Running head: SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Skill Development
Whitney Reyes
Georgia State University

SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Abstract
This paper will demonstrate new culturally competent skills that one accomplished
during a semester. The NASW Standards for Cultural Competence will be discussed and
goals for professional growth and development as a social worker will me mentioned.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Introduction

Becoming culturally competent serves as a positive for both future social workers
and clients. Lum (2003) states that social workers that are culturally competent will
empower the client and advocate for the client through cultural and related resources
(p. 21). One who reflects on their identity and cultural background and one who
immerses with other cultures will help one develop culturally competent skills for their
career in social work.
Cultural Competency Action Plan
The NASW issued the Standards for Cultural Competence in Social Work
Practice with ten standards that provide guidelines, goals, and objectives of cultural
competence (Lum, 2003, p. 28). The ten standards serve as the benchmarks in the social
work profession (Lum, 2003).
Standard 1. Ethics and Values: Social workers shall function in accordance with
the values, ethics, and standards of the profession, recognizing how personal and
professional values may conflict with or accommodate the needs of diverse clients
(NASW, 2001). To work proficiently with other clients, one must set aside personal
beliefs and values and become culturally and ethnically sensitive. By conducting cultural
immersions, and a cultural biography one will recognize that not everyone has the same
ideas and beliefs. It is important to understand this and respect other peoples ethics and
values in order to have a good relationship with future clients.
Standard 2. Self-Awareness: Social workers shall develop an understanding of
their own personal and cultural values and beliefs as a first step in appreciating the
importance of multicultural identities in the lives of people (NASW, 2001). Throughout
the semester, one conducted numerous assignments that helped one become self-aware
with who she is personally and culturally. Becoming more aware of ones cultural values
and beliefs helped one realize the importance of multicultural identities amongst future
clients.
Standard 3. Cross-Cultural Knowledge: Social workers shall have and continue
to develop specialized knowledge and understanding about the history, traditions, values,
family systems, and artistic expression of major client groups served (NASW, 2001).
One who immerses with different cultural groups will be able to expand their knowledge
of different cultures, traditions, languages, and behaviors. For the cultural immersion
assignment, I was able to interact with the LGBT, First Nation, older adult, and teen mom
communities. One needs to have the willingness to expand their knowledge of different
cultures in order to become culturally competent.
Standard 4. Cross-Cultural Skills: Social workers shall use appropriate
methodological approaches, skills, and techniques that reflect the workers understanding
of the role of culture in the helping process (NASW, 2001). Technique and approaches
are very important when working with clients. It is important to be accepting and openminded amongst future clients. One needs to learn more about the different approaches in
order to assist future clients who come from different cultures.
Standard 5. Service Delivery: Social workers shall be knowledgeable about and
skillful in the use of services available in the community and broader society and be able

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

to make appropriate referrals for their diverse clients (NASW, 2001). It is important for
social workers to know the events and services that are happening in the community. As a
result, future clients will have the opportunity to benefit from community services. As a
social worker, I plan always to be informed with the different services being offered in
the community.
Standard 6. Empowerment and Advocacy: Social workers shall be aware of the
effect of social policies and programs on diverse client populations, advocating for and
with clients whenever appropriate (NASW, 2001). Social workers need to be aware of
the social policies and programs because these policies can affect the way social workers
assist future clients. Attending the Atlanta Pride Parade was a way of showing respect and
awareness of oppression towards the LGBT community.
Standard 7. Diverse Workforce: Social workers shall support and advocate for
recruitment, admissions and hiring, and retention efforts in social work programs and
agencies that ensure diversity within the profession (NASW, 2001). Diversity is very
important in the social work profession. Having diversity in the workforce will create will
create trust and a rise in culturally competent skills.
Standard 8. Professional Education: Social workers shall advocate for and
participate in educational and training programs that help advance cultural competence
within the profession (NASW, 2001). Social changes and issues happen all the time, and
social workers need to be aware of any change that occurs. Through education and
training, I will continue to keep up with the changing needs of the diverse client
population (Lum, 2003). Most importantly, it is important to be trained and educated in
order to become culturally sensitive and culturally competent.
Standard 9. Language Diversity: Social workers shall seek to provide and
advocate for the provision of information, referrals, and services in the language
appropriate to the client, which may include the use of interpreters (NASW, 2001). With
diversity come language barriers. Future clients will not be able to communicate fully
with one if the client knows limited English. Providing translators and interpreters will be
essential in such cases. Knowing Spanish will help me in my profession as a social
worker, but learning more languages will be better.
Standard 10. Cross-Cultural Leadership: Social workers shall be able to
communicate information about diverse client groups to other professionals (NASW,
2001). Knowledge is essential when it comes to leadership and communication amongst
social workers. Clients will benefit if social workers exchange knowledge on diverse
populations and work together to advocate for fair and equitable treatment at the
interpersonal and institutional levels (Lum, 2003, p. 30). I will communicate and share
knowledge with other professionals when I become a social worker.
With the ten standards in consideration, an orientation class that promotes
diversity and teaches techniques and approaches on how to work with diverse populations
will be my cultural competency action plan. Education is important, but this class will be
a hands-on approach to learning. Social workers in training will meet once every two
weeks, and the staff will take the students to cultural immersion events in the community
to help them gain cultural competency. Doing so allows students to continue to develop
knowledge of culture and cultural sensitivity. The orientation class will be beneficial to
both the social worker and future clients.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Social Action Plan

Rogers (2013) states that oppression is concept related to prejudice and that it can
be difficult to define. Barker (2003) describes oppression as the social act of placing
severe restrictions on an individual, group, or institution (p. 306). People who are
oppressed usually have a deep understanding of these processes because they encounter
it on a daily basis (Rogers, 2013, p. 144). Being culturally sensitive to people of
oppressed groups is key when one works with diverse cultures. Social workers encounter
oppressed groups of people on a daily basis, which is why it is important for social
workers to advocate these oppressed groups and gain more knowledge of their
oppression.
To advance human rights and social justice, I plan to ally myself with immigrants
who come to the United States. The United States is currently experiencing the largest
wave of immigration in its history (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
2001). Bacallao and Smokowski (2013) state, The Pew Hispanic Center estimated that
there are currently 11 million undocumented individuals in the United States, this makes
immigration one of the most prominent issues in national debates and concerning social
policy (p. 1). Immigrants who come to the United States face discrimination in many
areas, but most notably in the workforce. In a representative poll, 57% of Asian
immigrants and 85% of Mexican immigrants believe that there is discrimination in the
workforce when it comes to being able to be promoted up (Jones and Lewis, 2011). Since
the mid-1970s, the earnings levels for immigrants in North America have steadily
declined (Jones and Lewis, 2011, p. 234). I plan to advocate anti-immigrant sentiments
and vote for leaders who understand the injustice immigrant families face. As a social
worker, I will make sure to know immigrant policies and help immigrant families adjust
to the American lifestyle.
Post Reflection Experience
When comparing both pre and post-test, my scores have improved in every area.
On the Social Work Cultural Competencies Self-Assessment test, I received a 130 out of
144. I originally scored an 86 out of 144. On the Social Work Cultural Competencies with
Culturally Diverse Groups and Social and Economic Justice test, I scored a 267 out of
312. I originally made a score of 187. Both scores qualify me for level 4 now. The areas
of strength and weakness remain about the same for both pre and post-test cultural
competence with Latino American and First Nations Peoples being strength while
Muslim Americans and women a weakness. However, the group that was initially my
weakest area scored the second highest in my cultural competency test the Asian
American population.
The group competency assignments and the cultural immersions have a big part in
the improvement of my test scores. The group projects focused on each of the ten cultural
groups, and it provided each of us with demographics and history on every culture
discussed. My group focused on Asian Americans, and that is why my scores improved
remarkably. The cultural immersion interviews let us ask questions and have a real
connection with someone from another culture.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Conclusion

The ten standards of social work act as guidelines and a benchmark to the social
work profession. The two social action plans demonstrate the knowledge and cultural
skills that were developed throughout the semester. The post-test furthermore proves this
development of cultural competency. Even though my scores show improvement, I strive
for further improvement to be able to become culturally proficient.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT
References
Bacallao, M. L., & Smokowski, P. R. (2013). Obstacles to Getting Ahead: How
Assimilation Mechanisms Impact Undocumented Mexican Immigrant Families.
Social Work In Public Health, 28(1), 1-20. doi:10.1080/19371910903269687

Jones, J., & Lewis, D. (2011). Let's Not Go Down that Path Again: Lessons from the Past
Applied to Immigrant-Targeted Discrimination. Employee Responsibilities &
Rights Journal, 23(4), 229. doi:10.1007/s10672-010-9161-z
Lum, D. (2011), Culturally competent practice: a framework for understanding (4th ed.).
Sacramento: Brooks/Cole.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2001). NASW standards for cultural
competence in social work practice.
http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/standards/cultural.htm
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). Mental health: Culture, race,
and ethnicity: A supplement to Mental Health: A report of the Surgeon General.
Rockville, MD: U.S. DHHS, SAMHSA, Center for Mental Health