May 6 - 8, 2002
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Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services
to Persons Born in other Countries May 6 - 8, 2002 |
Increasing outreach effectiveness to foreign-born consumers through culture brokering
Moffat, M.
Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Independent Living Management
Buffalo, New York USA
mmoffat@ilm.wnyilp.org
Abstract
Independent Living Centers (ILCs) are faced with the challenge of outreach to un-served or underserved populations within their communities, which include minorities and foreign-born individuals with disabilities. Research has shown tha t foreign-born persons from various cultures view disability differently from one another as well as from American born minorities. ILC staff function as brokers, linking consumers with community services. The independent living philoso phy, the basis for ILC staff interaction with their participants and the community, can be a barrier to providing services to foreign-born individuals. Differences between the independent living values and belief systems, and those of f oreign-born individuals with disabilities, can create a culture gap that must be overcome for successful outreach to be achieved. Culture Brokering is a tool for bridging that gap. Through partnership between the Rehabilitation Research and Training Cente r on Independent Living Management and CIRRIE, the Culture Brokering model has been adapted to the independent living setting. This session will highlight those differences, and present a tutorial in Culture Brokering for independent li ving center staff.