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Valuing diversity: guidance for labour market integration of migrants

(a) indigenisation: adapting theoretical models and connected methodologies
(Savickas, 2003; Leung, 2008; Leong, 2011; Laungani, 2005) to the cultural
characteristics of the target groups by:
(i) testing cultural validity and limiting the application of counselling
methodologies accordingly;
(ii) generating new career constructs (different life-roles, salience
structures, notions of maturity) which can make current methods more
indigenous for client groups;
(b) assessing and developing the cross-cultural competences of practitioners in
their application of counselling methods (Sue et al., 1992; 1996; Nissilä and
Lairio, 2005; Arthur, 2006; Arredondo et al., 1996). Self-assessment
exercises can help practitioners become aware of their culturally-based
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assumptions, valuations and stereotypes. Training sessions are promoted ( )
to develop cross-cultural skills: these may cover issues such as helping
overcome linguistic barriers, maintaining a genuine, interested and ethical
attitude, identifying and avoiding non-verbal signs which are not easily
recognisable by immigrants. This type of methodology can also help to
analyse the activities developed in guidance processes by assessing the
degree of cultural bias of the instruments used.

While the discussion around indigenous models is mostly theoretical and
slower in its development, the discussion around multicultural competences,
although related to the former, is more practically oriented and can be enacted
more easily.
Competences frequently considered important in multicultural counselling
include (Sue et al., 1992; Arredondo et al., 1996; Launikari et al., 2005):
(a) self-awareness: awareness of own assumptions, values, biases and
feelings;
(b) sensitivity to and knowledge of the worldview of people from different
cultures;
(c) ability to implement the appropriate interventions and techniques;
(d) ability to establish an authentic counselling relationship;
(e) ethical sense.
The literature suggests several options to develop these competences:

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( ) One interesting example is the ‘feel like a migrant’ (FLAM) project (2010).
http://www.flam-project.eu/index.php?id=5 [accessed 18.3.2014].

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