Cultural Consciousness and Competence

Insights into being culturally conscious and competent

Summary

In 1968, Jane Elliott, a teacher in Riceville, Iowa was trying to teach her students what it felt like to be a Black person in their society at that time. She decided to conduct an experiential learning activity in response to a question one of her students presented to her in class. The student wanted to know “why a King was killed.” Her response to enhance her students understanding was not just an academic exercise, but an exercise of consciousness. Although this particular exercise was elicited by the assassination of a significant person, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the immediate and log-term outcome of her teaching was much broader in a cultural domain. Being the diverse interdependent society we live in today, the who, what, when, where and why regarding cultural consciousness and cultural competence is as significant today, if not more so, as it was in 1968.

This workshop will review

  1. The definition of cultural consciousness and cultural competence
  2. Significance of cultural consciousness and competence
  3. Barriers to advancing cultural consciousness and competence
  4. Advancing cultural consciousness and competence
  5. Practice Activities
  6. Resources
Your Title Goes Here

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

01. Definition of cultural consciousness and cultural competence:

  • Definition of Cultural Consciousness:
    • Cultural consciousness has been defined by igi-global as individual’s recognition, respect, and tolerance that they demonstrate towards other cultures including their own culture and those cultures that are not represented in their environment.
  • Definition of Cultural Competence:
    • There are various definitions for cultural competence. However, the basic definition is an individual’s ability to communicate and work effectively with others who are of the same or different culture

02. Significance of Cultural Consciousness and Competence

Although research supports the need for professional helpers such as counselors and psychologist to be more multicultural and social justice competent, cultural consciousness and competence isn’t limited to professionals. It is applicable for anyone who is involved in a relationship in which they are communicating with or providing a service to someone who is culturally diverse. Living in a growing diverse society, we are also living in an interdependent society. The success of these interdependent relationships may depend on the level of cultural consciousness and competence.

 

  • There are various factors that may have an impact on the outcome and how essential the level of consciousness and competence are in the interaction of rules of engagement:
    • Who (employer/employee, colleague, neighbor, doctor/patient, care giver, educator, pastor, friend, waitress, sales clerk, etc.)
    • What (context of message or behavior)
    • When (time of interaction)
    • Where (place of interaction)
    • Why (dynamics of interaction)

03. Barriers to Advancing Cultural Consciousness and Competence:

There’s an old saying; “be careful of who you hurt on your way up, you might meet them on your way down.” Sometimes we are not aware of what we say or do to others that is emotionally or physically harmful. Some messages or behaviors shared during various types of relationships, verbally or nonverbally, subtle or overt, intentionally or unintentionally can offend and invalidate the recipient. Although these behaviors may not be intentional, they may be barriers to advancing cultural consciousness and competence.

 

  • Factors that may develop barriers to advancing cultural consciousness and competence:
    • Family environment
    • Previous experiences (adverse relationships, etc.)
    • Media
    • Microaggression
    • Irrational Cultural Fear
      • Power (fear of losing control)
      • Proficiency/Position (fear someone else might appear more competent)
      • Possession/Proprietorship (fear someone else might possess more …)

04. Advancing Cultural Consciousness and Competence:

The first step to advancing cultural consciousness and competence is to have the desire to communicate and work effectively with others who are of the same or different culture. Following having the desire, is to develop the knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and skills to communicate and work effectively with others.

 

  • Developing cultural consciousness and competence include:
    • Cultural self-awareness (identity, personal history, traditions, values, beliefs, biases)
    • Become knowledgeable of other cultures (identity, values, beliefs, worldviews, traditions, etc.)
    • Become aware of how stereotypes, negative attitudes, and reactions affect others
    • Develop effective communication skills
      • Trust
      • Compassion
      • Empathy
      • Respect/Integrity
        • Crystal Goblet Concept
Close All
Your Title Goes Here

Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.

05. Practice Activities:

Activities will be provided for participants to experience associated with building cultural consciousness and competence.

06. Resources:

  1. Diller, J. V. (2019). Cultural Diversity: A Primer for the Human Services (6th Ed.) Boston, MA: Cengage.
  2. Hays, D. G. and Erford, B. T. (2014). Developing Multicultural Counseling Competence: A Systems Approach (2nd Ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
  3. https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/culturally-relevant-preparedness-using-steam-
    integrative-teaching-in-the-classroom/74181.
  4. Sue, D. W. (2016). Knowledge Share – Race talk and facilitating difficult racial dialogues. Counseling Today, 58(7).
  5. West-Olatunji, C. and Wolfgang, J. D. (2017). Member Insights – Advancing multicultural and social justice competence in counseling research. Counseling Today, 60(2)
  6. Wilson, P. G. (2016). Member Insights – Raising counselors’ awareness of microaggressions. Counseling Today, 58(12).
Close All