April 2000Vol. 1, No. 2New Training in Cultural Competence for Child Welfare Workers
Child welfare professionals have a new opportunity to obtain training in cultural competency. The organization Black Administrators in Child Welfare (BACW) has developed a 4-day seminar for human services staff titled "A Journey Toward Cultural Competence." The training, designed for groups of 15 to 25 employees, focuses on the following areas:
- Awareness of cultural diversity (racial and cultural barriers, ethnocentric reactions)
- Knowledge of cultural diversity (development of racial identity, psychosocial history of racial groups
- Skills in cultural competence (development of trust and rapport, self-assessment of cultural competency)
- Cross-cultural encounters (role-playing, practical approaches, personal action plans).
Each day of the seminar can be presented as a separate module. For information, visit BACW's website at http://www.blackadministrators.org or contact either of the following individuals:
Joyce Johnson
Tel.: 202-942-0244
Fax: 202-638-4004
Email: jjohnson@cwla.org
Julyette Berry
Tel. and Fax: 202-529-4675
Email: jeberry@bellatlantic.net
BACW also will assess agencies for their current level of cultural competence and make recommendations for improvements. The comprehensive assessment includes:
- Analysis of programs and policies
- Staff and board mix
- Administrative procedures
- Governance structure
- Service history with targeted consumers and communities
For more information, call 202-529-4675 or visit the BACW website.