Indiana Wesleyan University Indian Community Cultural Competence Discussion

Getting Started

In this activity, you will describe your observation to your classmates and discuss how being a culturally competent social worker will help you to build a stronger rapport with clients.

Resources

• Textbook: The Social Work Practicum: A Guide and Workbook for Students

Instructions

1. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
2. In your textbook, The Social Work Practicum: A Guide and Workbook for Students, read Chapter 10, “Cultural Competence.”
3. Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following discussion prompts:
   1. Describe the cultural identities and dynamics of the client population with which you are interacting at your field agency, based on the information discussed with your supervisor and the observations you have made during your practicum thus far. How is your client population’s cultural makeup similar to and different from your own? Describe two cultural factors such as ethnicity, age, primary language, education, and religion, or others that are relevant to your engagement with this population.
   2. Identify and describe at least 2 cultural strengths of the client population with which you are interacting at your field practicum? How can these strengths be used in the social work process? Give specific examples.
   3. Discuss 2 possible misunderstandings and misrepresentations you need to be mindful of regarding your population as discussed in chapter 10.
   4. How can you learn more about your client population’s culture(s)? Describe two strategies to expand your cultural competency in your field practicum and how those strategies may be useful.