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Revised 7/23/2017
FOUNDATIONS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE
“A culturally competent professional is one who is actively in the process of becoming aware
of his or her own assumptions about human behavior, values, biases, preconceived notions,
personal limitations, and so forth.
Second, a culturally competent professional is one who actively attempts to understand the
worldview of culturally diverse populations. In other words, what are the values, assumptions,
practices, communication styles, group norms, biases, experiences, perspectives and so on, of
culturally diverse clients, families, communities and colleagues you interact with?
Third, a culturally competent professional is one who is in the process of actively developing
and practicing appropriate, relevant, and sensitive strategies and skills in working with culturally
diverse clients, families, communities and colleagues.
Fourth, a culturally competent professional is one who advocates on behalf of the needs of
clients, families, community, colleagues etc. They take action in their work place, community and
society to create a culture of respect and equity.
Thus, cultural competence is active, developmental, an ongoing process and is aspirational
rather than achieved.”
Adapted from Sue, D.W., & Sue, D (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice, 4
th
Ed. New York:
John Wiley. (Cultures Connecting)
2 www.CulturesConnecting.com
Revised 7/23/2017
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: AWARENESS
Awareness
The culturally competent professional is...
Check the box that most closely identifies
where you are at in this work
...moving from being culturally unaware to being
aware and sensitive to their own cultural heritage and
to valuing and respecting differences.
Explores ones values, beliefs and assumptions
about human behavior
Is not ethnocentric, believing in the superiority of
one’s group
Learning about own cultural heritage
I ______ work towards becoming aware and sensitive
to my own cultural heritage and valuing and
respecting differences.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
...aware of own values and biases and how they affect
racially diverse people.
Avoid prejudices, unwarranted labeling, and
stereotyping
Actively challenges their own assumptions
I ______ work towards becoming aware of my own
values and biases and how they might affect culturally
diverse people.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
...comfortable with racial differences between
themselves and their clients and colleagues.
Does not profess color blindness
Does not negate the existence of differences
Differences are not seen as being deviant
I ______ feel comfortable with racial differences
between me and my clients and colleagues.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
... sensitive to circumstances that may dictate a
referral of a child or family to someone else (personal
biases; stage of racial, gender, and sexual orientation
identity; sociopolitical influences, etc)
Aware of one’s limitations and at the same time not
threatened by seeking help from other
professionals HOWEVER...
Willing to work with racially diverse people from
clients and colleagues
I am ______ sensitive to circumstances that may
dictate referral of a child or family to someone else
and at the same time I am committed to working
effectively with culturally diverse clients and
colleagues.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
...aware of and accepts responsibility for one’s own
racist, sexist, heterosexist, and other detrimental
attitudes, beliefs, and feelings and behaviors.
Does not deny that they have directly or indirectly
benefited from individual, institutional, and cultural
biases
Attempts to deal with own racism, sexism, hetero-
sexism etc., in a non-defensive, guilt-free manner
Has begun the process of defining a new non-
oppressive and non-exploitive attitude.
I ______ work towards becoming aware of and
accepting responsibility for my own racist, sexist,
heterosexist, or other detrimental attitudes, beliefs
and feelings.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
3 www.CulturesConnecting.com
Revised 7/23/2017
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge
The culturally competent professional...
Check the box that most closely identifies
where you are at in this work
... possesses specific knowledge and information about
the particular groups they work with.
History, experiences, cultural values, lifestyles,
issues
I am _____ intentional in learning more about the
cultural norms, values, beliefs, communication styles,
history etc., of the racially diverse children and
colleagues I work with.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
...will have a good understanding of the socio-political
system’s operating in the U.S. with respect to
treatment of marginalized groups in our society.
Impact of racism, power and oppression, e.g.,
education, health, housing, legal system, etc
Role of ethnocentric monoculturalism on the
development of identity and worldviews among
racial minority groups.
I have _____ understanding of the sociopolitical
systems operating in the U.S. with respect to
treatment of racially marginalized groups in the U.S.
A Strong Some Little No
...will have clear and explicit knowledge and
understanding of the generic characteristics of
individuals from diverse ethnic, racial, and
socioeconomic backgrounds.
Language factors, language and culture-bound
values
Able to determine theories and models that may be
useful to working with racially diverse groups
Does not limit the potential of a person based on
their race
I _______ possess knowledge and understanding of
the generic characteristics of children and colleagues
from diverse racial backgrounds that I work with.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
...has knowledge of institutional barriers that prevent
diverse groups from accessing and using services.
Location of services, transportation
Formality or informality of décor
Language used to advertise services
Where services are publicized
Availability of underrepresented groups at different
levels in the organization
Organizational climate
Hours and days of operation
How services may be viewed
I am ________ knowledgeable of institutional barriers
that prevent racially diverse families from accessing
and using services.
Usually Often Sometimes Rarely
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Revised 7/23/2017
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: SKILLS
SKILLS
The culturally competent professional...
Professional and/or Personal
Examples in Your Life
...must be able to generate a wide variety of verbal
and nonverbal responses.
• Marginalized groups may learn to problem
solve and respond differently (e.g., to teaching
styles) than those from dominant groups.
• The wider the repertoire of responses and
pedagogy the educator possesses the more
effective they will be.
• Become comfortable with a multitude of
teaching styles and modalities.
I _______ practice generating a wide variety of verbal
and nonverbal responses with my diverse students,
families and colleagues.
Always Sometimes Rarely Never
...must be able to send and receive both verbal and
nonverbal messages accurately and appropriately.
• Must be able to communicate thoughts and
feeling as well as read messages received.
• Considers the cultural cues that are operating
within a setting.
• Is knowledgeable and skillful with different
styles of communication e.g., subtlety and
indirectness vs. directness and confrontation.
I _______ practice sending and receiving both verbal
and nonverbal messages accurately and appropriately.
Always Sometimes Rarely Never
...is able to exercise a variety of relationship
building skills.
• Attending special events
• Outreach
• Ombudsman roles
• Home/community visits
• Acting as change agent
I _______ practice a variety of relationship building
skills.
Always Sometimes Rarely Never
...is aware one’s helping style, recognizes the
limitations that one possesses, and can anticipate
the impact on culturally diverse populations.
• Consults with others.
• Participates in Culturally Relevant Professional
Development.
• Able to communicate one’s desire to help.
• Avoids paternalistic helping, i.e., empathy rather
than sympathy, does with rather than for.
I am _______ aware of my helping style and recognize
my limitations anticipating the impact on my culturally
diverse students, families and colleagues.
Always Sometimes Rarely Never
…takes risks and makes mistakes, knowing that
new learning occurs on the edge of one’s
competence.
• Sees “mistakes” as an opportunity to grow.
• Encourages students and colleagues to take
chances and learn from mistakes.
I _______ take risks and am willing to make mistakes.
Always Sometimes Rarely Never
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Revised 7/23/2017
CULTURAL COMPETENCE: ADVOCACY AND ACTION
ADVOCACY & ACTION
The culturally competent professional...
Check the box that most closely identifies you
Educates co-workers and close friends about
racism and other forms of oppression.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Raises issues in the workplace with people in
power, co-workers and staff.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Changes what normally appears on bulletin
boards, walls, handouts, newsletters, and
other materials to be inclusive.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Is a referral resourcedirects people to those
who might be of assistance?
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Acts as a model, taking risks and questioning
the dominant power structure.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Establishes discussion groups and other
activities around racism e.g., readings, films,
exercises in school or workplace.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Makes sure that resources are allocated for
enhancing the learning experience of students
of color.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Assesses the environment of their workplace
to ensure that it reflects the diversity of staff
and students (e.g., assemblies, activities,
décor, staff of color).
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Contributes time and/or money to agencies,
organizations or programs that actively
confront the problems of oppression.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Looks at own racist attitudes and behaviors
and the impact they have on families.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Openly disagrees with racist comments, jokes
or actions of those around them.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Takes the time to complain to those in charge
when they notice racism in businesses e.g.,
greeting cards, toys, foods.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Demonstrates a willingness to change self vs.
others as it relates to cultural norms, values,
behaviors, and attitudes.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Seeks out and actively participates in
professional development aimed to enhance
their awareness, knowledge and skills in
effectively working cross culturally.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Envisions a world free of bias and works to
restructure ideas and create alternatives.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
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Advocacy & Action
The culturally competent professional...
Check the box that most closely identifies you
Examines policies within their organization to
see if they meet the needs of diverse students,
staff, and clients.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Questions the norms of meetings to ensure
equity.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Reviews hiring policy and practices to include
diversity.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Reviews the mission and vision of their
organization to include diversity.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Ensures the organization’s evaluation and
assessment tools take into consideration
issues of racism, power, privilege and
oppression.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Investigates curricula in their school/classroom
for cultural relevance and anti-bias qualities.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Aligns curriculum within their grade level and
the school vs. independent teaching.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Includes diverse ethnic and socio-economic
representation in decision making.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Engages in conversations around race and
social justice issues with students, families and
colleagues.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Infuses cultural relevance in all professional
development.
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Add your own
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Adapted from Sue, D.W., & Sue, D (2003). Counseling the culturally diverse: Theory and practice, 4
th
Ed. New
York: John Wiley. (Caprice D. Hollins)
Action/Advocacy Section Adapted from Katz, J.H. (1978) White awareness: Handbook for anti-racism training.
Oklahoma Press.
