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Awareness of Cultural Values Can Improve VR Services for Minorities
excerpt from Point of Departure, Vol. 3, No. 1...PACER Center...Spring/Summer, 1997
"The lack of cultural competence within the VR system is often so alienating for minorities that they drop out of process, or do not seek VR services in the first place."
-Cheryl Wesley
Cheryl Wesley, director of Technical Assistance and Training for St. Johns Community Services in Washington D.C., spoke to parent trainers in February about cultural factors affecting vocational rehabilitation (VR) services.
Today's vocational rehabilitation system operates on a European cultural model, explained Wesley. Unfortunately, an increasing number of people served by the system are from cultures that "clash with the 'Euroculture' model." This has resulted in service inequities for individuals with disabilities from minority cultures.
Wesley's presentation outlined steps necessary to address these inequities:
- recognize how differing cultural values regarding "interdependence," "time," "fate," and "change" affect attitudes and work behaviors;
- use this awareness constructively to deliver improved VR services; and
- implement broad outreach and recruitment efforts that will improve the cultural competence of the VR system.
The interdependent cultural norm evident in many diverse cultures, exemplifies how social "circles of support" can work for all people with disabilities. "Minority cultures have much to offer to the disability field," Wesley said.
Patterns of inequitable treatment
Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1992, cites findings that reveal patterns of inequitable treatment of minorities in the VR process. For example, there are far fewer successful case closures for individuals from minority groups, 14 percent, as compared to majority groups, 46 percent.
Wesley reported that data also shows that minorities are placed in lower paying jobs than other consumers of VR services. According to Wesley, the lack of cultural competence within the VR system is often so alienating for minorities that they drop out of process, or do not seek VR services in the first place.
Incongruent cultural values
Within the VR system, behavior based on differing cultural values is often perceived as deficient. "Minorities are perceived as 'hard core cases'," said Wesley. As a result of conflicting cultural values, individuals are often labeled as "too dependent on families; unmotivated; lazy; or uncooperative." Likewise, families are deemed "over protective and unwilling to actively participate in rehabilitation plans."
"The most difficult culture to study is your own," Wesley told parent trainers. To help clarify key areas where alternative values conflict with majority views that are part of the present VR system, Wesley offered several comparisons:
A greater emphasis on the interdependence of relationships in many minority (i.e. non-dominant, culturally diverse, non-white) cultures results in group or family decision-making. This contrasts with a focus on the individual which is highly valued, and central to much of mainstream American culture.
Time, in many non-white cultures, is conceived of in reference to natural rhythms, and is not perceived as a measured quantity, or "commodity," which can be "wasted, or spent" as it is in the majority culture.
Individuals from minority cultures often accept that spiritual or social forces (or "fate" or "luck") are responsible for events in their lives. In the majority view, an individual must be proactive about his or her luck. "You are responsible for pulling yourself up by your bootstraps."
Change is viewed by many nondominant cultures as negative and risky, thus individuals are often fearful of change. In the majority view, change is positive and "good for you".
Different conceptions of 'time'
Differing concepts of time emerged as a particularly problematic area. Some minority cultures are not as "time oriented" as the majority culture.
In addition, it may be more time intensive for VR professionals to work with individuals from minority cultures. It takes longer to develop written assessments for individuals who do not read English, and social interactions, such as group decision-making, are often more time consuming.
Different conceptions of time cause problems for individuals from minority cultures not only within the VR system, but in employment for business which operates on "Euro" time.
Recommendations
Wesley was asked, "What can we do to get folks involved who do not have the same paradigm as we do?"
"Families must be included in the process," she responded. In addition, Wesley feels that "we must alter our focus on time. The system must accept that serving individuals from diverse cultures may be more staff intensive and more time intensive."
Wesley also told parent trainers that outreach efforts to minority groups that are based on dominant culture models must be reevaluated. "Images and graphics are more important than words in your literature," said Wesley.
She suggested that informal networking systems such as churches, beauty salons, grocery stores, bakeries, business owners, ethnic association groups, volunteers in agencies, cultural festivities and special events be utilized to market disability related services. She also recommended that community leaders be contacted for input in the design of programs and information dissemination.
"We must recognize that the leaders in a community are often informal ones," she added. In the present system an individual is served based on their disability; however, Wesley felt that cultural issues may be a more important factor than the type of disability in determining how an individual should be served within the system. Assessments must be done in the first language of the consumer if they are to be accurate, and VR counselors must know the cultural norms within which an individual will be working.
Recruit ethnic minorities
"People won't get access to the VR system if information is not available in a cultural and linguistic format appropriate to their culture," said Wesley. Involving people who are bicultural and bilingual into the service delivery system is central to developing culturally competent VR services. These individuals must be active participants on planning councils as well as providers of direct services, she added.
In order to build an inclusive workforce, VR must make connections that will enable it to recruit young people into the field of vocational rehabilitation. Wesley cited programs authorized by Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act that are involving historically black colleges in the preparation of young people for careers in human services as a step in the right direction.
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