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Module III - B
Team Time-Exploring the Diversity of Our Community

Major Sections

I. Discussion: Exploring Diversity in Our Community Day and Time
Purpose Learning Objectives
Linkages with Preceding and Following Sessions Equipment, Materials, and Supplies
Materials in Participant Manuals Room Setup
Predelivery Preparation Trainer Resources

Day and Time

Day 3, Wednesday, 11:00 a.m.-noon (1 hour)


Purpose

The purpose of this unit is to give participants an opportunity to process the previous unit. In so doing, they move from exploring personal reactions toward cultural issues to recommending ways in which their partnership can move towards cultural competence.


Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  1. Make recommendations on how their partnership can value and include diverse groups within its community in its work.

Linkages with Preceding and Following Sessions

This is a transitional unit that helps participants to move beyond the focus on personal reactions to diversity, which dominated Unit 3A, and to prepare for discussions of the role of cultural issues in comprehensive community planning, which will be the subject of Unit 3C.


Equipment, Materials, and Supplies Needed


Materials in Participant Manuals


Room Setup

Same as team time.


Predelivery Preparation

Prepare PN-1 and PN-2 as listed above.


Trainer Resources

See Unit 3A.


I. Discussion: Exploring Diversity in Our Community (Small Group Discussion, 60 min.)

Directions

A. There are several options for structuring this session. The appropriate option depends on the needs of the team and the partnership's history regarding cultural issues.

  1. The first option is to continue to process the discussion started in Unit 3A. Participants can share reactions to that session and discuss ways in which the partnership can become more culturally competent.

  2. Another option is to spend time using the cultural awareness model to map out strategies for each level for the partnership (HO-1 and PN-1: Cultural Awareness Model).

  3. Third, the model developed by Milton J. Bennett- can be presented and discussed. Participants can be asked to assess where they personally see themselves on the scale. When considering this option, please note this scale was designed to be used by trainers to assess what kind of training would be appropriate for a group to increase its cultural competence. It may be difficult for a team with a high number of members at the earlier stages to see the scale as relevant or useful. For such teams, the model may create unhealthy resistance (HO-2 and PN-2: Continuum of Cultural Sensitivity).

  4. Fourth, HO-3 can be used to help team members to explore what cultural groups exist in their community and to compare the results of this assessment with levels of membership in the partnership. They can then look at developing strategies for including community groups that are not currently a part of the partnership (HO-3: Exploring the Sociocultural Make-up of a Community).

B. Regardless of the option chosen, the objective of this team time is to help the team move from exploring cultural diversity on a personal level to considering implications of diversity for the partnership.