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Model Immigrant Integration Practices Communities of Practice
A virtual community of practice (CoP) is an important approach to staff training and development in cultural and linguistic competency. According to Etienne Wenger, a leading theorist of CoPs, a community of practice is a "group of people who share a concern or a passion for something that they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." There are numerous communities of practice in many fields of endeavor, including a community of practice on communities of practice called CPSquare. At a recent conference organized by Diversity Dynamics, we showcased three CoPs doing important work in support of immigrant integration. In the healthcare field, DiversityRx works to improve the accessibility and quality of health care for minority, immigrant, and indigenous communities. In the mental health field, the National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED) encourages the formation of communities of practice to strengthen and disseminate specific model practices, such as the Bienvenido Program to support Latino immigrants. And in New Jersey, the New Jersey Statewide Network for Cultural Competence maintains a database of organizations and individuals that have specialized knowledge and skills for working with people with diverse needs, including immigrants. It seems clear that people serious and passionate about the challenge of serving diverse communities will want to learn from and share with each other in an online environment.
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