A Conceptual Framework For culturally Competent career Counseling

A Conceptual Framework For culturally Competent career Counseling

Career Counseling Diverse Populations • The growing number of clients from culturally diverse backgrounds is one of the most challenging issues facing career-counseling professionals. • Career counselors must provide services that help people make career decisions during changing demographics and social dynamics of the 21 st century. • The attempt to promote career development among culturally diverse clients as it relates to career exploration causes growing conflict and frustration.

Example: Asian Americans • 80% of Asian Americans are in college 2 years after high school- education is viewed as a vehicle to mobility • Family structure-education is tied to values of the home • Might prematurely constrict choices based on prestige and ignore variables such as interest and aptitude • May place emphasis on extrinsic values: money, stability, and security • Parents seem to have a greater impact on their children than other majority groups.

Foundational Dimension • Self Awareness: the individual must be anchored in his/her own cultural realities and understand how they shape the attitudes and beliefs of people from different cultural backgrounds • Global literacy: refers to the knowledge base that culturally competent individuals should possess about the interconnected world • Incorporate foundational career counseling practices into culturally diverse concepts and approaches to career counseling

Multicultural Dimension • Multicultural Counseling Theoretical knowledge base: counselors should have a knowledge base that includes culturally diverse ideas from which to plan, implement, and evaluate services in a cross-cultural context. • Cross Cultural Encounters: Multicultural competency depends on one’s ability to acquire working knowledge and information about the histories, experiences, customs, and values of culturally diverse groups • Cross Cultural Counseling Skill Development: Career counselors should develop a repertoire of strategies and skills to meet clients where they are despite obvious cultural gaps.

Discussion of Handout

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