CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Presented by

Abdul BakarJewish Vocational Service

Jewish Vocational Service

History: established in 1949 to resettle Holocaust survivors and other refugees

MISSION: to assist any individual with MISSION: to assist any individual with barriers to become more self-reliant by barriers to become more self-reliant by providing employment, training, providing employment, training, personal development, and support personal development, and support services.services.

Jewish Vocational Service

Refugee/Immigration/Lang. & Cult.Svcs. Dept. includes refugee employment services, refugee resettlement, immigration counseling

Language and Cultural Services Dept. includes Interpreter Development Services, Cultural Competency training, Occupational Spanish classes, Title VI training, Provider training

Setting the Tone

ExpectationsTraining GoalsGround RulesIntroductions

Trainer Expectations

Show respect by listening to each other and not interrupting.

Participate actively in the training. Maintain strict confidentiality by not identifying

specific individuals or clinics or anything else that could identify a client or provider and not sharing outside the classroom any of the personal stories that are told.

Give feedback in appropriate ways by starting feedback with a positive comment; avoid blaming; identify individual opinions as such.

Training Goals

Increase awareness of diversity Expand definition of cultural competencyImprove service quality for diverse

populationsWork more effectively with interpretersUnderstand Title VI and Basic Components

of Office for Civil Rights policy guidanceImprove cross-cultural communication and

decrease potential misunderstandings

Your Goals

What do you hope to learn from this training?

Icebreaker

Your name and what you do in your organization.

Who is your community?

Refugees / Immigrants: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between refugees and immigrants?

Refugees have fled their country because of a “well founded fear” of persecution, while immigrants have left their home country on their own will.

Refugees / Immigrants: Frequently Asked Questions

Why do refugees leave their country? There are many reasons, some main ones being:

war, religious or political persecution, reasons of race, etc.

Why do refugees come to the U.S.? Refugees do not choose where they go from the

refugee camp; they are assigned by the UN.

Do refugees ever return home? Yes, in large numbers, although many others also

choose to stay and build a life where they are assigned.

Refugees / Immigrants: Frequently Asked Questions

Why do immigrants leave their country? Again, there are many reasons. It may be to find a

better job, to reacquaint with family, to build a better life, to gain an education, to simply live in another place, among many other reasons.

Do immigrants help or hurt the United States? Immigrants have contributed greatly to the face of

the U.S. in the types of food we eat, the music we hear and the many events that take place. They also add to our country intellectually, financially and culturally.

Somali - GeneralSomali - General

High respect for strength and often challenge others to test their limits

Justice is based on the notion of "an eye for an eye" Somalis are a proud people Deep value on the family. The strength of family

ties provides a safety net in times of need, and the protection of family honor is important.

Loyalty is an important value and can extend beyond family and clan. Somalis value their friendships

Somali - GeneralSomali - General

High value placed on independence, democracy, individualism and generosity

Somalis generally do not express their appreciation verbally.

Strong adherence to Islam While Islam and the Somali language unite all of

Somalia, the societal structure is markedly fractionated by membership in patrilineal clans

Much of the current strife in Somalia is centered around clan disputes, as allegiance to the clan far outweighs allegiance to a united Somalia

Somali - GeneralSomali - General

Handshakes are appropriate only between men or between women

The right hand is considered clean, and is used for eating, handshaking, and the like; children are taught early to use only their left hand for hygiene during toilet training

Ritual cleaning of the body, especially before prayers, is dictated by Islam

Birthdays are not particularly celebrated by Somalis, and it is not uncommon for people to not know the exact date of their birth

Somali - Gender RolesSomali - Gender Roles

Strict separation of the sexes, and women, including sometimes prepubescent girls, are expected to cover their bodies

However, women in Somali culture have considerable status, and many resettled refugee women are highly educated and held professional positions inside Somalia

Somali - Traditional Medical Somali - Traditional Medical PracticesPractices

Herbalists, bone-setters and religious practitioners are traditional medical practitioners

Herbal medicines are widely used in Somalia, especially for chest and abdominal symptoms

”Fire-burning" is a common practice where a special stick is burned and then applied to the skin

Somali - Traditional Medical Somali - Traditional Medical PracticesPractices

Concepts involving spirits, such as "evil-eye," where excessive praise or attention can attract evil spirits to a infant or child, can be viewed as causing illness

Ritualized dancing is used mostly for psychosomatic disorders, and Koranic cures as well

Female genital cutting is commonly practiced

Somali Bantu - GeneralSomali Bantu - General

The Bantu are an oppressed group within Somalia

Known for a strong work ethicCapacity to easily adjust to any situationA resourceful people with many different skillsStrictly follow Islamic ideals Because the Bantu stand outside of Somalia’s

dominant clan rivalries, they won’t participate in the clan violence sometimes seen in America’s immigrant Somali communities

Somali Bantu - GeneralSomali Bantu - General

very strong sense of family and community

limited exposure to urban ways of life, such as transportation systems, rental property, and government services

Electricity, flush toilets, telephones, and kitchen and laundry appliances are all foreign concepts to most

Somali Bantu - Gender RolesSomali Bantu - Gender Roles

Generally Bantu society is a patriarchal one in which the father is the main provider and the mother is the general manager of the family's domestic affairs

Daily life for most men is consumed by either working on private farms or at wage earning jobs. Most women play the role of the head of the household, while also being responsible for food preparation and farming tasks.

Somali Bantu - Somali Bantu - Health Care PracticesHealth Care Practices

The Bantu are a rural people who practice traditional beliefs.

Some Bantu apply a heated nail or metal object to an infant's head in the belief that the burns will reduce the swelling of the head in cases where it is unusually large.

They also burn small holes in the skin to cure ailments like stomach aches and migraine headaches.

Like other rural east African people, the use of herbs in traditional medical practices is common.

Somali Bantu - Somali Bantu - Health Care PracticesHealth Care Practices

Religious prayer is used to help ward off or cure illness and disease

Traditional healers also play an important role in performing ritual ceremonies, known as Gitimiri or Audara, to cast off illness and evil spells

Like other Somali groups, the Bantu circumcise both males and females. The female circumcision practiced by some Bantu is a milder form than that practiced by the other Somali groups

Somali Bantu - Health IssuesSomali Bantu - Health Issues

A long history of marginalization has adversely affected their sense of equality and self-esteem.

The Bantu were further affected by the recent civil war with many fleeing only after their villages were attacked.

There is not only the aftereffects of trauma from violence and the constant threat of attacks in the refugee camps, but also the Bantu's intergenerational culture of inferiority and second-class status.

Working Effectively with Interpreters

Who is an appropriate interpreter?Roles and responsibilities of interpreterEffective strategies for communicating

through an interpreter

Who is appropriate to act as an Interpreter?

• Bilingual staff who are trained and competent in skill of interpreting

• Staff interpreters• Contracted Interpreter Service• Community Volunteer Interpreters• Telephone Interpreter Lines

Who is NOT appropriate as an Interpreter?

Friends of any LEP individual Family member of LEP patient/client Minor children Anyone who has not demonstrated proficiency in

both languages Anyone who has not received training in

interpretation Anyone who does not have an understanding of

ethics and interpreting practices

Interpreter

The basic purpose of the medical/social service interpreter is to facilitate understanding and communication between two or more people who are speaking different languages.

– CCHCP, Interpreter training curriculum

Roles of the Interpreter CONDUIT

Interpret exactly what is said: add nothing, change Interpret exactly what is said: add nothing, change nothing, omit nothing. nothing, omit nothing.

CLARIFIER Adjust register or complexity of language. Check for Adjust register or complexity of language. Check for

understanding.understanding.

CULTURE BROKER When cultural differences cause misunderstanding, When cultural differences cause misunderstanding,

provide necessary cultural framework for understanding provide necessary cultural framework for understanding messagemessage.

ADVOCATE Action taken on behalf of someone elseAction taken on behalf of someone else.

Tips for Effective Communication through an Interpreter

POSITIONING – interpreter should be seated next to and a little bit behind LEP client

ACCURACY – everything that is said should be interpreted; no side conversations; check for comprehension; speak in short phrases and pause to allow for interpretation

COMPETENCY – assess interpreter qualifications and skills; bilingual individuals should be trained in interpreting and have knowledge of policies at your organization

Medical errors

According to a study by the Institute of Medicine, “at least 44,000 people and perhaps as many as 98,000 people die in hospitals each year as a result of medical errors that could have been prevented.”

– Source: Institute of Medicine, “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System”, Nov. 1999

Language and Culture

“People who speak different languages live in different worlds, not the same world with different labels.”

– Edward Sapir, linguist, 1928.

Contact us!

Jewish Vocational ServiceLanguage and Cultural Services

1608 BaltimoreKansas City, MO 64108

(816) 471 - 2808www.jvskc.org

Brandi Miller bmiller@jvskc.orgCathy Anderson canders@jvskc.org