Assignment #2

Learning Objectives:

• illustrate a thorough understanding of the information about and experiences of a non-dominant or minority group in Canada;
• determine which culturally competent counselling practices to bring into counselling work with clients; and
• analyze how their own personal factors may influence their counselling work with these clients.

Purpose:

The purpose of this assignment is to assist students in exploring and understanding information about a non-dominant or minority group in Canada and how they may bring this knowledge to their counselling work clients who may be in this group.

Instructions

1. Write a paper about counselling a specific cultural group that is clearly identified in the literature as a cultural group and that is in Canada. Your paper should be approximately eight (8) double-spaced pages long (or approximately 2000 words, +/- 100 words), excluding the cover page and the reference list. The minimum requirement for recent (last 7 years, 2017–2024), peer-reviewed sources is eight (8), in addition to any peer-reviewed required course readings that you may cite. Although there is no upper limit for the number of recent, peer-reviewed sources, the recommended maximum is 16. Remember that the course textbooks are not peer-reviewed sources. If you cite from course texts, make sure that you correctly cite the original source and not the editor of the book. Avoid citing original sources from secondary sources unless the source is not in the YU library or is unavailable online and the information is either foundational or critical to a particular point in your paper.
2. Title the report “Counselling X,” where X is the specific cultural group being reported on and focus on cultural groups in Canada. You must include Canada or Canadian in the title. Examples of appropriate titles are
   • Counselling Turkish-Canadian Clients,
   • Counselling Greek-Canadian Clients,
   • Counselling Eastern-European Canadian Clients
   • Counselling Indigenous Youth in Canada
3. Papers on counselling a specific Indigenous group of bands (such as the Inuit, prairie dwellers, youth, women, urban dwellers, adolescents living on reserves, etc.) are encouraged, as are reports on an Indo-Canadian or Chinese-Canadian subculture, such as children, adolescents, or women. Make sure to clearly define the group and delineate the age range for groups such as youth, children, or adolescents.
4. Reports on other specific groups or subcultures are also welcome. Examples include
   • Counselling Muslim Immigrant Clients in Canada,
   • Counselling Syrian Refugees in Canada,
   • Counselling Bicultural Adolescents in Canada,
   • Counselling Interethnic Couples in Canada, and
   • Counselling Deaf Clients in Canada.
5. Do not write on a topic that is too general such as Counselling Asian, Latino, African, European, Indigenous, Refugee, or Immigrant Clients in Canada. 

6. Include a brief introduction as well as a brief conclusion with a maximum of about 100 words for each. Do not include an abstract. Complete these four sections.

A. Socio-cultural and demographic background (20%)

In this section, include descriptive information about the specific cultural group that you have researched, such as demographics, history, social and cultural customs, traditions, belief systems and values, as well as epidemiological data on the prevalence of certain conditions, if such data exist. Make sure to be as specific as possible in your description. For example, if you write about youth in a particular group, make sure to define what age range you mean and what researchers have noted. Include at least two (2) recent (last seven years), peer-reviewed sources in addition to any required peer-reviewed course readings that you cite. Remember that the course texts are not peer-reviewed although you may find many of the original peer-reviewed sources cited in the course texts in the YU library. Write about 450 words for this section. 

B. Counselling strategies (30%)

In this section, include information about how you would conceptualize a presenting concern or concerns brought into counselling by someone in the cultural group. For illustrative purposes, you may develop a hypothetical client. The focus in this section is on considerations of therapeutic alliance and experiences that a client in this group may have had such as intergenerational trauma, personal trauma such as adverse childhood experiences, or experiences that may have contributed to them becoming migrants who are now refugees or immigrants in Canada, experiences of oppression and/or marginalization or anything that you believe may have contributed to them seeking counselling. You may make references to the theoretical material covered in the course, such as influences of individualism and collectivism, models of cultural identity formation, acculturation, or any other topic area that you think is relevant to the cultural group. Include at least three (3) recent (last seven years), peer-reviewed sources in addition to any required peer-reviewed course readings that you cite. Remember that the course texts are not peer-reviewed although you may find many of the original peer-reviewed sources cited in the course texts in the YU library. Look for sources that are about the particular cultural group in Canada. If you cite sources that are about the cultural group in other countries than Canada, explain how you think the information fits the cultural group in Canada. Remember to include your voice in what you are writing and note what you think about the research that you have read about the cultural group. Write about 700 words for this section.

C. Counselling interventions (20%)

In this section, address specific practical techniques that you believe would be appropriate and effective in working with clients in the cultural group. Include at least two (2) recent (last seven years), peer-reviewed sources in addition to any required peer-reviewed course readings that you cite. Remember that the course texts are not peer-reviewed although you may find many of the original peer-reviewed sources cited in the course texts in the YU library. Describe which interventions you may already utilize or would most likely utilize when you work with clients in the cultural group and why you think that they would be effective. Write about 450 words for this section

D. Directions for future research (10%)

In this section, identify existing gaps in the current research on and knowledge of diversity and cross-cultural counselling theory and practice related to the cultural group and/or areas of research that need to be expanded or improved and provide an agenda for future research. Describe what area or areas that you think are most important for researchers to focus on and how this may be useful to counselling work with clients from the cultural group. Include at least one (1) recent (last seven years), peer-reviewed sources in addition to any required peer-reviewed course readings that you cite. Remember that the course texts are not peer-reviewed although you may find many of the original peer-reviewed sources cited in the course texts in the YU library. Write about 200 words for this section.

The minimum requirement for recent (last 7 years, 2017–2024), peer-reviewed sources is eight (8), in addition to any peer-reviewed required course readings that you may cite. Although there is no upper limit for the number of recent, peer-reviewed sources, the recommended maximum is 16.

Students who plan to counsel/practise in a country other than Canada after graduation are welcome to contact the instructor for help to identify a relevant topic. If you are unsure that the cultural group in Canada that you want to discuss meets the criteria, discuss it with your instructor so that they can approve your choice. 

Structure

• Required components: Title page and reference page(s)
• Length of Assignment: The text body of paper (i.e., not including references and title page; do NOT include an abstract) should consist of approximately 2000 (+/- 100) words, (Times New Roman font size: 12)
• Format: Please, format your assignment in Word (files with extension .doc or .docx)
• References: Please provide at least a total of eight (8) recent (last 7 years, currently 2015-2023), peer-reviewed sources and a maximum of 16 recent, peer-reviewed sources. 

Considerations

No additional considerations.