Cultural Competency Secrets to Success with Immigrant and Refugee Families: Spreading and Adapting 2Gen Working Practices

How can organizations ensure the services they provide are culturally competent and responsive, and what benefits do such services hold for immigrant and refugee families? This brief explores two-generation (2Gen) practices—interventions that work with both parents and children—that are rooted in cultural competence. It highlights two broad strategies that emerged from survey results, interviews, webinars, and peer advising and learning convenings: providing culturally tailored services, and recognizing and designing for cultural differences.

This brief is part of a set of four by the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group, Migration Policy Institute, and Higher Heights Consulting that explore 2Gen working practices that serve immigrant and refugee families. The others look at approaches to building trust between service providers and families, serving families with different immigration statuses, and overcoming language barriers.