Working with Diversity in Youth Work: Case Study Assessment

Student Name:
Student Number:
Assessment 33478/02
Case study
E1031B Certificate IV in
Youth Work
Module 2: Working with
Diversity
This is assessment 2 of 3.
1. Background/Overview
Youth workers are exposed to diversity within residential
care, and are challenged by social and cultural factors in
the workplace every day. It is important for you to
demonstrate knowledge and respect towards Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander culture.
Scenario: Brad, a client of the residential service Wings, has
just been released from jail and wants you to read out the
bail conditions as he cannot read. He hears that his curfew
restricts him to be home from 7:00pm to 7:00am and
appears slightly agitated.
Brad tells you he’s going to bed quite early – around 9pm.
You go to check on him at 10pm to realise that he has
absconded out of the window.
You go outside to look for him and find that he’s chroming
(when a person inhales substances to get high) petrol out of
the work vehicle.
Brad is high, but co-operating and asks you not to call the
police. You spend the rest of the night with Brad till he
starts to sober up. He says that all his friends back at home
chrome and that he feels better there, as he feels more
accepted.
You discuss with Brad having an Indigenous case worker
assigned to him as this worker may be able to better
understand his situation and cultural background.
2. Brief
In completing this assessment, you will demonstrate that
you understand:
 Positive engagement with people from diverse
backgrounds
 What constitutes cultural understanding in the
workplace
 Rights, Laws & Frameworks
 Monitoring impact of social and cultural factors on
community services provided to the clients
 The impacts of post colonisation on the First
Australians
 Forming partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people
Deliverables
Please submit this assessment
in Word doc format.
To do list:
1. Write your name and
student ID at the top of this
page.
2. Read the
background/overview and
brief sections of this
document.
3. Read the Scenario.
4. Answer the questions in
Part A.
5. Collate your written
answers into one Word
document.
6. Save the Word document
using the naming
convention:
your student
number assessment
number.doc. For example:
“12345678_31135_01.doc.”
7. Upload your document in
Open Space using the
relevant Assessment
Upload link in this Module.
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 The importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander identity and culture
 Identify the importance of social and cultural factors
on a client in residential care
 Identify different forms of diversity
 Impact of long term unemployment on an individual
 Awareness of cultural safety in the workplace.
3. Questions/Task
Part A:
1. In working with Brad:
a. Reflect on any social and cultural perspectives and biases you have that may
impact on the service you provide Brad. What strategies can you put in place
to overcome these perspectives and biases? (100 - 150 words)
First and foremost, social and cultural perspective as well as cultural bias refers to the
tendency for people to judge others or the outside word in general based on a narrow
view that is often centred on their own culture without necessarily considering the other
persons culture and/or overall wellbeing.
One of the social and cultural perspective and bias that I may have which would
possibly hinder the service I Provide to Brad is the issue of language and literacy. As
depicted from the above case study, Brad is not in a position to read. This is likely to
make me have a totally different approach towards the issue that is disturbing Brad.
Him not being in a position to read will make me see him as a backward person who has
no idea of what is going on in the ‘real world’
One of the strategies that I can employ to counter this bias is cultural empathy. This
involves embracing the issue of cultural diversity and understanding that people are
cultural different
b. Reflect on how limitations in your self- awareness and social awareness may
impact on the service you provide Brad? Identify how you can work with
these limitations to ensure Brad receives the service that he needs. (200 -
300 words)
Self-awareness is simply an awareness of the self, here the term self has been used to
refer to something that makes one’s identity unique. In simpler terms, self-awareness
is the unique knowledge of one’s own feelings as well as character. Social awareness on
the other hand refers to having a deep understanding and an ability to know as well as
feel the people around you and the absolute unique ability to interact with them in the
most efficient manner (Weetra et al, 2013).
I have issues of lack of emotional intelligence, empathy as well as an overuse of
language. These are really cancerous limitations and are probably going to have a
negative impact on the services that I provide to Brad. Lack of emotional intelligence
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will not allow me to relate to Brad as well understand him. This therefore calls for a
need to address these challenges.
I really need to work on these limitations so as to be in a position to help Brad. One of
the most possible ways in which I can do this is through improving my listening skills. I
really need to work on my listening skills and in that I will be in a position to understand
Brad as well as relate to him. Secondly, I also need to be in a position where I can easily
relate as well as identify with other people’s emotional states. This can be achieved by
paying close attention to what they do as well as say to as to notice their patterns and
how they respond to various external events and why they respond in that way in the
first place.
In addition to this, I should also think about my feelings. This should in relation to how
other people’s emotions as well as feelings make me feel. Through observing some of
the above mentioned issues, then I will be in a position to relate to Brad and in that way
assist him in the best way I can.
c. What positive actions could you take to engage with Brad? (200 - 300 words)
One of the positive actions that I could take to engage with Brad is practicing good
listening. As we all know, listening is not the same as hearing. Unlike hearing, listening
is more about being present and in that case paying close attention to other people’s
overall well-being by having a close look and/or examination of their emotions, body
movement and language. Good listening also involves understanding a person and in
that case showing empathy without judging them in any manner whatsoever (Gee et al,
2014).
Another positive action that I could take to ensure that I fully engage with Brad is
through practicing empathy. Empathy involves considering the emotions of other
people. Through empathy then I will be in a position to understand Brad’s point of view
and how he sees things. It is, however, important to note that I don’t necessarily have
to agree with Brad’s point of view and how he sees things. Empathy will just enable me
to be in a position to acknowledge his emotions and at the same time being thoughtful
as well as considerate to their feelings. When I put myself in this position then I will
make better decisions that put Brad’s feelings and how he sees things into
consideration.
Through practicing good listening and empathy, then I will be in a position to fully
engage with Brad. This is so because these two actions will steer me towards caring for
the overall emotional well- being of Brad without in any case experiencing feelings of
emotional exhaustion (Sinclair, Williams, Knight, Auret, 2014).
2. What advantages could an Indigenous caseworker have in working with Brad? (100-
150 words)
An indigenous case worker could have an advantage in working with Brad. This is so
because there would be a high probability that this social worker is going to relate
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with Brad and understand him much better. This is so because most indigenous
case workers often have the aspect of critical empathy in them. With critical
empathy, an indigenous case worker would be in a position to develop a capacity to
understand various issues such as issues of racism, everyday activism as well as
empathy itself and therefore creating a scenario where it can enable this indigenous
case worker to understand as well as engage with Brad in a much one on one
manner (Markwick et al, 2014).
3. List two different organisations and explain how they can support Brad (and other
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) in social and cultural aspects. (150-200
words)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS)-This
organization has a wide control over the lives of quite a number of Aboriginal people in
Australia, it is for this reason that it can be in a position to support Brad. This
organization is primarily concerned with delivering health care and other related
services to Aboriginal and Torres Straight people of Mackay in Queensland. This
organization could be really helpful in addressing and handling the issue of Brad. This is
so because it works in partnership with the regional community as well as other health
providers. This organization ensures that all services are tailored in a way that they are
appropriate and can be accessible to everyone (Artuso, Cargo, Brown, Daniel, 2013).
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) - This organization is
one of the top Aboriginal community controlled services in the Northern Territory. This
particular organization can be In a position to help Brad as well other Aboriginal people
in Australia because it advocates for high quality primary health care services as well as
other social and cultural practices that fully meet the needs of the Aboriginal
communities in Australia.
4. Why is it important for both you and Brad to understand the plight of the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people in post colonisation of Australia? (150-200 words)
It is important that both Brad and I understand the plight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people in Australia because it is very critical especially in addressing the issue
and/or challenge that Brad is having. The plight of the Aboriginal people post the
colonial era presents a series of continuing difficulties, challenges and criticism in the
treatment of the Aboriginal people especially in Northern and Central Australia (Schultz,
2012). Understanding this create a platform with which some of the challenges that are
encountered in ensuring the well-being of the Aboriginal people are properly handled
and addressed in the best possible way. It also creates an opportunity for Brad as well
as me as the social worker to understand our position and some of the role that we
have to play for the betterment of Brad’s life and overall well-being. For Brad, this could
be even much better as it presents him with a unique opportunity to understand to
plight of some of his kind.
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