The Power of Diversity: Supporting the Immigrant Workforce. Facilitator Guide [and] Learner Guide.

This curriculum was designed to teach frontline supervisors of community-based services and programs that provide supports to persons with developmental disabilities. The curriculum is based on a set of identified competencies for frontline supervisors and the findings of a series of focus groups that were conducted by the Institute on Community Integration with direct support professionals, frontline supervisors and administrators from agencies in Minnesota. Issues, challenges, and benefits of new immigrants entering the direct support workforce were identified during the focus groups, and the materials presented in this curriculum are designed to address these challenges. Specific modules address: (1) understanding diversity; (2) building a cohesive team by supporting immigrant workers; (3) orienting and training the immigrant worker; and (4) recruiting, hiring, and organizational practices that support immigrant workers. The training curriculum consists of both a facilitator guide and a learner guide. The facilitator guide is designed to be used by trainers and facilitators who have a good understanding of the issues. Step-by-step instructions are provided in the guide for each activity. The learner guide is to be used as a workbook during the training and as a reference guide. (Contains resources and references.) (CR)