The Subtle Differences Series
Yolanda Y. Goode, UF/IFAS Extension-Gadsden County 4-H, Agent
Recently, I had the privilege to attend a national training conducted by Washington State University called Navigating the Differences. I have discovered that we learn best when things are broken down in smaller chunks. I will be sharing some nuggets from this training through a series of articles. I hope you find the articles useful and enlightening.
The overarching goal of the program is to help people who work with others become culturally competent. No magic pill exists that will make us instantly competent. We have to be willing to engage and grow through the process.
Topic: Diversity
When most people hear or read the word diversity, they automatically think of race and gender. Some may think of social economic status or religion. Washington State University Extension defines diversity as “the differences among people with respect to age, socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, spiritual practices, and other human differences.”
The training challenged me in my thinking in many ways. One of my “aha” moments was when it was shared that there are more differences within a cultural group that between groups. You may question this statement so here is your first challenge: Look up the Diversity Wheel. You will find several models out there but the one shared with us during the training was adapted from Gardenswartz and Rowe, 2003.
Next phase of your challenge is to look at your group and examine the following: age, gender, income, physical capacity, health status, beliefs, meal practices, size, height, educational background, and hobbies. These are just a few areas, but I am sure you will discover more if you have looked up a diversity wheel model.
One more thing I discovered from the training is that transformation is an inward-out process versus an outward-in process. In my next article, I will talk about culture and cultural competency and begin working our way outward.
For additional reading:
Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022
Building Coalitions: Working with Diverse Cultures http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy508
Getting Engaged: Program and Event Planning for Clients with Diverse Abilities http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc299
The Foundation for The Gator Nation: An Equal Opportunity Institution
