A Youth Leader's Guide to Building Cultural Competence 

What are the basic beliefs of your religion? What are its teachings about gender roles, pre marital and 

extra marital intercourse, homosexuality, contraception, childbirth and abortion? 

What role does fate or predestination play in your life? In the context of your religion? How do you 

regard death? Do you believe in life after death? Does your religion? What about members of your 

family?  

Do you belong to the same religion as the one you were raised in, or the one your family follows? Are 

you as religious as your family members? Is this different from when you were a child or adolescent? Do 

young people express their religious beliefs differently? How observant are young people in your family 

now compared to adults?  

How is religion incorporated into your daily life? Do you follow some teachings more than others? 

How important are religious leaders in your life? In your family's? How often and in what situations 

are/were they consulted by you or your family?  

Are there behaviors or foods are taboo? Which ones and when?  

How is your religion perceived in your ancestral country? Is it the dominant or minority religion? Is it 

respected and/or tolerated?  

Acculturation 

How would you consider yourself under the categories of acculturation? Bicultural? Traditional? 

Marginal? How about members of your family? Does that vary by age?  

If you are not Native American, how long has your family been in the United States? How long have you 

been in the U.S.? 

If you are Native American, what is your family's tribal history? 

What values, beliefs, attitudes, customs, traditions, or behaviors have you retained or adopted from your 

ancestral heritage? Has that changed over the years? How about for your family?  

Immigrant Status  

What is your citizenship status? What is the status of members of your family? What are the reasons 

behind having or not having U.S. citizenship in your family? Do you or any of your family have dual 

citizenship? 

What was your ancestors' migration experience? Did they arrive alone or with family members? Are there 

family members still living in your ancestral country? Are you in contact with them? Do they receive 

financial support from you or other family members?  

If you immigrated, what was your migration experience?  

Do you live in a community with others from your ancestral country or heritage? If you live in a 

community that is multi racial and multi ethnic, how do all the various groups get along?