Creating Safe Spaces - Essay Example

Creating Safe Spaces

Cultural safety is referred to as an environment that is safe for people. Such environment has no assault, denial of identity. It gives safety gives individuals the power to remark on care, resulting to fortification of positive experiences (Williams 1992, p.2). It also allows people to take part in changing experiences considered negative. Based on this, the paper will expound on how “smoking environment” is unsafe space. It will use scene one, two, and four in Holland’s clip to depict smoking environment as unsafe space. In the clip, one can note that many discussions related to the job are held in the smoking zone. Such environment is unsafe to employees such as Rachael, but she is forced to be there in order to know the plans of her boss as well as to keep close with her colleagues. The safety of Rachael’s working environment can be improved through discouraging smoking in the job.

Summary of the Clip

“Friends” is comedy video clip by Holland that expounds on smoking habit at the workplace setting. The main characters in the clip are the female boss, Nancy, and Rachael. The scenes in this clip paints the real picture of the workplace environment in which almost every employee converges in unsafe environment to enjoy themselves as they discuss issues related to work. The practice forces innocent employees to join other employees that indulge in unsafe practices, smoking, in the unsafe environment so that they can be in the same page. Similarly, some scenes in the clip also show how some individuals such as Rachael try to take change the negative experiences in the workplace setting so that it can suit everybody. However, she ends up being unsuccessful in achieving her objective. From the clip, it is apparent that efforts of such individuals end up being fruitless since they are outnumbered by those that contribute to the creation of unsafe place.

Summary of the Literature

According to Holley and Steiner (2005 p.49), a safe space is an environment that allows individuals to participate as well as honestly struggle with issues that are challenging. Similarly, Holley and Steiner claim that a safe space is an environment that protects individuals from psychological and emotional harm. A safe space can be created by developing a shared experience plus talking about social identities that normalize the feelings of individuals (Holley and Steiner 49). In addition to this, Holley and Steiner (2005 p.49) claim that cultural intelligence, having information in addition to understanding values and beliefs of other cultures; enhance creation of a safe space. According to Brislin, Worthley, and Macnab (2006 p.40), culture intelligence means behaviors that are thought intelligent by people from a given culture. Similarly, they argue that cultural intelligence refer to both traits and skills by people who adjust easily in new cultures where they socialize (Brislin, Worthley, and Macnab 2006 p.40). Bruhn believes that culture is capable of giving a behavior meaning since it shapes individuals’ outward experience (Bruhn 243). In relation to Bruhn’s assertion, Spencer-Oatey (2012 p.3) relates culture with the understanding of other people’s values, behavior, and way of thinking. Based on this, one can define cultural capabilities as influences of culture on a person’s acceptance of other believe and way of thinking. In support of this claim, Spencer-Oatey (2012 p.7) notes that conscious behavior is achieved through learning in addition to interacting with members of a given culture. Similarly, K.R (2011 p.29) states that American culture shaped her in many ways including triggering her interest in the interactive world. In relation to her claim, Quappe and Cantatore (2005 p.1) define cultural awareness as the understanding of an individual’s cultural values, beliefs in addition to perception. From the definitions provided above, one can deduce that cultural intelligence, cultural capabilities, and cultural awareness enhance individuals’ ability to create safe spaces. The understanding of values, beliefs, and perception of a given culture boosts peaceful cohesion that is often provided by a safe space. Achievement of this requires acceptance of other people’s culture and changing a person’s behavior to suit in that culture. According to K.R, new American culture shaped her views concerning the world and made her to be interactive. Considering K.R.’s experience, a person can deduce that a safe space is an environment that encourages interaction of people from different cultures.

Observations from the Video Clip

In the video clip by Holland, different issues related to cultural safety are presented. In scene one for instance, Rachael finds it hard to move out with her colleagues to take a rest from office because she considers the new environment out of office unsafe for her. According to Rachael, her father who is a doctor described effects of smoking in a way that makes the practice unsafe. In scene two and four, Holland shows how Rachael is isolated from her colleagues because she is not a smoker. To overcome this, Rachael tries to please her colleagues by borrowing a cigar and pretend to smoke in scene two and three. In scene four, the effect of unsafe environment becomes clearer when Rachael’s boss asks her to leave and never trying smoking threatening to suck if she disobeyed her orders. Rachael’s opinion is disregarded because she is considered not one of other smokers.

Similarly, scene two, three, and four expounds on the cultural intelligence of the main characters. For example, Rachael pretends to smoke so that she can influence her colleagues to withdraw from smoking. In scene four, she is the first one to propose withdrawal of smoking. Equally, Rachael uses discouraging description of effects of smoking in scene one to discourage her boss from smoking. In addition to this, Rachael portrays cultural intelligence adjusting easily in new smoking culture. Just like Rachael, her boss considers smoking a bad practice. It is as a result of this that she discourages her from smoking by using threats.

Discussion

In scene three of Holland’s clip, Rachael portrayed high level of cultural intelligence by mimicking the behavior of her colleagues after noting that they associate in a practice that is detrimental to their health as well as the success of the workplace. Her proposal for the three of them to quit smoking and become “Budge Sisters” had a significant effect though it did not last for long. Her proposal had instant effect since both her colleagues agreed on quitting smoking. This is a good example of what Brislin, Worthley, and Macnab (2006, p.40) considers as cultural intelligence. In relation to their definition of cultural intelligence, Rachael managed to adjust her behavior to accommodate her colleagues’ behavior. Rachael evidences her dislike of her colleagues’ habit, and as a result, plots a way of joining them so that she can assist them get out of what she considers “unwanted habit.”

Scene two expounds on cultural capabilities. Rachael decides not only to withstand the choking smell of cigarette smoke, but also to hold a cigar next to her mouth. Her behavior concurs with what Flanja’s (2009, p. 107) view as influence of cultural differences. According to him, cultural differences result in a “cultural shock” that is associated with loss of control (Flanja 2009, p. 107). Equally, Spencer-Oatey (2012, p.7) considers Rachael’s behavior as effects of cultural capabilities. According to Spencer-Oatey, some behaviors are achieved through learning as well as interacting with members of a given culture. Rachael was about to become a smoker because of interacting with people in a different culture.

In scene four, Rachael’ boss shows her cultural awareness by denying Rachael the right to smoke. She threatens to terminate her job if she indulges in a practice that can ruin. According to Rachael’s boss, smoking is bad and Rachael should not take part in such habit. The behavior of Rachael’s boss is an excellent example of what Quappe and Cantatore (2005, p.1) refer to as cultural awareness. According to them, cultural awareness is the understanding of one’s cultural values, beliefs plus perception. Rachael’s boss knew her culture was not good, and as a result of this, she discouraged Rachael from embracing smoking. In addition to this, one can claim that Rachael’s boss denial of Rachael to smoke is a portrayal of respect for one’s culture. In support of this, Williams (6) notes that respect for culture, experience in addition to obligations contributes to cultural safety.

Recommendations

From the argument that has been provided above, a person can deduce that Holland’s clip was all about unsafe space in workplace setting. Some of the scenarios in the clip can easily be changed to make the described space safer. For instance, replacing some scenes with smoking cessation programs can assist people such as Rachael’s colleagues to manage quitting smoking. According to Calfas (2011, p.11), sensation education on behaviors that need to be managed enables people overcome addiction to products such as tobacco. In the clip, one can note that communication of Rachael and her colleagues is not that effective. Most of the time she is left out when the boss is discussing issues pertaining to work. Scenes in which Rachael is given the least attention can be adjusted to allow Rachael to create awareness in her colleagues through long communication. In connection with this, Vecchio-Sadus (2007, p.2) claims that communication is integral is a key to realization of a sake work environment since it influences attitudes and behaviors.

Conclusion

Safe space is an environment that allows honest interaction. The clip by Holland expounds on unsafe space in which employees experience interaction problems. The film expounded on cultural capabilities. It showed how culture influences individuals to change their behaviors and adopt other cultures. The film also expressed the contributing of cultural awareness in employees who prevent others from adopting unsafe cultures. Similarly, the clip presented some scenes that portrayed cultural intelligence. Characters such as Rachael adjusted her behavior to suit in a new culture. To make the environment described in Holland’s clip safe, it was recommended that some scenes to be replaced smoking cessation scenes in addition to scenes that provide Rachael with more time to speak to her colleagues. Through her communication, Rachael is believed to change the workplace environment to a safe space.