Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is the ability to work effectively with people from different cultures by understanding, respecting, and responding appropriately to their values, beliefs, and lived experiences.

From a financial mentor perspective, cultural competence involves recognising your own cultural lens and biases and understanding how these shape your interactions with clients.

It includes developing knowledge of diverse cultures such as different beliefs, money practices, communication styles, and family structures and appreciating how these influence financial decisions and obligations.

Cultural competence also requires respectful communication, where mentors listen without judgement and adjust their communication to meet the client’s needs. Practitioners use culturally appropriate tools and approaches that align with the client’s worldview and acknowledge obligations like koha, church contributions, whānau responsibilities, or remittances.

Building safe, trusting relationships is essential, ensuring clients feel valued and supported and allowing space for whānau involvement where appropriate. Finally, cultural competence means committing to continuous learning, seeking feedback and training, and recognising that it is an ongoing journey.

Cultural competence means delivering financial mentoring in a way that honours each client’s identity, reduces barriers, and supports equitable, meaningful outcomes. It strengthens trust, improves engagement, and ensures services are truly inclusive.