperceivethepersonasthecharacteristics(thatisthestereotypes)andnotasanindividual.

Asateamleader/manageryouprobablycoachandmanageyourstafftoavoidthiskindofthinking.Yourexperiencesandmaybetraininginpersoncentredthinkingandpracticehasgivenyouskillstoassistyourstafftomovebeyondthosestereotypes,employskillsandwaysofthinkingthatenablesthemtoconnectwithandunderstandapersonasanindividualmadeupofmanyexperiences.

Tobefair,culturalawarenesstrainingandourthinkingaboutculturalawarenesshasmovedon.Therearepeoplewhonowtalkaboutdifferentlevelsofculturalawareness,wheredevelopinganew,‘shared’cultureisoneresultofbeingculturallyawareandengagingincreatingnewsharedmeanings.

Thereisnothingwrongwithlearningaboutdifferentculturesandunderstandingthehistory,thecustoms,thebeliefsandmore.Butaswithpeoplewithdisability,stereotypingpeopleandreducingthemtoonlyoneoftheircharacteristics(whethertheirdisabilityortheirculturalbackground)doesnothelpustoworkwiththewholepersonandallthatmatterstothatperson.

2.2.2 Whatisculturalresponsiveness?Culturalresponsivenessreferstotheabilitytolearnfromandrelaterespectfullytopeoplefromyourownandothercultures.

Itrequiresopennesstoexperiencingandthinkingaboutthingsfromotherpeople’spointsofview.Itrequiresyoutoadjustyourbehaviourandlanguage,andberesponsivetoanotherperson’sculturalframeworks(orwaysofthinkinganddoing).

Itrequiresustobeopentoworkingindifferentwaysanddevelopingnewskills,andhonourandrespectourownculturalframeworksandthoseofthepeopleweareworkingwith.

Inthatregard,culturalresponsivenessismuchmoreofaprocessthatacknowledgesthatwe,thepractitionersareacriticalelementintheexchange.It’sbeyondlearningaboutothercultures.Itstartswithourselvesandourabilitytoseeourownthinkinganddoing(ourculturalframeworks)notas‘normal’,butastheresultofourupbringing,learningandexperiences.Inshort,thisisthestartingpointthatallowsustoseetheworldfromanotherperson’spointofview,andthebeginningofourengagementwithothers.

Havealookatsomeoftheotherworkbooks,especiallythoseinthe“Individualpractices–workingwithpeoplefromCALDbackgroundswith



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disability”section.Youwillnoticethatalltheskillsidentifiedasbeingcorecomponentsofculturallyresponsivepersoncentredpractice,startwithexploringourownbehaviours,motivationsandvalues..

2.2.3 Myroleasateamleader/managerAsateamleaderormanagerleadingstafforateamprovidingperson-centredsupportsandservices,oneofourmostimportantjobsmightbefailingtheexpectationsofthosewelead.Inthiscasefailingexpectationsisanimportantmanagementskill.Wemustfailintheexpectationthatwehavetheanswerstoquestionssuchas:

´ “Thepersonhasanintellectualdisability,howshouldIdealwithherparents?”

´ “IamseeingafamilywhoisfromVietnam,shouldItakemyshoesoffbeforeIgointhehouse?”

´ “ThepersonIammeetinghasaphysicaldisability,shouldIoffertomakethemacupoftea?”

Insteadofprovidinganswersthatarebasedonstereotypesandassumptions,ourroleasagoodteamleader/manageris:

´ Toassistourstafftoreflectonwhatassumptionstheirquestionsarebased(enablethemtoseetheirownpointofview),

´ Explorewayswithourstaffofhowtheycouldconnectwithanotherpersonthatisdifferentfromthemselves,and

´ Helpourstaffandemploystrategiesthatenablesthemto‘seetheworld’fromanotherperspective(anotherperson’spointofview).

2.3 How to move from cultural awareness to cultural responsiveness?

Belowthreepracticeswecanuseinmovingourstafftowardsbeingmoreculturallyresponsiveintheirpersoncentredworkwithpeoplewhoaredifferentfromthemselves.

Westronglyrecommendyoudothefollowingexercisesyourself,maybetogetherwithyourcolleaguesorpeers.Onethingisforsure,nomatterwhoweare,whatrolewehaveinanorganisationorwhatourexperiencesare,wecancallbenefitfromthinkingandpractisingculturalresponsivenessmoreoften.

2.3.1 Understandingculture–beyondculturalstereotypesWehaveheardpeoplefromdiverseculturalbackgroundsbeingaskedbyworkers:“Howdoyouwantmetodealwithyourculture?or“Whatareyour



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culturalneeds?”Afancierversionofthismightsoundlikethis:“WhatdoIneedtobeawareofsoIcanunderstandyourculturalpractices?

IfyouahadlookatWorkbook3.1Choicemakingyouwouldhaveseenthatweaskedyouasimilarquestion:

Thequestiontherewas:

“Doyouthinkthathowyouchooseisinfluencedbyyourculture?”

Ifyourfirstresponsetothisquestionwas“Whatdoesthatmean?Idon’treallyunderstandthequestion?Whatdotheymeanbymyculture?”youwouldberight.

Unlesswehavethoughtaboutthisalot,orweareamemberofaminorityculturewherechoiceandchoicemakingisreallydifferentbetweenourcultureandthecultureofthemajority,ormaybewehavetravelledalotorlivedinanotherculturewithaverydifferentrelationshiptochoice,thequestionsbasicallyisabitsilly.That’sbecausemostlywedon’tseeourrelationshiptoanythingwebelieveorthinkasbeingshapedbyourculture,especiallyifwearepartofthemajorityculture.It’sjustsomethingwedo.Itisordinarytous,average.

Itmaybeusefultorememberthatourexperienceofcultureisabitlikebeingafishinwater.Imaginebeingthefish;youdon’tthinkaboutwater.Waterjustis.Well,notwhenthefishgetspulledoutofthewater.Thenwaterbecomesreally,reallyimportant.Cultureforhumans,isabitlikewaterforfish.Youdon’tpayanyattentionuntilyougetpulledoutofit.

Exercise No. 1

Thisissomethingyoucandowithyourstaffatanytimewhenyoufeeltheyarelookingtoyoutogivethemanswersthatwewouldcallstereotypical.Totheirquestiononwhattheyshoulddoinrelationtoapersonfromaparticularculturalbackground(similartothosequestionsabovein2.1.3),youmightrespondwith:

“Couldyoupleasegivemealistofculturalrequirementsyouhaveinrelationtomemanagingyou?ImeanIdon’twanttoappearculturallyinappropriate.

or

“Iknowyoulikefeedback/guidance/arelaxedworkingenvironment.Itrustthismeetsyourculturalneedsandifnot



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canyouletmeknowhowIcanbeabitmoreresponsivetoyourculturalneeds?”

Itwillleavemostworkersscratchingtheirheads,becausethesequestionsareaboutthingswehavelittleawarenessof(likebeingafishinwater)andmakelittlesensetoanyoneunlesstheyhavedeeplythoughtaboutthisissue.

Thisprovidesastartingpointforaconversationthatassistspeopletounderstandthatasking“WhataretheculturalneedsofthepersonIamabouttovisit?”or“WhatshouldIdowhenIgettothishouseofthepersonfromLebanon?”isnothelpful.Instead,youcanguideyourstaffinapplyingtheirpersoncentredskillsinaculturallyresponsiveway.(Ifyouareunsurewhatthismeans,pleasehaveareadoftheworkbooksparticularthoseinrelationto‘IndividualPractices–workingwithpeoplefromCALDbackgroundswithdisability’.)

Exercise No. 2

Thisexerciseistogetyourstafftothinkabitaboutculturalstereotypingandhowmostlyitisnotusefulandreallygetsinthewayofconnectingwithpeopleasindividuals.Twoofthevideoswewantyoutohavealookattogetherwithyourstaffarefromthe1980s.Theothervideoismorerecentandplaysonclass(notcultural)stereotypes.

Thethreevideosare:

´ PaulHoganinthe1980TourismAustraliaAdhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xn_CPrCS8gs

´ Babakiueriaalsofromthemid1980shttp://aso.gov.au/titles/shorts/babakiueria/clip1/

´ UpperMiddleBoganhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htx7i2YxKPA

Itiseasytothinkthatthe1980swerealongtimeago(maybeabitoftimedistanceallowsustolaughatthem),butreallymuchofhowwethinkandtalkaboutculture,especiallythecultureofothers,hasnotchanged.

Haveaconversationwiththestaff:Whathappenstotryingtoworkinapersoncentredwaywhenweseepeoplethroughaonedimensional,stereotypicallens?Whatdowesee?

2.3.2 UnderstandingmyidentityAnotherareathatweandthestaffwesupportoftenstrugglewithisunderstandingthatourethnicbackgroundisonlyoneofthepartsthatmake



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uswhoweareasaperson(inthesamewaythatadisabilityisonlypartofwhatmakesapersonwithadisability).

Exercise No.3

Thefollowingisanexerciseweoftenusewhenexploringthedifferentaspectsofwhatmakesaperson.

Onthepagebelowisamapthatyoucanuseinateamsessionoraoneononementoring,supervisionorcoachingsession.Youcangiveittoyourstaffmembertocompletebeforeyoumeetwiththem,butit’sprobablymorefuntodothiswhenyouaretogetherintheroom.Youmightevendoitforyourself,justforabitoffun(somepeoplehavesaidthisexerciseisabitlikedoingthepersonalprofileintheirpersoncentredpracticestraining).

Theaimoftheexerciseistoputatleasttwothingsineachoneoftheareasidentified.Invitepeopletoaddotherareasiftheywantto(somepeoplehaveadded‘Education’,othersadded‘Work’),orrenameareas(somepeoplehaverenamed‘Activities’to‘Interests’).

Sometimespeoplestrugglewithputtinganythingagainstvalues.Todeepenpeople’sthinkingyoumightask:“Whatreallymatterstoyou?Whatisimportanttoyou?”Alsosomepeoplestrugglewithnamingattributestheyarecomfortablewith.Anattributeisaqualityofaperson,theirpersonaltraits.Ifpeoplestrugglewiththat,youmightaskthem“Whatdootherpeoplesayaboutyou?”

Thewholeexerciseisforpeopletothinkofthemselvesmoreholisticallyandthinkabouthowoneoftheareasmighthaveinfluencedanotherarea,eitherbystrengtheningitorbyopposingit.

Whatdothedifferentareasmean?

´ Physicalcharacteristics:it’swhateveryonecansee,itmightincludeyourheight,yourgender,yourskinandhaircolour,anythingaboutyourbody.Someofthismightbedescriptive,likemaleorfemale,otherphysicalcharacteristicsmightrevealmoreaboutwhatthepersonthingsaboutthemselvessuchasshort,fat,goodlookingetc.

´ Ethnicity/Language:Thisincludesyourethnicity.Itmayincludeyournationality(forexamplesomepeoplemightsaytheyareAustralianbutthattheirethnicbackgroundisScottish.).Itmightalsoincludelanguagesspokenfromanearlyageorlearnedlaterinlife.

´ Family:Thedefinitionoffamilydiffersgreatlyamongdifferentpeople.Somepeopleseeonlytheirimmediate,‘blood’relatedrelativesas



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family,othersmightincludefamilyoforigin(parents,unclesandaunties,etc,),whileothersagainmighttalkaboutthefamiliestheyhavechosen,notatallrelatedbutconnectedinafamily-likebond.

´ Geography:Thismightincludewhereapersonwasborn,maybewheretheygrewup,wheretheywenttoschool,wheretheylivedforalongtimeandwheretheylivenow.Doesitmatterwhereapersonlives?Ifyouthinknot,justwatchabitofStruggleStreet,theSBSseries,alsodescribedas‘povertyporn’aboutpeoplelivinginMountDruitt,asuburbinwesternSydney.2

´ Values:Anythingthatmatterstoapersongoeshere.Thismightrangefromfairness,socialjustice,familylife,respectofelders,inclusion,feminism,religiousbeliefs,etc

´ Attributes:Agoodwaytothinkaboutthisistolookatwhatotherpeoplesayabouttheperson.Thismightinclude:kind,clever,thrifty,abitpushy,opinionated,empathic,etc.

´ Activities:thisisaquestionabouthowapersonspendstheirtime.Soasidefromworking,peoplemightsaygardening,takingthekidstofooty,singinginthechoir,volunteeringatSES,visitingtherelativesonceamonth.

Bynowitisprobablyclearwhatthisexerciseisabout.Ethnicityisonlyoneofthemanyareasthatshapeaperson.Areferralformcan’ttelluswhetheranareaisimportantornot.Wecan’tassumeifsomeoneisembracingtheirethnicculturaltraditioninoneareaoftheirlifeoriftheyareactuallylivinginoppositiontothatupbringingandthoseculturalnorms.

Asateamleader/managerofpeople,yourjobistohelppeoplegrowanddevelop.Wewouldsuggestthatyoucandothisby:

´ assistingyourteam/stafftodevelopgreaterinsightsintowhotheyareandwhatisimportanttothem,

´ fromtherestartcultivatingagreaterunderstandingofthecomplexitiesofallpeople,and

´ developingtheskillsandattributesthatareneededtoinquireintoandexploreworkingalongsideapersonwhoisdifferentfromourselves.

Thethreeexercisesinthisworkbookcanhelpus,asteamleaders/managers,totakeholdoftheopportunitytohelpshapetheworkforce,aworkforcethatcanbepartindeliveringtheintentionsoftheUNConventionfortheRightsofPersonswithdisabilities.Theseintentionsareforallpeoplewithdisability,irrespectiveoftheirethnicbackground.

2https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqt9Uyf5BVQ



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My Cultural Identity Map



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3. Conclusion

Theaimofthisworkbookwastoassistyouinsupervising,mentoringorcoachingyourteamorstafftowardsgreaterculturalresponsiveness.Movingawayfromculturalawarenesstobecomingmorefocusedonunderstandingourown(cultural)perspectivesasstartingpointstowardsbecomingmoreculturallyresponsive.

Youmayalsowanttohavealookatandsharewithyourteamsomeoftheotherworkbooksrelatingspecificallyto‘IndividualPractices–workingwithpeoplefromCALDbackgroundswithdisability’

Reflections

Whataresomeofthetakeawaymessagesfromthisworkbook?Aretherethingsyoudisagreewith?Wastheresomethingthatsurprisedyou?

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Documents

2.4 Leading towards - National Disability Services€¦ · 2.1 Terminology and data – a guide to understanding cultural diversity and disability 2.2 Making the business case –