![]() When social workers use the term cultural awareness, they are often referring to practicing with cultural awareness. Social workers who provide electronic social work services should be aware of cultural and socioeconomic differences among clients and how they may use technology. The concept of awareness is used in Standard 1.05(d) of the Code of Ethics: On its face, the term cultural awareness does not seem to require social workers to act in a particular manner, but rather to merely to be aware of cultural issues. If a client is experiencing depression, for instance, social workers should be aware of the cultural meaning of depression, what types of interventions are culturally appropriate, and what types of support are culturally appropriate. Social workers should be particularly aware of the interplay between culture and the concerns for which clients are seeking help. Without self-awareness, social workers risk imposing their values, beliefs, and judgments on clients (Maschi & Leibowitz, 2018). To employ cultural awareness in practice, social workers need to be aware of their own cultural characteristics (values, worldviews, language, belief systems, traditions, norms), as well as those of the people they are serving. Cultural awareness includes being aware of issues related to power, privilege, and oppression. Cultural AwarenessĬultural awareness refers to being mindful or conscious of similarities and differences between people from different groups. When working with clients, I can further develop my competence by learning from them. I continuously strive to develop the knowledge and skills that I need to work effectively with people from a particular culture. How could I be fully competent in another person’s culture? Does reading a textbook or taking a course on a client’s culture make me competent? For others, competence is seen as a process rather than an outcome. ![]() the history, traditions, values, family systems, and artistic expressions such as race and ethnicity immigration and refugee status tribal groups religion and spirituality sexual orientation gender identity or expression social class and mental or physical abilities of various cultural groups.įor some people, the notion of cultural competence may come across as arrogant. Social workers should have a knowledge base of their clients’ cultures and be able to demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to clients’ cultures and to differences among people and cultural groups.īuilding on the Code of Ethics, Standard 3 of the NASW’s (2015) Standards and Indicators for Cultural Competence in Social Work Practice suggests that social workers should have and develop ongoing knowledge about Standard 1.05(b) of the NASW Code of Ethics suggests: More generally, the term competence suggests that social workers should possess a certain set of knowledge, skills, and values. Within the field of social work, cultural competence refers to the ability to practice social work “in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each” (National Association of Social Workers, 2015, p. I hope others will continue the conversation by submitting comments and engaging colleagues in further discussion. This article reflects my own opinions and suggestions. Although I chaired the task force that proposed revisions for the NASW Code of Ethics, I am not speaking on behalf of the NASW or the task force. This article compares and contrasts these terms, showing how each may provide useful guidance in determining how to work with diverse clients and communities in an ethical manner. The original title for this standard was “Cultural Competence and Social Diversity.” The revised title is “Cultural Awareness and Social Diversity.” So, one might ask, what is the import of this particular change in wording? When speaking or writing about issues related to culture and social diversity, different social workers have favored different terms: cultural competence, cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural humility, and cultural responsiveness. When the NASW Code of Ethics was revised (effective January 1, 2018), one change was to the title of Standard 1.05.
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