Modelling cultural safety

An essential step in developing cultural competency and promoting cultural safety is to develop reflexivity and self-awareness in your professional practice. Particularly in relation to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we must carefully reflect on our cultural identity and how that impact on the dynamic in service relationship, subsequently the perceived safety of our clients engaging in the service. Whilst we all have a natural tendency to develop cultural biases – where we interpret others’ behaviours or situations based on own cultural assumptions – it is important that we proactively seek awareness of these biases and address them without jeopardising clients’ safety.

Such critical reflection is equally important for practitioners who are part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as well as non-indigenous practitioners. Nevertheless, many non-Indigenous Australians are privileged to have not had to endure racism and discrimination in the same way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced them. For non-Indigenous workers, understanding and recognising the potential power imbalances between you and your clients is critical.

A worker’s sense of self is important in determining how their personal values are enacted with the clients they engage with. Effective workers are aware of how their personal value system can affect their practice, and are proactive about monitoring when conflicts in value may interfere with their work. Counselling and community services practice that is grounded in self-awareness refers to the worker’s capacity for awareness of their own feelings, thoughts and behaviours – and the root of or basis for those feelings, thought and behaviours – in the immediate experience of the worker-client relationship.

When trying to determine whether your work practices are grounded in self-awareness, ask yourself the following questions:

• Where are my decisions coming from?
• What is it about myself that that influences the decisions I am making in my work with this client?
• What do I need to understand or change about myself in order to make decisions that are more aligned to the needs of the client?
• Has my client’s values and beliefs contributed to this decision/action? In what ways?
• Does my client believe that this decision/action is relevant to their needs as they define them?

Supervision is a critical ingredient to grounding work practices in strong self-awareness. Your supervisor or manager can talk with you to explore your decision-making with clients and your reactions to peoples’ stories and situations to help you determine whether your practice is rooted in self-awareness and free of personal and/or cultural bias. By constantly asking yourself questions to improve your self-awareness, you will be a more reflexive and ethical worker.

Reflexivity is the process of reflecting not only on your own, but also other’s cultures in your work and is a critical ingredient of ethical helping practice. Reflective practitioners have strong self-awareness, understand how they engage with people from other cultures, realise that their assumptions about social issues and the people who experience those issues have ethical and practical consequences for their work practice, and constantly challenge their personal practice, knowledge and assumptions to reduce the potential for bias and increase cultural safety in their work and the work of their organisation.

KNOWLEDGE CHECK

As a support services worker, it will be important for you to be able to develop effective relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and families. In addition to the historical issues that may affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ engagement in services, there are some important cultural differences that may influence communication and professional relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and their families.

These include:

• Concepts and roles of family. The concept of family in many Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities encompasses more than the immediate family, often including extended family and kin-based networks. When working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, you may need to consider involving both immediate family and wider family systems in the work you do together.
• Communication practices. While communication practices vary among communities, in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures looking a person directly in the eyes can be considered disrespectful, as can pointing to a person when trying to emphasise a point. Similarly, the respectful practices surrounding questioning can be quite different to ‘mainstream’ Australian society in that it is often more appropriate to ask indirect questions than direct ones and many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may not respond to questions where the answer is already known. Additionally, some clients may require an interpreter to be present so that they can express themselves in their native language, though this must not be assumed.
• Silence. Nonverbal communication is a significant part of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. During conversation, there may be more silence than non-Indigenous people are used to. It is important to remember that if an Aboriginal client is silent, it does not necessarily mean that they do not understand what you have said or a question you have asked; rather they may be listening, thinking, or taking a non-committal position. A client may also be trying to determine whether they feel they can trust you before offering their opinion.
• Time. There is often a conflict between the non-Indigenous attitude towards time and the observance of time and measurement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. For example, while a counselling/community services organisation may arrange for an appointment at a set time, it would not be uncommon in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for the individual or family to attend at a later time because they do not have the same views on structured times and schedules.
• Men’s Business and Women’s Business. In some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities there are particular health and social issues that are classified as either men’s or women’s business. This means that in certain situations, it is necessary to have a gender-matched client and worker. For example, sexual health issues or concerns fall into this category. If a male Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander client has a sexual health concern, he may only feel comfortable discussing this concern with a male worker.
• Appearance. The way that a service looks – the physical appearance of the building – can affect whether an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander client will feel comfortable accessing the service, especially if the service is located in a rural or remote community with a low population, as is the case in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The level of privacy available, such as the style of windows and doors, or closed off areas can impact an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person’s comfort in accessing the service. Some tips for cultural safety include:
  • Ensure that the signs both outside and inside the office are appropriate and/or discreet.
  • Provide alternative waiting areas in discreet locations.
  • Always consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and/or Elders to establish cultural needs (e.g., artwork, posters, pamphlets, or signage).
• Art and Spirituality. As is true of most cultures around the world, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians often express themselves through art – including song and dance – and spiritual ceremonies. Indigenous people may use artistic expression such as body painting, wood carving, engraving, and body movement to demonstrate their relationship to the land, to others in their community, and to their ancestors. Workers who do not share the culture of their clients should consult or collaborate with family, other community members, or Elders before incorporating these types of expression into their work with clients.

Just like there is diversity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians, there is much diversity within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is important that workers do not make assumptions. Ask about the role culture plays in shaping a client’s identity, and how they would like to incorporate culture into your work together. As a support services worker, it is your role and the role of your organisation to empower clients to make decisions about their work with you and what they need from you to best support them.

When you are planning services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, it is important to consider the suitability of each service for the person’s cultural needs. In some situations, it may be helpful to offer to link the client with services and programs that are more representative of the client’s cultural needs. However, it is important to not simply assume that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients won’t benefit from your service or program. When assessing suitability you might choose to discuss your ideas with other professionals who are experienced in working with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. Additionally, you might choose to have a conversation with the client and let them decide. In most cases, the best approach for non-Indigenous workers is to have a genuine respect for culture and self-determination and implement this respect into all workplace practices.

KNOWLEDGE CHECK

The use of appropriate communication techniques is important for demonstrating respect for the client, and can help a client feel at ease in what may be an uncomfortable situation.

When working with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person with disability, remember to always be guided by the person to inform your understanding of their disability. 

There are many aspects of communication – including verbal and nonverbal cues – that need to be taken into account when working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. The following table highlights key areas of communication with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and discusses some considerations for respectful cross-cultural communication.

Support services workers engage with clients from all kinds of diverse backgrounds, to accomplish all kinds of diverse goals and objectives. Keep these tips for effective communication in mind when engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, but remember, these tips are effective when working with other clients as well.

Here are some tips for effective communication:

• Remain open and honest.
• Make sure there is sufficient time so that the clients do not feel rushed in your work together.
• Avoid using professional language and/or jargon.
• Check-back to make sure the clients has understood what you have said.
• Acknowledge differences.
• Be patient.
• Allow the client to have a member of their family or extended kin present if desired.
• Simplify forms or written materials as much as possible.

In certain situations, there may still be language barriers or cultural barriers despite the best effort in using respectful communication practices. It can be helpful to engage with a cultural broker to remove or reduce access barriers and promote positive outcomes for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander clients.

Engaging with Cultural Brokers

Working with cultural brokers can improve service outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Essentially, a cultural broker acts like a bridge in-between two cultures, and facilitate the interaction between service provider and the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities. They are typically an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who has an understanding of the practices, values, and world views of both sides – they may be someone within or external to your organisation. Cultural brokers can help workers to gain an understanding of family commitments, the role of local Elders, the subtleties of men’s business and women’s business, and negotiate the sometimes complex matrix of cross-cultural community services work practice.

Depending on the context, cultural brokers can act in a variety of roles, each with slightly different goals for service implementation. These roles include acting as a liaison, a cultural guide, a mediator, and as a catalyst for change. We will explore each of these roles below:

• Cultural broker as a liaison: When in the role of liaison, a cultural broker must have knowledge of both the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities and culture, as well as the community services system in which they are working within. A cultural broker can help bridge the service barriers between local communities and community services service organisations.
• Cultural broker as a cultural guide: The role of a cultural guide is to support both clients and the community services organisation better understand each other’s cultures. A cultural guide can work with the organisation to develop programs and materials that are relevant to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in the community, including offering language translation and support in developing advertisements and educational materials that are consistent with the needs of the local communities.
• Cultural broker as a mediator: “Cultural brokers can help to ease the historical and inherent distrust that many racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse communities have toward [community services organisations]” (Fertman, Delgado & Tarasevich, 2014, p. 241). When acting in the role of mediators, cultural brokers are able to promote trust in the client-worker relationship and reinforce the importance of participating in services within a framework of cultural safety.
• Cultural broker as a catalyst for change: A cultural broker is often a catalyst for change, as they work to create transformation within community services work practice by promoting inclusive and collaborative environments. Cultural brokers can act as role models and demonstrate to clients and workers alike how to overcome bias in the helping relationship.

The role of cultural broker can be taken by many people, including a cultural language interpreter or a colleague who is from the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background. However, when seeking a cultural broker to support your work practice, there are a few characteristics of effective cultural brokers to keep in mind:

• A cultural broker must have the respect and trust of the community.
• A cultural broker must have knowledge of the values, beliefs and traditional practices the local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities.
• A cultural broker must have experience and/or knowledge of the services or programs for which they will be engaging as brokers.
• A cultural broker must be knowledgeable of any cultural differences between the client, the worker, and the community services work organisation, and be respectful of this diversity.

Cultural brokerage has the potential to overcome many barriers Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people experience when accessing services and/or programs from support services workers and their organisations. Working with a cultural broker can support and enhance your practice and organisational commitments to cultural safety, cultural competency, and effective cross-cultural communication.

KNOWLEDGE CHECK

When working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and colleagues, it is important that you implement strategies to ensure that your individual approach upholds the principles of cultural safety – this is true when working with anyone of any culture that is different from your own. You may not need to know everything about their culture; however, you should bring the right attitude – non-judgmental and respectful – to any interactions with others. Taking a ‘not-knowing’ stance can be useful, and be prepared to listen and learn from one another.

Some of the most crucial elements of promoting cultural safety in your own approach to practice include:

• Self-awareness of how your culture may affect your beliefs and values, and how these beliefs and values might influence your work. Make sure that your own cultural values and biases do not negatively impact on the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples you work with (e.g., racism, assumptions, prejudices).
• A general understanding of the history and cultural diversity of Australia’s First Nation populations. Particularly, acknowledgement of the impacts of colonisation, systemic power imbalance, and a range of social, political and economic factors affecting the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Establish a collaborative working relationship with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, preferably Elders, to participate in the development and implementation of your services and/or programs, focusing on promoting self-determination of the communities.
• Contribute to a culturally safe working environment that support the rights and dignity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and clients.

The list below highlights some other key strategies for promoting cultural safety in your own work practice:

• Deliver your services in a creative and flexible manner that can adapt to the changing needs of clients. Flexibility also includes where you implement your program or service (e.g., within the home or at a park rather than the organisation). Look for ways to engage with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in more informal settings.
• Connect with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples to get involved in planning and implementing your service with you.
• Keep any costs associated with your program or service to a minimum.
• Conduct programs with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in their local language if the client requests this, or have interpreters that can present information in the first language of the client.
• Make sure that Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples see positive identifiers of themselves in your services (e.g., artwork, advertisements, snacks provided in groups, etc.).
• Consult and involve family and extended kin networks when appropriate.
• Invite Elders to participate in program planning, delivery, and evaluation.

It is important to embrace the spirit of reconciliation in your work with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. One of the ways to accomplish this is through recognition of the deep and powerful relationship First Nations people have to their lands and a recognition of the loss of land they have experienced. A formal recognition of the traditional owners of the land demonstrates respect, helps to create an environment of cultural safety, and can promote collaborative relationships and partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. One way to incorporate this in your work practice is through an Acknowledgement of Country ceremony at the opening or first session of a program or during any official meetings.

To be confident that your approach is firmly embedded in the principles of cultural safety, you must ensure that both your organisational and personal practices are consistent with the safety needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The most important thing to remember is that this cannot be accomplished without cooperative and collaborative relationships and meaningful engagement with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples themselves. We will explore this further in the last section.

KNOWLEDGE CHECK

This topic introduced you to a range of critical concepts and skills relevant to modelling cultural safety in your own practice. Particularly, you learned about the importance of self-awareness and reflective practice in identifying cultural bias and any other issues that may impede effective working relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and colleagues. You also learned about communication skills and practices that are important to addressing communication barriers and developing respectful relationships.

Fertman, C. I., Delgado, M. M., & Tarasevich, S. L. (2014). Promoting child and adolescent mental health. Jones & Barlett Learning.

Cultural Capability Enablers’ Network. (2016). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural capability: Respectful language guide. https://www.cofc.com.au/CofCQ/media/publications/Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Cultural_Capability_Respectful_Language_Guide.pdf

Walker, R., Schultz, C., & Sonn, C. (2014). Cultural competence – Transforming policy, services, programs and practice. In Working together aboriginal and wellbeing (2nd ed.) (pp.195-220).