Competencies and Behaviors

Instructions:

Typed a minimum of two (2) pages in length (double spaced). Field
Logs are intended to be the application of classroom knowledge to the field placement setting.
They address the core competencies and behaviors required by CSWE.

Answer the following questions:

1. Cultural competence may be understood as the development of academic and professional expertise and skills in the area of working with culturally diverse clients. The starting point is cultural self-awareness. Describe your own ethnic identify, cultural background and contact with ethnic others.
   My ethnic identity is rooted from Haitian African American heritage, and I was raised in a culturally rich and faith-centered Christian environment that emphasized resilience, community, and respect for others and hard work. Growing up, in my neighborhood I was surrounded by people from the same culture. In terms of contact with ethnic others, my experiences have been extensive. I’ve worked with individuals from Latinx, Haitian, Jamaican, and other Caribbean cultures through both community engagement and my professional work.
2. Are there specific cultures that you do not feel you have a set of skills to work with? What is your plan to address acquiring these skills?
   While I feel relatively confident working with a variety of cultural groups, I recognize that I have limited experience working with clients from Middle Eastern, Southeast Asian, and Native American backgrounds. I also have limited experience working with LGBTQ+ population.
3. Diversity at your internship site can mean working with supervisors, employees, students and clients of different genders, sexual orientations, races, cultures, religions and experiences. Describe your unique experiences and your responses to them.
   My internship site, a high school serving at-risk students, is a vibrant mix of cultures, identities, and life experiences. I have worked with students who identify as LGBTQ+, who are immigrants or children of immigrants, and who come from a wide range of racial, socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds. I’ve also worked under supervisors who have different professional perspectives and lived experiences than my own.