“Cultural Competence” – Black Voice of Social Work Discussion
By Ulrike Nebel
We are pleased to report that our first discussion group of the new cycle (11th July 2024) was a great success. It was facilitated by our new co-facilitator Patricia Kemevor who led an inspiring discussion on ‘Cultural Competence in Social Work’.
The group was very well attended and it was nice to see a mixture of experienced practitioners as well as social work learners from a variety of backgrounds coming together to have valuable discussions, sharing their experiences, reflections and expertise with the aim of improving our practice, as well as developing our awareness of cultural competence in our workplace.
The discussion on cultural competence in social work highlighted its critical importance for effective practice. It underscored the need for mutual support among professionals and the role of inspirational and model behavior in fostering a supportive environment. Participants emphasized the necessity of adapting to a changing world and building new understandings of diverse cultures, with a particular focus on cultural intersectionality and avoiding stereotypes. The willingness to engage in difficult conversations and step out of comfort zones was identified as vital for personal and professional growth.
The benefits of cultural competence were outlined, including better understanding and support for diverse clients, positive organizational culture, and empowerment through language and cultural knowledge. Creating an inclusive and sensitive environment was seen as crucial for addressing cultural differences and fostering open conversations. While achieving cultural competence is idealistic yet relevant, continuous improvement, open-mindedness, and education are essential. Key skills include openness, curiosity, active listening, and challenging biases. However, barriers such as ineffective training, unconscious bias, professional boundaries, and fear of asking wrong questions were noted as significant challenges that need to be addressed.
We will feedback anonymised themes from the groups to the Teaching Partnership EDI group with the aim of enabling our partner organisations to take positive action as required.
Our next Black voice of social work discussion group is on Thursday 12th September, 10am-11:30am
We hope to see you there, for further details and joining links for future discussion groups, please see our CPD brochure.
Alternatively if you would like to be added to our distribution list for direct reminders and updates about this group please contact Ulrike at: ulrike.nebel@developingtogetherswtp.org.uk.
We are also always interested to hear from any Black colleagues who would be interested in becoming a future co-facilitator -please contact either Ulrike as above or email admin@developingtogetherswtp.org.uk.
