FCS Agent Only Resources

Latino Cultural Reality Workshop is a simulation designed to assist non-Latino community educators and health care providers experience navigating through a health care system where one’s native language is not spoken – in this case, Spanish. Targeted toward English-speaking health-related workers, the experience helps to develop empathy for the Spanish-speaking clientele who try to access services in an English-speaking country. Participants leave the experience motivated to make changes in the way they relate to non-English speakers in their workplace.

Background About the Development of the Workshop

This program was developed in response to the lack of cultural and linguistic competencies experienced by health professionals and community educators in Bedford and Coffee Counties. Several United States Department of Agriculture grants (Fund for Rural America and Children, Youth, Families at Risk in New Communities) obtained by faculty with the University of Tennessee Extension provided the funding for the resources needed to develop and pilot test the program. Developed by staff of the UT Extension Office of Bedford County, the Latino Health Access Coalition of Bedford and Coffee Counties conducted this program for professionals from hospitals, health departments, health clinics, health provider offices, schools, mental health clinics and other community agencies. 

Participants Response to the Program

Eighty-eight professionals participated in seven workshops. Post-workshop evaluations reported the following:

• 92% strongly agreed (7% agreed) that they felt the experience had helped them understand what it might be like to access health care in a foreign country.
• 86% strongly agreed (7% agreed) that they would have more empathy for the Latino immigrants seeking services at their agency.
• 69% strongly agreed (29%) that they would make changes in how they relate to the Latino immigrants served at their agency.

Structure of the Workshop

The simulation will take about 1 ½ hours. This includes approximately 15 minutes for the introduction, 60 minutes to navigate the system and 15 minutes to debrief and complete the participant evaluations. Participants are given an identity and health problem written in English. They then move through different stations in the health clinic to get health care and prescription medications. Each station is staffed by Spanish-speaking volunteers who represent health care providers and clinic staff. All communication at each station is done in Spanish. A Spanish/English dictionary is provided to assist participants’ communication with health care providers and staff.

Simulation Workbook

The workbook is web-based and available from your county UT Extension office. The workbook contains all the directions and materials needed to set-up and implement this simulation.

Availability of the Program in Your Community

This program is available in partnership with your county UT Extension staff. If you wish to offer this program at your agency, contact your county UT Extension office, who will work with you in implementing the program.

Program Developers:
Whitney Danhof - UT Extension Educator, Bedford County
Belinda Riddle - UT Extension Educator, Coffee County
Lydia Rodriguez - Former UT Extension Program Assistant, Bedford County

State Contacts

Barbara (Bobbi) Clarke, PhD, RD
Professor & Extension Health Specialist,
Co-Director UT Center for Community-based Health Initiatives
University of Tennessee Extension
Family & Consumer Sciences
119 Morgan Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996-4501
Telephone: (865) 974-8197
Fax: (865) 974-5370
E-mail: bclarke@utk.edu

Whitney Danhof
University of Tennessee Extension
Bedford County
2105 Midland Road
Shelbyville, TN 37160
Telephone: (931) 684-5971
E-mail: wdanhof1@tennessee.edu

Belinda Riddle
University of Tennessee Extension
Coffee County
1331 McArthur Street
Manchester, TN 37355
Telephone: (931) 723-5141
E-mail: briddle@tennessee.edu