Cultural Competency: Awareness & Sensitivity – Communication
Whilst the importance of verbal communication is essential to effectively working with a community, non-verbal communication should never be underestimated. Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people have great awareness of non-verbal communication, like body language and the message this sends about how the person is feeling. As workers, we must recognise that Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people and communities do have concerns surrounding the possible negative influence human service workers can have. Therefore, it is essential practice in a respectful, sensitive and culturally appropriate manner when working in a community.
Remember the past Remember …show more content…
The kinship system also defines family and community matters such as who will care for a child if a parent passes, who is allowed to marry who, who is responsible for another, and who will look after the elderly members (Hayles, 2015). Sharing along kinship lines and family members remains an important cultural value. When it comes to matters of family and community, a worker must be aware of the significance of kinship systems and the importance of working with that system in order to work successfully with the …show more content…
In contemporary times, institutional racism persists in the societal systems and institutions that exclude and discriminate Indigenous Australian peoples (Hayles, 2015). Institutions and systems have the power to sustain and enforce racism and prejudice (Hayles, 2015). How the economic, education, justice and healthcare systems are operated and delievered can disadvantage Indigenous Australian people, and this has been seen throughout history (Dudgeon 2000, p. 43). This can be attributed to the systems not considering the cultural values or marginalisation of Indigenous Australians, and result in forms of institutional racism (Dudgeon 2000, p. 43). If legislations, and policies do no put cultural values, social relationships, kinships, and historical factors into consideration in can result in services failing members of
Whilst the importance of verbal communication is essential to effectively working with a community, non-verbal communication should never be underestimated. Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander people have great awareness of non-verbal communication, like body language and the message this sends about how the person is feeling. As workers, we must recognise that Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people and communities do have concerns surrounding the possible negative influence human service workers can have. Therefore, it is essential practice in a respectful, sensitive and culturally appropriate manner when working in a community.
Remember the past Remember …show more content…
The kinship system also defines family and community matters such as who will care for a child if a parent passes, who is allowed to marry who, who is responsible for another, and who will look after the elderly members (Hayles, 2015). Sharing along kinship lines and family members remains an important cultural value. When it comes to matters of family and community, a worker must be aware of the significance of kinship systems and the importance of working with that system in order to work successfully with the …show more content…
In contemporary times, institutional racism persists in the societal systems and institutions that exclude and discriminate Indigenous Australian peoples (Hayles, 2015). Institutions and systems have the power to sustain and enforce racism and prejudice (Hayles, 2015). How the economic, education, justice and healthcare systems are operated and delievered can disadvantage Indigenous Australian people, and this has been seen throughout history (Dudgeon 2000, p. 43). This can be attributed to the systems not considering the cultural values or marginalisation of Indigenous Australians, and result in forms of institutional racism (Dudgeon 2000, p. 43). If legislations, and policies do no put cultural values, social relationships, kinships, and historical factors into consideration in can result in services failing members of