Navigating Difference
Navigating Difference is a cultural competency training for professionals who serve the general public and want to work more effectively across cultural differences. This intensive three-day workshop helps participants deepen their knowledge, build their skills, and grow their appreciation for connecting with clientele, co-workers, and community members.
This research-based training helps individuals gain the knowledge, skills and attitude to increase their own cultural competence in order to build more inclusive work environments and communities. Developed by Washington State University Extension, Navigating Difference: Cultural Competency. The goals for the training are to assist participants to:
- Become more aware of their own personal and organizational cultures;
- Examine how our personal and organizational cultures affect our ability to work across difference, in both negative and positive ways; and
- Build skills to increase competencies as we work with others who are different from us.
Navigating Difference Training
This three-day (18-hour) experiential cultural competence training uses research-based theories and frameworks with activities and discussion from participants’ own experiences. Each successive module builds on the previous one, deepening the participant’s learning. The five modules are:
- Cultural Awareness
- Cultural Understanding
- Cultural Knowledge
- Cultural Interaction
- Cultural Sensitivity
Program Takeaways
Participants completing the 3-day workshop (18 educational hours) receive a certificate of attendance. Check with your professional association to see if CEUs are available.
Included in the training are:
- Lunch, refreshments, and materials needed for each day of the workshop
- Navigating Difference: Cultural Competency Training workbook
- Intercultural Conflict Style Inventory Assessment (ICS)
Target Audiences
Navigating Difference has successfully trained Extension professionals, librarians, educators, health and social service providers, public servants, law enforcement, and public safety professionals in Indiana and beyond.
Testimonials
- “This can be a difficult topic and all three [trainers] were able to provide a great atmosphere that inspired discussion."
- “There is a meaningful purpose for this training and I needed to open (re-open) my mind to exploring cultural and privilege issues.”
- “I gained the ability to better see situations, identify cultural issues and respond more effectively."
- “Amazing! Enlightening! Every organization needs this.
To learn more about Navigating Difference please contact:
Kris Parker
Community Development Regional Educator
parkerkj@purdue.edu
Team
For more details about the Navigating Difference Training format and evaluation, refer to:
Cultural Awareness
In this interactive half-day workshop, participants explore personal and cultural values, beliefs, customs, and behaviors. Through conversation and activities, participants learn how culture shapes us, how cultures are different and similar and how we can recognize our own culture(s), including our organization’s culture. The fee per participant is $30 and includes a notebook.
Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)
Purdue Extension has several trained Qualified Administrators of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) who can administer this assessment for your team or group. This program includes a short presentation, a group report, one-on-one debrief sessions with each person completing the assessment to discuss their profile report and individual development plan.
Contact Kris Parker parkerkj@purdue.edu with inquiries about these programs.
Upcoming Events
Recent News
How effective am I at working across cultural differences? Do others see me as culturally...
Do you help lead groups to accomplish complex tasks and make participatory decisions? Whether you...
As globalization continues to chug along and the digital age continues to take hold, communities...
Eighteen staff from Purdue Extension and the College of Agriculture met at the Wright Forestry...
Hiring employees from various backgrounds, cultures and experiences leads to workplace diversity....
Members of the community came together on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday to discuss...