Cultural Competency | The Healthy City

In the modern world, professionals must possess the necessary skills and knowledge to engage with diverse communities effectively. The diversity of cities has increased significantly, with people of different ethnicities, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds living and working together. This trend has created a need for professionals to understand the unique needs and perspectives of each community. Equipping professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge is crucial for promoting social cohesion and building stronger communities. Additionally, it is critical for addressing many of the health challenges facing urban areas. Urban centers are experiencing pandemic levels of obesity, stress, mental illness, isolation, and loneliness, which disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities. To address these challenges, professionals must possess a diverse set of skills, including cultural competency, effective communication, and community engagement.

Cultural Competency

One of the essential skills that professionals must possess to engage with diverse communities is cultural competency. Cultural competency involves having an understanding of cultural beliefs, values, and norms that influence health behaviors and perceptions of health. It also involves the ability to recognize and respect cultural differences and adapt health promotion programs to meet the unique needs of each community. Cultural competency is crucial in health promotion because it helps professionals avoid cultural biases and assumptions that can negatively affect health outcomes.

Effective Communication

Effective communication is another critical skill that professionals must possess when engaging with diverse communities. Communication is a complex process that involves not only language but also nonverbal cues, tone of voice, and cultural norms. Effective communication involves the ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds using appropriate language and communication styles that reflect cultural norms and values. This skill is particularly important in health promotion because it can influence how well people understand and follow health promotion messages.

Community Engagement

Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members to identify and address health concerns. Effective community engagement involves building trust and developing relationships with community members to encourage participation in health promotion activities. Community engagement is essential in health promotion because it can help identify the unique health concerns of each community and develop culturally relevant health promotion programs.

Creating Healthy Environments

To make cities healthier, professionals must focus on creating environments that support healthy behaviors. This includes making cities easy to walk and bike in, building more housing near transit, promoting clean air, providing places for exercise, and educating residents on healthy eating. Creating healthy environments is essential in health promotion because it can influence health behaviors and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Managing Stress and Building Social Connections

In addition to creating healthy environments, professionals must also focus on helping people manage their stress and build social connections, which are critical for maintaining good mental health. Stress is a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Building social connections can help reduce stress and improve mental health outcomes. Professionals can promote stress reduction and social connections by organizing community events, providing mental health services, and developing community-based programs that support social connections.

Training in Public Engagement for Local Government to Build Up Communities

Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy offers a Professional Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement for Local Government that prepares professionals to engage with diverse communities in a meaningful and effective manner. The program provides professionals from cities, counties, and special districts; private-sector employees who serve local governments, and graduate students focused on policy with the necessary skills and knowledge to design and implement programs that address the unique needs of different communities including how to engage the public in conversations about healthy communities. The certificate includes coursework in cultural competency, effective communication, innovation in being a champion of the community, engagement, and creating an inclusive space.

Equipping professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to engage with diverse communities is critical for promoting health and social well-being in urban areas. By understanding the unique needs and perspectives of different communities, professionals can design and implement health promotion programs that are culturally relevant and effective. Through effective community engagement and communication, professionals can build trust and encourage participation in health promotion activities, making cities healthier and more resilient for all residents.