CEH
specialises in culturally competent service delivery. Here is a basic
introduction to cultural competence, for people who work in the health and
community sectors.
what is cultural competence?
There are
many definitions of cultural competence. The National Health and Medical
Research Council defines it as
"A set of skills,
behaviours, attitudes and policies that come together and enable the system,
organisations and professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural
situations."
(adapted from Cross
et. Al 1989)
Cultural
competence is a framework within which to integrate culture into the way
services are delivered. This creates cultural change within an organisation and
improves health or wellbeing outcomes for its clients.
Why is it important?
Many
mainstream service providers have the following assumptions about their
clients:
- People
are familiar with Australian society and structures.
- People
can speak, read and articulate their opinions and problems in English.
-
People
experience no cultural barriers that prevent them from using services.
- People
know that services are for them and are willing to use them.
These
assumptions are simply not true in a multicultural country such as Australia.
A
culturally competent approach discards these assumptions and integrates culture into service delivery. Through this approach, health and
community services can make sure that everyone receives their basic human right
to accessible health care.