You are the program manager in a human service agency that has a number of different programs with different goals and objectives—all centered around self-sufficiency. This year your director tells the whole staff that their funding sources—governmental, private foundations and your parent organization—have all required evidence of the agency’s programs reaching diverse populations matched to the demographics of your community, show evidence that funds from your budget are allocated to address the specific needs of each population AND show evidence that every staff person has been trained in cultural competency. So, first you and your staff… Create a scenario of the steps you would take to meet the funder’s requirements for service to diverse populations, fund allocation, and

Question

the entire program staff has been trained in cultural competency.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: First divide the program staff into groups to 1) search for the demographics of the community, 2) research the peer-reviewed literature to understand how human service agencies have prepared a plan to reach and serve diverse populations and train staff in cultural competency, 3) the groups all come together for an extended retreat to share findings on community demographics, the literature review, report and brainstorm barriers to how you serve, do outreach, and re-design your services for each of the populations in your community, and 4) assign a cultural competency training to each staff member to be completed within the month. Prepare a program report to present to the agency director outlining your findings and plan for the future to be included in the funding requests.