Intercultural Competence of Social Service Professionals Working with Migrants
Voices from Poland
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9744897 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anna Linka (0009-0001-5490-9469, Department of Social Sciences, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 121-134 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-06 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Intercultural Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1404-1634 • E-ISSN: 1404-1634 |
| Publisher | International Collaboration for Research and Publications (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.36923/jicc.v25i4.1298 |
| OpenAlex | W4417306304 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 15 |
Growing migration to Poland over the past decade has heightened the need for social service professionals to work effectively with culturally diverse populations. Although intercultural competence has been widely theorised in Western contexts, its application within Central and Eastern European institutional settings remains underexplored. This study seeks to examine how intercultural competence is understood and enacted by Polish social service professionals and to adapt Jürgen Bolten’s model of intercultural competence to the organisational and cultural context of social services working with migrants in Poland. A qualitative research design was employed, consisting of focus group interviews and problem-centered narrative interviews with civil servants, psychologists, social workers, career counsellors, teachers, intercultural assistants, and staff from Foreigners’ Integration Centres and non-governmental organisations. Data were analysed through a triangulated coding process embedded in a hermeneutic spiral. Participants identified and described the domains of professional, social, strategic, personal, and integrative (intercultural) competences, revealing how these are enacted in everyday interactions with migrants. In addition to the categories present in Bolten’s original model, respondents highlighted a new dimension, Institutional and Organisational Conditions Shaping Intercultural Competence, reflecting the impact of coordination gaps, systemic rigidity, and institutional culture on their ability to work effectively with migrants. The study demonstrates that Bolten’s model requires contextualisation when applied to the Polish social services sector. Intercultural competence is shaped not only by individual skills and attitudes but also by institutional frameworks that can either support or constrain culturally responsive practice. The findings underscore the need for comprehensive intercultural training, improved coordination among institutions supporting migrants, and organisational reforms that enhance flexibility and cultural sensitivity. The contextualised model developed in this study may inform the work of newly established Centers for the Integration of Foreigners and guide future research on intercultural competence in Central and Eastern Europe
Competence (human resources · Cultural competence · Cultural diversity · Focus group · Intercultural Competence · Intercultural relations · Qualitative research · Cultural Competency in Health Care · International Student and Expatriate Challenges · Social Work Education and Practice · Social Work
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |