Mentoring is a hot buzzword these days. Unfortunately, although the word 'mentoring' is used all the time, most people do not know what it means. This book fills that gap by describing and illustrating the essential practices of outstanding mentors. It provides a realistic look at mentoring by showing what goes on in a mentoring relationship and what mentors actually do with their protZgZs. This book makes a unique contribution through its hands-on approach to the thorny issue of cross-racial and cross-cultural differences in mentoring relationships. The book shows how such differences can be handled successfully and can even enrich a mentoring relationship. Specific mentoring practices and their racial/cultural implications are presented and explained. The book gives readers a clear sense of what they can do to mentor and make a real difference, even when their protZgZs are radically different from themselves.

Currently, the mental health workforce is neither trained nor staffed in a way that appropriately addresses the essential needs of the growing multicultural population. This must change. The 21st century requires an innovative paradigm in multicultural psychology in order to improve the standard for mental health professionals. Building Multicultural Competency answers this need by providing a new Multiracial/Multiethnic/Multicultural Competency Building Model-a model that, in great detail, provides relevant solutions to this growing problem. This book will supply individuals, students, professionals, educators, and administrators who are involved in the field of psychology with a map on how to build the multicultural competency skills that will allow them to function cross-culturally. The resolutions are personally enriching, helpful to diverse peoples, and influential to other individuals, groups, and institutions.