def METHOD_NAME(value, from_enc=DEFAULT_ENCODING):
    if isinstance(value, six.text_type):
        return value
    if isinstance(value, six.binary_type):
        if six.PY2:
            return unicode(value, from_enc, ENCODING_ERRORS_POLICY)  # noqa
        else:
            return value.decode(from_enc, errors=ENCODING_ERRORS_POLICY)
    return six.text_type(value)