CHCDIV001 Work With Diverse People

Formative assessments

Activity 1

1 - Why is it important for managers, supervisors, and their staff to reflect on their own social and cultural perspectives and biases? (200–250 words)

Reflection and self-knowledge can help people develop their ability to work inclusively and to understand others—to acknowledge and accommodate both personal/ individual and cultural difference.

Recognition and acceptance of the different personal, cultural, experiential and social attributes of people will contribute to effective relationship building and to a workplace in which people feel comfortable and valued. This leads to increased productivity, better decision making and other benefits for the organisation and its employees

To provide a service that meets the needs of target groups, workers need to be aware of their personal values, social and cultural perspectives and their own biases. They must be prepared to adopt the professional values of the industry, and expect everyone to be that same as they are. They must learn to accept, value, and work with diversity.

Failure to suspend your own cultural assumptions can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts and prejudicial responses.

Different groups of people have distinctive world views, behaviour and belief patterns, languages and ways of existing and interacting with their environments. They might be diametrically opposed to your own world views. Yet they have as much right to hold those views as you do to hold your own views.

Therefore reflection and the development of self-knowledge and self-understanding can assist in identifying where problems (with your own work and attitudes) might arise and taking action to prevent this. Reflection will help you identify, and develop strategies for, improving your own self and social awareness.

2.) How can a person’s awareness of their own limitations s help them improve their own self and social awareness? List four things they might do.

Self and social awareness can be improved through:

• identify situations that make you uncomfortable then alter your behaviour
• get to know people from other cultures and ask questions about their cultures and experience
• be aware of body and paralanguage (yours and that of others)
• ask people for honest feedback about the way you interact
• reflection to identify your own biases or preconceptions

Activity 2

1 - Explain what an inclusive workplace is and what characteristics an inclusive workplace culture would exhibit. (300–350 words)

In a workplace where inclusivity is actively encouraged and supported management and workers will:

• take action to eliminate discrimination, stereotyping and bias
• make decisions that are genuinely based on equity and fairness
• accommodate a range of personal and cultural requirements
• treat each other with respect and dignity
• recognise the value of diversity
• work to ensure a culturally safe, secure and healthy workplace/ service environment

Productivity and client service improves because the workforce is comfortable, motivated and aware of the benefits that inclusion can bring.

The organisation’s core values will relate to human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy. This will be supported by policies, and practices.

An inclusive work culture encompasses a commitment to workplace diversity, and demonstrates a climate in which respect, equity, and positive recognition of differences are cultivated and the talents and skills of individuals and groups are valued.

There will be no silos, hierarchies or segregation within the workplace and clients’ personal and cultural needs will be acknowledged and accommodated—these include things like time for prayer or worship, family contact, privacy needs, pastoral care, food preferences, food taboos, significant holidays or celebrations etc.

2 - Each person in the workplace should contribute to the development of work and professional relationships that support workplace diversity. In approximately 350 words describe, in detail, a number of strategies that could be followed to encourage respect for diversity and inclusiveness.

Supervisors or Managers should initiate procedures that support appreciation of diversity and inclusiveness. They can ensure that legislation relating to equity, social justice and prevention of discrimination is understood by all employees and is complied with. Strategies used to eliminate bias and social justice in the workplace will be grounded in legislation.

Managers and supervisors should contribute to the development of policies and procedures and act as role models with regard to acceptance of diversity and accommodation of personal/ individual and cultural difference when interacting with staff, clients, clients’ families and other stakeholders.

They can:

• match clients with employees who come from similar cultural backgrounds—this could be as simple as matching an Italian speaking client with an Italian speaking employee
• ensure that processes, procedures, and practices, events and opportunities within the workplace are inclusive
• identify significant cultural and religious events that are relevant to workers and clients in the organisation and celebrate them so that both staff and clients (and their families) can participate, eg Greek Easter, St Patrick’s Day, Chinese New Year, National Sorry Day, the World Day for National Diversity, various Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim festivals, Christmas etc
• set up, for employees, mentoring arrangements that match employees from different backgrounds, to encourage open communication
• build work cultures that are flexible, open and responsive to change and inclusive
• promote the benefits of diversity
• make sure that everyone is aware that exclusive clubs and cliques are unacceptable

Compliance requirements should be communicated to staff during induction, at various in-house training programs and at meetings.

Training provided to employees can support the development of:

• understanding of personal/ individual, cultural, social, experiential, gender etc differences
• provision of a client focused services that respect diversity
• good communication skills
• fair and equitable work practices
• effective relationship building
• cross-cultural awareness
• emotional intelligence

Activity 3

1 - The workplace needs to be safe for all—managers, supervisors, workers, clients, clients’ families and visitors. Make a list of at least six things that must be taken into consideration regarding a client’s environmental safety in residential care or in-home care.

Things to consider in terms of environmental safety will include:

• aids and services that support independence and that uphold their rights and self-determination
• access to family, friends and to spiritual/ religious support
• care that accommodates physical and psychological needs—including medical or medicinal care needs
• financial support
• lighting, furniture, heating/ cooling, meals—food preferences
• care that accommodates physical and psychological needs—including medical or medicinal care needs
• mementoes, photographs, sentimental objects etc
• environmental cleaning needs

2 - The notion of safety does not only refer to physical safety, it also refers to cultural safety. In 80–100 words, explain cultural safety.

Cultural safety is about creating an environment where the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is not only treated well and in a culturally respectful manner.  Cultural safety is an environment, which is safe for people; where there is no assault, challenge or denial of their identity, of who they are and what they need. It is about shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience, of learning together with dignity, and truly listening. Cultural safety supports shared respect, shared meaning, shared knowledge and experience of learning together. Actions which recognise and respect the cultural identities of others, and safely meet their work needs, expectations and rights are encouraged.

Activity 4

1 - What verbal and non-verbal communication strategies can be used to show respect for diversity? List 10 strategies.

Showing respect for diversity in communication with all people involves:

• understanding that there are differences between people from different cultures
• knowing when to use eye contact, how to manage body space and physical contact
• knowing that each person is unique and that other people have their own ideas and beliefs that they are entitled to hold, regardless of what you believe
• realising that people are all individually different and have different perceptions, values and expectations
• using active listening techniques
• being polite and courteous
• asking questions, in particular when you do not understand why somebody is responding differently from your expectations
• using language and concepts that can be understood by people with whom you communicate
• being aware of the need for congruent verbal, body and paralanguage
• being aware that there are customs, rules and social behaviours that apply to different cultures

2.) In the workplace it is necessary to develop and maintain trust based relationships, and to ensure that clients have confidence in you and the service you provide. In 100 words, explain how you might go about doing this.

Information might be based o similar to following:

Trust based relationships are developed through the use of:

• understanding and accommodation of difference
• the correct communication channels
• honest and open communication
• respect for people’s privacy
• meeting client needs
• courtesy

This will be supported by:

• being consistent and reliable (trustworthy)—doing what you say you will when you say you will do it
• being calm and patient when communicating in order to ensure mutual understanding
• ensuring that people are not discriminated against