We often talk about cultural awareness among organisations and staff. Cultural competency takes that awareness to a deeper level of understanding and confidence when working within Aboriginal culture.
There are five essential elements which contribute to the ability of an organisation to become more culturally competent:
- Valuing diversity
- Having the capacity for cultural self-assessment
- Being conscious of the dynamics inherent when cultures interact
- Having institutionalised culture knowledge
- Having developed adaptations to service delivery that reflect an understanding of cultural diversity
These elements align with the Aboriginal Cultural Competency Standards for Community Housing Providers.