Building Cultural Competence in Your Campus Programs Part II. Black Women s Blueprint 279 Empire Blvd. Brooklyn, N.Y

Transcription

1 Building Cultural Competence in Your Campus Programs Part II Black Women s Blueprint 279 Empire Blvd. Brooklyn, N.Y info@blueprintny.org

2 Agenda Introduction Objectives Recap Reflection Strategies Framework Tips

3 Introduction Developing culturally competent programs Community agreements Accountability

4 Community Agreements One Mic Challenge Assumptions Stories Stay, Lessons Go Be Present and Engaged Ouch, Oops, Snaps Ask Questions Take Space, Make Space Lean into Discomfort Be Mindful of Language Use Gender Neutral Language

5 Icebreaker

6 Icebreaker How did it feel to introduce yourself without describing what you do? Was it comfortable or not?

7 Icebreaker How did it feel to listen without asking questions?

8 Icebreaker How did it feel to trust someone you don t know with more information than you usually share in a typical introduction?

9 Icebreaker How did it feel to feel somewhat vulnerable, not knowing if/how the other person was going to judge you by how you self-identify?

10 Objectives To provide participants with the building blocks necessary for cultural competence To raise awareness about the challenges and barriers with preventing the invisibility of students on campus

11 Objectives To discuss how to use an intersectional approach to create environments where students feel safe to report violence and access services

12 Recap: Part I

13 What is culture?

14 What is cultural competence?

15 Intersectionality Kimberle Crenshaw

16 Cultural Competence Continuum

17 Part II

18 Reflection What do you already know about the students on your campus and the communities with which they identify?

19 Reflection How do you act on the desire to gain knowledge and skills to integrate culturally relevant strategies into your campus programs? In what ways have you done so?

20 How do you become culturally competent? Recognize the broad dimensions of culture Respect students as the primary source for defining needs and priorities Increase your sensitivity to alienating behaviors

21 Questions to ponder What might happen if all staff, faculty, and administrators were culturally competent?

22 Questions to ponder Does cultural competence improve student recruitment/retention/ achievement/graduation?

23 Questions to ponder What is the campus climate/culture today like for college students of color? LGBTQ students or students of other identities/backgrounds? International students? How does this affect them?

24 Where to begin: Develop an action plan Talk with students about oppressions they face Ask open-ended questions at student gatherings, or conduct a campus climate survey

25 Where to begin: Develop an action plan Allow students to share their thoughts and personalize their feelings and experiences Develop discussion groups with other faculty, staff, and administrators on your campus

26 Strategies for increasing cultural competence on campus Assess the environment that students face Work towards reshaping the environment Move students toward a sense of belonging and toward equity and being a part of closing the gap

27 Strategies for increasing cultural competence on campus Reflect on your campus climate and culture Pay attention to the experience of students from various communities

28 Strategies (continued) Build alliances with stakeholders who serve as community and campus resources Seek out resources Ask for $$ and resources for professional development self reflection and bias developing competence community engagement

29 A Framework for working with students of various communities 1. Assess resilience and assets 2. Build community-focused cultural competence 3. Build organizational-focused cultural competence

30 A Framework for working with students of various communities 1. Assess resilience and assets Focus on individual and community strengths Include specific competencies and examples Include social/environmental conditions

31 A Framework for working with students of various communities 2. Build community-focused cultural competency Learn from students and families Ask questions Don t tokenize or burden Acknowledge personal stories and experiences Affirm identities

32 A Framework for working with students of various communities 3. Build organizational-focused cultural competency How are you already meeting the needs of students/survivors of various communities in all aspects of your work? How are you not?

33 A Framework for working with students of various communities What is the degree of compatibility between cultural needs and characteristics of the student populations on your campus AND the way the campus combined policies and structures/ processes work together to impede and/or facilitate access, availability, and utilization of needed services/supports by students?

34 Tips to begin doing this work Form a diverse committee Get buy-in at multiple levels Write a mission statement Research past experiences Develop meaningful partnerships Use free resources Assess current cultural competence

35 Tips to begin doing this work Ask about staff professional development opportunities for training and education Assign part of budget for staff/cultural development Include cultural competence in job descriptions Ensure facilities are accessible and respectful Collect relevant resource materials

36 Assessing cultural competence: The Elements What are some of the ways you assess your program s level of cultural competence? Promoting Cultural Competence Assessment/Checklist

37 What can you commit to today? Which of these things do you think are most feasible right now? What are you already doing?

38 Why is this all important? Increased safety Increased access to services Increased respect for all Improved creativity Decreased unwanted surprises Increased participation from cultural groups Increased trust and cooperation Overcoming fear of mistakes and conflict Promotion of inclusion and equality

39 Questions?

40 Closing Rather than being a static skill that either you have or you don t, cultural competency is a developmental process that requires regular and ongoing assessment, evaluation and knowledge, and capacity building. Being culturally competent is a process of engaging diverse communities as equal partners to inform and reflect your programs and services, staff, and leadership. Cultural competence is not a one-time event, a certificate to be achieved, but a constant and ongoing process to assure relevance of programs that acknowledges changing demographics and to be based in the culture(s) of that community. Director, national Domestic Violence organization