Summary
- You may be exposed to many different social and cultural groups when working in a care environment.
- It is important to identify and reflect on your own perspectives and biases so you can improve your ability to work inclusively and with an understanding of others. To do this, you need an understanding of culture and your own cultural identify. You also need a structured process that will help think about and make sense of your own experiences.
- Becoming more culturally aware is the first step towards changing your perspective and breaking down any social or cultural bias. Cultural competence grows out of cultural awareness. This is something that every organisation should aim to demonstrate – both as an organisation and through the behaviour of its individual workers. Cultural safety is the result of cultural competence. It describes an environment that accepts all people and is free of discrimination.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have diverse and complex cultures. Care workers need to understand the social, political and economic issues that impact these cultures if they are working with or caring for Indigenous Australians. Care workers also need to understand the impact of Western systems and structures and how these impact on how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples engage with services.
- To work more inclusively, care service organisations need to consider the diversity of the values, beliefs and expectations of the person with support needs.
- Although it is unrealistic to expect each care worker to know the cultural practices and expectations of every diverse group in Australia, they should be able to acknowledge potential areas of difference and seek clarification.
- Improving your cultural and social awareness is a lifelong journey, but the benefits are many. You will not only gain a better understanding of the people you work with and care for, but will begin to appreciate the connections between all people, rather than the differences.
- The responsibility for making a workplace more culturally and socially aware belongs to everyone: managers, care workers and people with support needs. However, it is the time spent in reflection that could be of most value. Focusing on self and examining your own perceptions can bring about worthwhile and lasting personal change.
