There are a number of areas that marriage and relationship education program providers must address when designing and implementing a program for Native American communities. There have been a number of lessons learned from Native American cultural experts and program practitioners who have developed culturally relevant marriage education programs. These services can be effective for Native Americans living on reservations and for those who are not.There is great diversity within the Native American community. The various tribes have distinct traditions, customs and languages. This Tip Sheet…
Although Asian Americans represent different populations in terms of culture, language and immigration trends, they share many similarities in values and belief systems such as a cultural emphasis on education, natural healing, family harmony and respect of human dignity. For purposes of this Tip Sheet, the terms Asian and Asian American are interchangeable; include Pacific Islanders; and can reflect either new immigrants, immigrants who have been residing in the U.S. for an extended period of time, or people with Asian heritage who could be 2nd, 3rd or 4th generation. Further, the great…
Recruiting and retaining men from any culture in a family services program or entity that has traditionally served women and children can, at best, be considered a token gesture. Admittedly, there are many emotions surrounding the topic of how to get men to do what they are "supposed to do!" Agencies designed to serve men are scarce, and professionals dedicated to understanding male issues are rare commodities. In addition, men do not tend to line up for services delivered by organizations, agencies, counselors, group therapists, marriage educators and/or ministers for family strengthening.…
Marriage education generally offers useful skills for couples. Nevertheless, practitioners may need to adapt curriculum materials to help participants learn and remember lessons. This tip sheet provides strategies for fine tuning programs toward the African American community. The tips can be applied to any curriculum, but it is important to note that marriage educators should know their audience in order to determine which strategies will create the most positive results. (Author abstract)
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This brief provides an overview of the religious and cultural practices in the Orthodox Jewish Community and examines some of the challenges facing Orthodox Jewish families. It then discusses how to make relationship education programs appropriate to the cultural sensitivities of young Jewish adults and families and provides recommendations to safety-net service providers working with these families.
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This brief reviews current literature regarding same-sex couples and LGB individuals to better understand their needs, strengths, and challenges; how they differ from and are similar to heterosexual couples; existing efforts to provide same-sex focused relationship education; and suggestions for expanding and providing culturally competent same-sex relationship and marriage education.
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To better understand what HMRE and RF programs are doing to reach and serve Hispanic families, the authors conducted an extensive review of federally- and non-federally-funded programs serving Hispanic couples and fathers. Based on this review, they developed a program guide summarizing multiple aspects of HMRE and RF programs that target and serve Hispanic populations, including location of the program, target population, and a range of implementation and evaluation factors. This guide is accompanied by detailed profiles for each program listed in the guide, and can be used to easily and…
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This brief provides an overview of the history of Muslims in the United States and discusses cultural nuances to keep in mind when working with Muslim families. Drawing from experts in the field, it provides culturally appropriate tips for integration of healthy communication, conflict resolution, and parenting skills into existing service delivery models.
This tip sheet provides information for safety-net service providers on culturally appropriate ways to integrate healthy marriage and relationship education concepts and skills into services so that clients are more likely to be receptive to the messages provided. (Author abstract)
This tip sheet explores ways that safety-net service providers can meet the diverse needs of immigrant families while respecting traditional cultural roles. (Author abstract)
