Attitude or skills? Cultural competence development within an Aotearoa New Zealand bicultural framework

INTRODUCTION: Cultural competence is one of the most widely used approaches to cross- cultural practice among health and social care professions, including work. Following professional code ethics, workers must be competent in working with people across cultures. As a result, work education has sought teach students prepare them become culturally competent. The popular model which includes three components awareness, knowledge, skills often measure students’ capability cross-cultural situations. an underlying premise that competency can achieved through training. However, there insufficient evidence (or each component isolation) will improve practitioners’ competence. METHODS: This article reports on qualitative study. Qualitative research offers versatile methods exploring gathering information about participants’ educational learning experiences analysing their application its into practice. FINDINGS: study found enhancing practitioners negotiate differences Aotearoa New Zealand content biculturalism played pivotal role valuing foster. safety calls forth recognition others being more other-oriented, encompassing humility. A receptive attitude toward difference by-product for IMPLICATIONS: result strengthens support integration humility teaching education.