In college, I spent some time as an exchange student in Ghana (West Africa).
Culturally, it was VERY different than my upbringing in suburban America:
- My roommate had two wives.
- Unaware that tipping didn’t exist there, I left a tip at a restaurant in my first week. The server ran after me to return the money I had “accidentally left on the table.”
- I learned the hard way not to use your left hand for passing someone money. (Historically, in a pre-toilet paper society the left hand had only one use. Even after the advent of toilet paper, the taboo remained).
The American students approached the cultural differences in unique ways:
- Some students made fun of customs that made no sense to them.
- Some students talked about how much better Ghanian culture was than American.
- Some students said things like “There aren’t any real differences. We’re all human.”
How Humans Evolve In Cultural Understanding
Dr. Milton J. Bennett developed a model of the six stages people go through in learning about different cultures.
For simplicity, I have collapsed it down to three:
LEVEL 1 (BIGOTRY) – In this stage, differences between cultures are stereotyped and judged. Your own culture is held up as the best (or, alternatively, the worst).
LEVEL 2 (SYMPATHY) – In this stage, diversity of cultures is ignored. People in this stage “don’t see race” and emphasize that “we’re all the same.”
LEVEL 3 (EMPATHY) – In this stage, differences and diversity are appreciated and understood. Different groups can be “different, not better or worse, just different.”
How this Applies to Homelessness
Obviously, different geographic countries can have unique cultures. So can different socio-economic groups in the same country.
Many (probably most) individuals suffering from chronic homelessness were raised in intergenerational poverty. That means their parents were poor. Their grandparents were poor. Their great-grandparents were poor, and so on.
There are unique cultural aspects for individuals raised in intercultural poverty.
Many individuals working in nonprofits and government were raised in middle-class homes.
There are unique cultural aspects for individuals raised in the middle class.
There can be a “clash” between these cultures. Employees generally approach this in one of three ways:
- “Homeless folks do dumb stuff that keeps them poor.” – STAGE 1: BIGOTRY
- “There are no differences. We’re all alike. We are all humans!” – STAGE 2: SYMPATHY
- “There are some differences that I need to be aware of so I can serve my clients better. It doesn’t make them better or worse, but there are real differences.” – STAGE 3: EMPATHY
Help your staff get to stage 3. That is when they become REALLY effective.
Do accept, though, that they may have to go through stage 2 to get there if they start at stage 1.
Have a great week!
Peace,
Ryan