IPS is a leader in the cultural competency field based upon the unique capacity to measure, track and improve cultural competencies for organisations. The cornerstone of this is a number of psychometrically based tools that have determined the predictors of cultural competence for the first time in Australia based on the research of Westerman (2003). This has been an essential component to achieving outcomes for our clients that instil the notion that cultural competence is not only definable, but measurable and capable of improvement.
IPS has developed THREE objective and normed tests of cultural competency including:
- Aboriginal Mental Health Cultural Competency Profile (CCP);
- The General Cultural Competency Profile (GCCP: 2003) and;
- The Cultural Competency – Child Protection (CCP-CP)
Essentially individuals complete an online ‘test’ of cultural competence which takes around 20 minutes. Once the online test has been undertaken, participants are provided with an individual profile of strengths and limitations. This profile provides individual feedback in a form that enables the development of cultural skills over time to ensure that cultural competence, is a long term and consistent focus for each participant. As these tools have all been normed Australia wide participants are provided with feedback ‘in comparison’ to others working in the field across every area of cultural competence. It also provides practical strategies to improve their current levels of competence. The profile reports are around 11 pages in length and are comprehensive. An example can be found here:
The Organisational Cultural Competency Testing & Analysis involves the following activities:
- Testing of the Cultural Competencies of staff at any set number considered appropriate by the client (IPS will also be available to suggest sampling numbers),
- Generation of cultural competency profile reports individual staff members
- Statistical analysis of the Cultural Competencies of staff across the domains and subdomains of cultural competency. The value in that it provides a unique opportunity to ‘track’ organisational development of cultural competencies over time. The cultural competency tools test cultural competencies and are measurable and objective. They can therefore be used as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) upon which to gauge improvements in cultural competencies over time within the organisation. IPS is able to undertake annual trend analyses for organisations. They are also able to develop Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) that enable a measurable, trackable outcome against other internal client outcome data that is captured by the organisation,
- Analysis of the outcomes of the organisational cultural competencies as determined by Activity 3 above is then analysed by IPS. The organisation is then provided with a comprehensive report which provides clear direction regarding the ongoing development of cultural competencies specific to the testing of staff and organisational needs.