Reaction Paper: Cultural Sensitivity
             It is commonly perceived that when social workers work with a client of the same race, it is in the best interest of the client; mainly because many feel that the client would feel more comfortable this way. This preconceived notion is not always true. A client could have a social worker of the same ethnic background, but have nothing else in common. For example, a social worker can be placed with a Hispanic client just because they are Hispanic also, but if one speaks Spanish and the other does not, the line of communication are closed. Another reason a connection or relationship may be hard to obtain is because when one looks into the social backgrounds of both the social worker and the client, the client tends to be less educated and in the lower class while social workers are highly educated and are in the middle class. Therefore, the client and the social worker would have to make extra efforts to find something in common so that they can build a relationship between themselves.
             In reading Chapter 15 of "Social Work: Issues and opportunities in a Challenging Profession" by DiNitto and McNeece, I gained more insight about ethnicity and culture. The chapter explains importance of cultural competence and ethnic-sensitive social work practice. According to DiNitto and McNeece, many cultural groups within the population of the United States have grown during the last two decades and will continue over the next several decades. In lieu of this, many social workers feel an obligation to improve their cultural competence. It also means they understand the importance of increased knowledge of ethnicity, cultural difference, and similarities.
             I know first hand the importance of knowing how to focus on the person that I am working with and not worry about their culture. While volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, when I help the children with their homework or playing games outside,...