Many programs for youth attribute their successes to the characteristics of their staff members. Accordingly, ensuring the competence of youth workers is essential for all out-of-school time programs. Past research has identified a number of core competencies for youth workers, including professionalism and teamwork; however the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of youth in America requires practitioners to add another competency to the list: cultural competency. This brief discusses the elements of cultural competence and its significance for out-of-school time programs. In addition, it provides suggestions to practitioners for developing cultural competence and incorporating culturally competent activities into their programs in order to benefit youth from a wide range of backgrounds. The document concludes with an "In the Spotlight" piece on out-of-school time programs across the country who are taking steps toward achieving cultural competence through a variety of methods. (Contains 31 endnotes.)