Understanding Cultural Sensitivity, Safety, and Competence

This document provides an explanation of cultural sensitivity, safety, and competence. It discusses the importance of these concepts in creating an inclusive work environment. The document also explores three issues of cultural safety when working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Additionally, it offers strategies for promoting cultural safety and inclusivity in community service agencies.

Running head: CULTURAL SAFETY
Cultural safety
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Explain your understanding of cultural sensitivity, cultural safety and cultural
competence.
Cultural sensitivity refers to set of the skills that help the people in learning about the
marginalised section of the population. Culture sensitivity helps a person in gaining
awareness and accepting the other cultures. Cultural sensitivity helps the people in the society
in becoming aware about the cultural difference that exist in the society. Cultural safety refers
to creation of environment where the people belonging to the various cultures are treated well
and in the respectful manner. Cultural safety helps the people in becoming empowered that
helps the people in participating in an effective manner in the interactions. Cultural safety is
indicative of environment that is safe for the people and does not involve any kind of assault
or the challenge (Rigney 2017). Cultural competence refers to the will along with the actions
that helps in building understanding in between the people. It helps the people in bring
respectful that helps them in opening to the various kinds of the cultural perspectives. It helps
in strengthening the element of the cultural security that helps them in working towards the
equality in relation to the opportunity.
Identify and discuss 3 issues of cultural safety that Community Service Workers and
organisations need to be aware of when working with your chosen group.
There are various kinds of issues pertaining to the cultural safety that the community
service workers should be aware of in the event of working with that of the Aboriginal and
the Torres Strait Islander people. The community workers should be aware about the fact that
the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people take recourse to silence for the purpose
of the communication. The Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people want to avoid the
element of the eye-engagement that can help in facilitating the aspect of the communication.
The organizations in the event of working with the indigenous people of Australia
should know that they have different approach in relation to the management of the time that

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can raise misunderstanding along with miscommunication (Kirton and Greene 2015). The
traditional perception of time of the Indigenous Australians is that time is a cyclical process
of the events. Western cultural view on the other hand conceives of time to be a linear
process. The indigenous people of Australia do not adhere to that of the western time
measures that can raise challenges in the event of carrying out interaction with these people.
The organizations should be careful about the fact that the indigenous people want the
information about the other people before starting any kind of conversation with them. The
indigenous people ask for the information before they start talking to the people belonging to
the other kind of the cultural backgrounds.
As an agency manager, how can you create a work environment in yourcommunity
service agency which demonstrates cultural safety and inclusivity when working with
this group in relation to:
Organising the work environment
The work environment should be organised in the right manner that can prove to be
convenient for the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people. There should be abundant
space allocated for the indigenous people so that they feel free to carry out their cultural
practices (De Anca and Vega 2016). They should be provided with a separate room that can
help them in observing the rituals that are specific to the particular community.
Communicating with the diversity group and networking with specific organisations
There should be certain precautions that should be taken in the event of carrying out
communication with the indigenous Australians. In the event of communicating with that of
the diverse group, complex words and the jargons should be avoided. Diagrams along with
the images should be used in the event of carrying out interaction with the indigenous people

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of Australia. The Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people do not like direct eye
contact and this should be avoided when conversing with them (Weisinger, Sowa and Word
2017). The Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander people should be provided with the clear
explanation that can help in the area of networking. The networking should take care of the
fact that they get the right kind of the cultural support that can help them in assimilating with
the other cultures.
Employment, community development and promotion
The right kind of work environment should be provided to the Aboriginal people that
can help them in the arena of their employment and help in their community development.
The workplace should lay stress on the sense of the value that can help in the maintenance of
relationships (Andersen, Edwards and Wolfe 2017). The development of community of the
Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander can take place when they are provided with the
communication assistance. It can help in building the relationships with that of the local
community that can pave the path for their community development.
Promoting diversity awareness among staff and management
There should be diversity awareness among the staff along with the management that
can help in the assimilation of the indigenous people into that of the mainstream society. The
diversity awareness can be created in the event of holding the meetings in the workplace that
can acquaint the other employees about the cultural beliefs of the Aboriginal and the Torres
Strait Islander people. The diversity training can also be provided in the community service
agency that can help in the cultural safety along with the inclusivity of the indigenous
Australians (Kelaher et al. 2017). There should be diversity education programs that can help
the employees in recognizing the prejudices along with the cultural assumptions in relation to
the indigenous people. The right kind of the work environment can be created in the event of

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the employees being taught the skills that can help them in understanding the other cultures
(Somerville et al. 2017).
Representation on the Organisation Management Board
There should be steps that should be taken that can help in representation of
indigenous Australians on that of Organisation Management Board. The indigenous
Australians should be provided with the skills training that can help in their promotion in the
organization. The merit of the indigenous Australians should be recognized that can help in
encouraging them in the organization (Rogers et al. 2018). There should be culturally diverse
leaders that can help in leveraging the cultural uniqueness that can work to the benefit of the
work teams along with the employers. The career advancement opportunities should be
provided to the indigenous Australians that can help them in rising in the hierarchical level in
the organization (Walter 2016).
Write a letter to other organisations providing information about Diversity
Letter
Dear Concerned,
Diversity refers to the concept that helps in encompassing acceptance along with the
respect. It can help in understanding the fact that the individuals in the society are unique that
helps in the recognizing of the individual differences. The exploration of the aspect of
diversity can help in the promotion of a positive along with a nurturing environment.
Diversity can be said to be a reality which is created by the individuals along with the groups
from the broad spectrum of the demographic along with the philosophical differences. The
mutual respect pertaining to the qualities along with the experiences can help in the creation
of a healthy society. Diversity can help in acknowledging and tolerating the difference that
exists in the society. The individuals within the organisation bring along with them the

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diverse set of the perspectives and so a diverse organization can help in the growth of an
organization. Diversity can help the individuals in the society in understanding each other so
that the rich dimensions of the diversity that are in each individual can be celebrated.
Diversity can be embraced in the workplace by focussing on strengths that each individual
have that can pave the path for the creation of an inclusive environment.

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References
Andersen, C., Edwards, A. and Wolfe, B., 2017. Finding space and place: Using narrative
and imagery to support successful outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
in enabling programs. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 46(1), pp.1-11.
De Anca, C. and Vega, A.V., 2016. Managing diversity in the global organization: Creating
new Business values. Springer.
Kelaher, M., Parry, A., Day, S., Paradies, Y., Lawlor, J. and Solomon, L., 2017. Improving
the identification of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in mainstream general
practice.Somerville, R., Cullen, J., McIntyre, M., Townsend, C. and Pope, S., 2017. Engaging
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ‘Proper Way’. Newparadigm: the
Australian Journal on Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 14, pp.1-4.
Kirton, G. and Greene, A.M., 2015. The dynamics of managing diversity: A critical
approach. Routledge.
Rigney, L.I., 2017. Indigenist research and aboriginal Australia. In Indigenous Peoples'
Wisdom and Power (pp. 61-77). Routledge.
Rogers, A., Radcliffe, D., Babyack, S. and Layton, T., 2018. Demonstrating the value of
community development: An inclusive evaluation capacity building approach in a non-profit
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation. Evaluation Journal of Australasia, 18(4),
pp.234-255.
Walter, M., 2016. Social exclusion/inclusion for urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people. Social Inclusion, 4(1), pp.68-76.

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Weisinger, J., Sowa, J.E. and Word, J., 2017. Diversity and diversity management in
nonprofit organizations. The nonprofit human resource management handbook: From theory
to practice, pp.323-338.