Continuing Education Webinar: Cultural Competence & Beyond: Best Practices in Working With Marginalized Communities with Mary Gitau

Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm ET | 9:00am-11:00am CT
Location: live Zoom webinar
Presentation Title: Cultural Competence & Beyond: Best Practices in Working With Marginalized Communities
Presenter
Mary Gitau, PhD, MSW
Cost – $40

Logistics
Zoom information will be emailed to participants the afternoon before and morning of the event. Registration will close two hours before the event start time. This event is live and will not be recorded.

Course Description

Marginalized communities often face discrimination, oppression, and barriers to accessing resources, opportunities, and social mobility, which perpetuate cycles of disadvantage and marginalization. These communities are not monolithic entities and may range from indigenous communities preserving ancestral traditions to immigrant families embracing new cultural landscapes at the heart of marginalized communities (Levi, 2024). In a world that is rapidly becoming smaller through globalization, cultures also interact in exponentially faster and more complex ways. When cultures interact, power, domination, discrimination, and racism are all issues that have risen between and within cultures (Gopalkrishnan, 2019). Culturally insensitive or indifferent approaches in service provision run the risk of turning away clients or failing to engage and meet their needs. Empowering individuals from marginalized communities calls for service provision with genuine affinity and client-centeredness.

Within the field of social work, cultural competence refers to the ability to practice social work “in a manner that recognizes, affirms, and values the worth of individuals, families, communities, and protects and preserves the dignity of each” (National Association of Social Workers, 2015, p. 13). Providers in their quest for cultural competency need to examine their attitudes, values, and acquisition of knowledge that allows them to operate appropriately in a cross-cultural setting. However, cultural competence in itself is not sufficient. The construct of cultural humility has emerged as an added conceptualization of cultural competence that underscores authenticity, mutual respect, and humbleness in helping relationships. It is the ability to maintain an interpersonal stance that is other-oriented and a lifelong commitment to self-examination (Hook, et al (2016). Developing a strong working alliance with individuals from marginalized communities depends on one’s willingness to cultivate openness and attune to a client’s cultural background and experiences.

Working in and through culture is challenging, regardless of target population and this interactive presentation will provide insight and strategies for professionals to strengthen their knowledge and skills in working with marginalized communities.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will:

1. Identify the differences between cultural humility and cultural competence as approaches to engaging with clients from marginalized communities;
2. Engage in reflection on how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they interact and provide services to people different from themselves;
3. Understand how to apply the H.U.M.B.L.E model within their practice; and
4. Set personal goals for moving from cultural competence to cultural humility.

CEUs

Participants are eligible to earn 2 continuing education units.

A link for the program evaluation will be emailed to participants after the event has concluded. To receive the CEU certificate, participants must complete the evaluation by the deadline indicated in that email. Certificates are not automatically generated and will be emailed out after the deadline to complete the evaluation has passed.

Accessibility

There is space on the event registration form to indicate accommodations required. We work with the university’s Office of Equity & Diversity and Office of Student Disability Services to make arrangements and ask that you allow us adequate time to communicate with them about any services needed.

It is a priority to make our events inclusive and accessible. For any questions or to notify us of a request, please email cswcep@utk.edu at least three business days prior to the event.

Refunds

To request a refund, please email cswcep@utk.edu. Full refunds will be granted up to 48 hours prior to the event. In the event this program is cancelled, full refunds will be issued to all registrants.

About the Presenter