Lesson 9: APPLIED HELPING SKILLS

Objectives
To understand cross-cultural considerations
To learn the 4-S Transition Model

Cross-Cultural Considerations

You read a bit about working with other cultures in Lesson 6. We will now consider the milieu of cultural diversity issues as you approach working with a client whose cultural background is different from your own. Locke and Parker (1994) identify five areas of cultural assumptions and values that we believe to be important for CDFs to keep in mind as you work with individuals.

Think about examples from your own life and the lives of those you know and serve as you read these descriptions. Be careful not to stereotype a racial, ethnic, gender, or other group. The purpose of this text is to expand your awareness of differences, not to discover set categories of attitudes.

Think for a moment about how various people approach activity. Think about how important life goals are to those you know and serve. Think about who makes decisions in the person's life. How does he/she problem-solve?

You may see goals as critical to success, and your clients may not see goals as critical; research may be your preferred mode of career and life problem solving, and trial-and-error could be the preferred mode for your clients.

How do you define roles? How do you and those you serve relate to those whose social status is different? How do you each define sex roles, friendship?

You may see friendship as secondary to personal achievement, but your clients might view it the opposite way; you might view all jobs as open to men and women, and your clients might feel very strongly about gender-appropriate jobs.

What is the achievement orientation of your and your client's culture? Is cooperation or competition emphasized?

You might see achievement as an important determinant of self-worth, and your client might only be able to see achievement as a great and overwhelming challenge and not an opportunity. She/he may just need to focus on making it until the next week; you might see cooperation as the only fair way to act, and your client might see competition as the "way to succeed in the United States."

What are your predominant world views? What are your predominant views on human nature? What are your predominant views on the nature of truth? How do you each define time? What do you each believe about the nature of property?

Maybe you care a lot about promptness, others may see time more flexibly; you might see truth as changeable depending on the circumstances, others may see it as absolute.

How do you each define "self"? Where is your identity determined? What do you each believe is the nature of the individual? What kinds of persons do you value and respect?

You might believe that each individual is unique and separate from all other individuals, others might believe that individuals are only important in how they relate to their extended family; you might value ambitious, hard-working people, others might value loyalty to the group over all others.

Never assume that others share your values, perceptions, etc. or that yours are superior.  Stay conscious that you are trying to facilitate career development within your client’s cultural context.

Trends Related to Workplace Diversity

Our diversity is our destiny.  Recognizing and capitalizing on that may be our greatest challenge and opportunity.  The US Department of Labor’s 1999 Labor Day report entitled “Futurework” describes key changes in workplace diversity and suggests workplace adjustments.  These changes include:

1. One of two Americans will soon be a member of what today is considered a minority group.

2. Wage gaps between the sexes and races are narrowing.  African-American and Latino women are only 65 and 55 percent, respectively, of white men.  The earnings of all employers must adjust to changing norms and expectations.

3.  White women earn only 75% of men.  The difference in skills and experience do not explain the differences.

4. Unemployed African-American men are twice the number of white men.  Their unemployed rate nationally is still averaging 25% or higher.

5. Three out of four working-age adults with disabilities are not working.

6. Half the Native American workforce is unemployed.

We must track and understand these trends as we serve both youth and adults in transition.

The 4-S Transition Model

Life is characterized by change and on-going series’ of transitions.  The impact of change varies based upon many factors.  Success may be more related to the ability of an individual to cope with transition than on other life qualities or characteristics.  Transition models focus upon the point in time of change versus the life span of the person.  They also focus on factors that influence coping rather than on the outcomes.

Assessment is a central component in many facilitators' work. In this lesson we will focus on assessing individuals in transition. A transition is defined as an event or non-event leading to change. We will be using Nancy Schlossberg's (1984) transition model as a guide in assessing a client's balance of resources and deficits. This model suggests that there are four arenas that determine a person's ability to cope with a transition in which each individual transition is unique; even when the transition is the same; the individual will bring to that transition a different set of assets and liabilities. See pages 25-26 in your CDF Training Manual for a summary of this model.

    • Think about some transitions you have lived through, maybe: divorce, job loss, a promotion, getting married, realizing or deciding that you will never have children.

Then reflect upon the following:

a. Characteristics of the Situation:

Each individual has a unique situation. CDFs will gain a greater understanding of their clients' situations by assessing the following elements:

    • Trigger: What has triggered the transition? For example, did the client quit a job or get fired? Did a health problem lead to a lay-off?
    • Timing: Does the transition relate to the social clock? Were clients forcibly retired before they were ready? Is someone looking for a job for the first time at the age of 60? Did a spouse die when the client was only 30?
    • Duration: Is it viewed as permanent or temporary? Will a health problem improve? Does the client expect to be called back to work?
    • Previous experience with a similar transition: How has the individual met similar transitions? Has your client weathered other transitions successfully? Or have the others led to an ever-increasing sense of hopelessness?
    • Concurrent stress: What and how great are the stresses--or are there any? Does the person have other problems such as a seriously ill child or parent? Are there people in the client's life making the transition harder by casting blame?
    • Assessment: Does the individual view the situation positively, negatively, or as benign? Do your clients see this transition as an opportunity to improve their lives? Do they see it as a devastating blow?

b. Characteristics of the Self:

    • Salience of work: How important is work in the lives of clients? Do they care about the work content or solely about the paycheck? How closely is their identity tied to what they do?
    • Balance of work, school, family, leisure, community, or religious activity.
    • Closely allied to salience, this dimension looks at how the individual balances the competing demands on their time and in their lives.
    • Resilience or adaptability: Also called flexibility, this dimension looks at how well people are equipped to change--emotionally, intellectually, and practically. Are they willing to retrain? To start at the beginning again? To change some self-defeating habits?
    • Self-efficacy beliefs of clients: Do clients believe that what they do makes a difference? Do they have enough self-confidence or self-esteem to tackle challenges?
    • Meaning-making: How do clients find meaning in their lives? Do they want work to be a part of that meaning-making? Do they have a mission? (For example, former drug users might want to work with addicts to share the growth they have experienced.)

c. Characteristics of Supports:

Goodman and Hoppin (1990) identified some support needs particularly identified with work transitions. They included:

    • Feeling positive about yourself, provided by people who like you and know what you can do
    • Encouragement, provided by people who expect you to succeed, can give you positive direction, and have an optimistic outlook
    • Information, provided by people, books, and resource materials regarding job search techniques, employers and job openings
    • Referrals, provided by people and agencies who know of help for laid-off or unemployed people, such as health care or financial support
    • Door-openers, provided by people who are willing to make contacts for you
    • Practical help, provided by people who will baby-sit, loan money, provide transportation, or type a letter or resume

Note here that the support systems of people from other cultures may be quite different.

d. Characteristics of Strategies:

The goal of this part of the transition model is to discover what strategies clients are currently using, in order to help them expand their repertoire, and not waste time or imply disrespect by re-teaching strategies already in use. Clients' coping strategies may fall into one of the three different categories (Pearlin and Schooner, 1978).

    • Responses that modify the situation, such as job hunting, getting additional training
    • Responses that change the meaning of the problem, such as seeing the job loss as an opportunity to find more fulfilling work
    • Responses that help to manage stress after it has occurred, such as relaxation or exercise

Schlossberg suggests that the severity of the transition can be measured and controlled by analyzing and working with the situation, “self”, supports, and success strategies of the individual.  Gathering the above information during the intake or assessment interview can help both you and your client take stock for the action plan based on client strengths and weaknesses.

Check these links:

http:/www.dol.gov/dol/asp/public/futurework/welcome.html

http://www.unb.ca/web/che/Recruitment/jobhunt/tsld005.htm

http://www.retire.doleta.gov/opmctap/ntsb.htm

Assignment:

 

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Please e-mail Susan Roudebush if you have any comments.
Updated January 3, 2002
Copyright 2002 Susan Roudebush