Creating a Welcoming Environment Through Cultural Competency Training

Womansplace Crisis Center is committed to working toward the elimination of violence against women, children and men through direct services, education and social activism. The center provides services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in English, Spanish, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole and Portuguese. When Wendy Garf-Lipp joined Womansplace as program director, she became part of a multicultural, multilingual staff serving diverse clients. While the center served many clients in their own languages, GarfLipp felt there was more the center could do to truly help clients feel welcome. 'When a client who didn't speak English walked in, the person at the desk would often go running to find a bilingual counselor.? Garf-Lipp said. ?This did not help our clients, who are often in distress, feel at ease.' Tensions among coworkers also existed. In the spring of 2009, Womansplace volunteered to become a pilot site for MakingCLAS Happen: Six Areas for Action, a manual developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. To explore challenges and develop strategies to increase cultural competence, Garf-Lipp began by forming a CLAS Committee. What began as a small group, made up of mostly multilingual counselors, has expanded to include staff members of all backgrounds. The CLAS Committee meets regularly to assess progress and make adjustments. Womansplace staff has found it takes constant adapting to serve the changing needs of clients.