Intercultural Mediation in Health, Social Service, and Education Programs

1. Intercultural Mediation in Health, Social Service, and Education Programs Mike Trevisan Washington State University Guest Lecture University of Verona – Center for Intercultural Studies Department of Human Sciences April 16, 2019

4. About Washington State University Established in 1890 11 colleges 29,000+ students 5 campuses New medical school started fall 2017 Approximately 2,000 international students from153 countries

5. About the College of Education Undergraduate Programs Teacher preparation Kinesiology Sport Management Graduate Programs (PhD) Math/Science Educational Psychology Special Education CSSTE

6. Intercultural Programs and InterventionsWe live in a time of unprecedented migration and immigration.

7. The European Context (From TIME Report, 2015-16) • 20.4 million non-EU member country citizens (April 2014 – Eurostat report) • In 2014 alone, 170,000+ immigrants arrived in Italy • Migration has become a European competence, “integration” as first pillar • Politics of integration and migration are in flux as European countries face the challenges of migration at a local level. • Intercultural mediation thought to be most cost-effective, proper, and impactful means to ensure migrant integration.

8. Interpretation vs. Intercultural Mediation

9. Bowen (2001) • First rigorous documentation of healthcare disparities in Canada • Inuit communities • immigrants and refugees • deaf

10. Smeldon, Stith, & Nelson (2003) • Compelling empirical evidence substantiating broad disparities in treatments and outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. • Factors include • bias and discrimination on the part of healthcare workers • lack of cultural understanding • language barriers

11. OECD (2017) • Health, mental health, and education disparities are widespread across the world for immigrants and refugees

12. Two Key Recommendations from Reports • Intercultural education for service providers • Evaluation of programs and services

13. Conducted Internet-based Literature Review • Google scholar • Used logical key words and phrases • Some branching techniques • Accessed documents in English only

14. Two Literature searches • Intercultural mediation (and mediators) • Evaluation of intercultural mediation policies, programs, and projects

15. Observations about literature on Intercultural Mediation and Mediators • Fragmented • Little empirical data • No broad agreement on role, rationale, professional competencies needed, or training for intercultural mediators

16. Train Intercultural Mediators for a Multicultural Europe (TIME) • Joint project between UK and EU (Erasmus+) • http://mediation-time.eu/index.php?lang=en

17. Intellectual Output No. 1 • Research report on intercultural mediation and mediators in addressing and supporting immigrants in Europe • Literature review (desk research) and in-country interviews (field research)

18. Countries Addressed in Report

19. Content of Report • Review of literature • Training • Areas of intercultural mediation • Employment • Certification and accreditation of training programs • Limitations identified by report authors • No clear or consistent definition of intercultural mediator • Bureaucracy

20. Further Limitations • No description of how literature search was conducted • Interview guide not included • Up to 2015-16

21. Theories Undergirding Intercultural Mediation • Assimilation theory (1950 – 1970) • Concept of multiculturalism (1970 – 1990) • Perception of interculturality (1990 to date) • Conflict resolution theory

22. Fields and Settings for Intercultural Mediation • Health-care • Social • Community • Neighborhood • Education • Public Administration • Justice • Reception centers (asylum support services)

23. Training • Vocational training • University degrees (interpretation, social science, mediation) • Training in the context of project implementation • Certificate or non-certificate training • Didactic course + practical training (internship)

24. Employment • Migrants • Host institutions • Placement agencies

25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMA3nlGuImY • International Conference on “Enhancing the skills and the identity of a Cultural Mediator in a multicultural Europe” (ESΙ-CM 2014) • The ESI-CM 2014 Conference was hosted by the Hellenic Open University in Patras, Greece • 8-9 January 2014

26. Intercultural Mediators in Italy (from TIME 2016 report) • Italian legislation concerning immigration defines the position of an intercultural mediator • “The mediator is identified as a worker that works in educational contexts within social integration, with the aim to increase the measure provided for migrant’s integration, such as inclusion, interaction and exchange, and not as cohabitation between divided communities’” (Ministry of Interior, Immigration’s Code, 1998) • 2011 professional occupation of intercultural mediator included in Professional Categorization as a career • Expectations differ by region

27. Intercultural Mediation in Educational Contexts in Italy • Intercultural education has evolved since the appearance of immigration into Europe in the mid-1970s: • “pedagogy for foreigners” in Germany • “pedagogy of reception” in France • Broad perspective in Italy – need for overall rethinking of education to include intercultural skills that are necessary for proper relationships • (Grant & Portera, 2011 – cited in Catarci, 2016)

28. From Catarci (2016) • Intercultural education in Italy moves along two axes: (1) inclusion of immigrant students and (2) broader view education • Two Key Ministry of Education Documents • “The Italian Way to Intercultural Education and the Integration of Foreign Pupils” (Italian Ministry of Education, 2007) • “Guidelines for the Integration of Foreign Students” (Italian Ministry of Education, 2014)

29. Fundamental Principles Guiding Intercultural Education in Italy • Universalism • Common school • Importance of the individual in relationship to the other • Interculturalism • From: Catarci (2016)

30. Strategies for Inclusion of Immigrant Students in Italian Schools • Documents that plan the reception of immigrant students in schools • Use of Intercultural Mediators • Professional development for teachers and administrators • Peer education on behalf of immigrant students • Educational, vocational and social guidance for immigrant students and their families • From: Catarci (2016)

31. Additional Information About IM in Italy (Catarci (2016) 579 Intercultural Mediator respondents to questionnaire 4500 active Intercultural Mediator professionals based on 2009 data • Approximately 75% of respondents are female • Average age is 41 years • Most have university education • Most have additional Intercultural Mediator oriented vocational courses

32. Catarci (2016) continued • Most are foreign-born having resided in Italy for more than 8 years, including Morocco, Romania, Tunisia, Albania, Peru • 14.6% were Italian citizens, likely second-generation immigrants • Most mother-tongue languages which include Arabic, Spanish, Romanian, Albanian • More than half have been employed as Intercultural Mediator for more than 7 years • Most work in educational settings of one kind or another

33. Catarci (2016) continued • About half of respondents reported low job satisfaction (low salary, lack of incentives) • More than half of respondents reported insufficient recognition of the role of Intercultural Mediator by institutions and services • Discontinuous salary, lack of clarity concerning job functions, and incomplete or inaccurate information about the role of Intercultural Mediator

34. Intercultural Mediation is an emerging profession.

35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2h8fNEdwu-Y • "Mediation - the Tool of the Future in Many Fields" • A Keynote Address by Alexandra Sitch (Intercultural Mediator) • The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in 2018 "Cultural Diplomacy, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding" (Berlin; May 17 - 20, 2018)

36. Three Evaluations Found in the Literature • Verrupt (2008) • In Belgian Hospitals • (1) Do health outcomes improve for ethnic minority patients with use of Intercultural Mediators (IM)? • (2) What problems are associated with introduction of IMs? Čebron et al. (2017) Use of IMs in Preventive Health-Care Programs in Slovenia • (3) Do workshop participants (Albanian-speaking women) receive health-related information more positively?

37. Findings • Improved knowledge and understanding among service users of health-related information • Service users report the importance of IMs toward understanding health information • IMs not valued by healthcare providers in hospital setting • IMs struggled to interpret health information conveyed by healthcare providers

38. Limitations of the Evaluation Studies • Single method used to collect data • Small sample in the Slovenian study • No evaluation framework • No involvement of participants as key stakeholders (only sources of data)

39. A Definition of Evaluation • “Evaluation is a systematic and intentional process of gathering and analyzing data (quantitative and qualitative), to inform learning, decision-making, and action.” Gopa and Preskill (2014)

40. Trevisan and Carey (book chapter) • Evaluating intercultural programs and interventions • In A. Portera, R. Moodley, & M. Milani (Eds.), Intercultural mediation, counselling and psychotherapy in Europe. Cambridge Scholars, UK (in development)

41. Three Key Benefits for Intercultural Mediators • Political • Clarify role of the Intercultural Mediator • Compel institutions and services to better support Intercultural Mediators as valued professionals

42. To Move Intercultural Mediation Forward… • Evaluation is the strategic next step.

44. Questions/Comments?

45. Thank you