Hellenic Open University Patras Greece , January 2014

1. Hellenic Open University PatrasGreece , January 2014 Enhancing the skills and identity of Cultural Mediators in a multiethnic Europe ‘ Educating the cultural mediator in Europe ’ Prof. Bruno Ciancio University of Modena e Reggio Emilia. Italy Resp. Intercultural mastersprogram Senior staff manager , Policlinico di Modena InterculturalCities Expert – Council of Europe. Brussels bruno.ciancio@unimore.it

2. ‘ Educating the cultural mediator in Italy and in Europe ’ Are theiralternativesfor the future ?

3. The educationof Intercultural mediators - The tendency • Thiseducation can varyaccordingtowhatmightbeexpectedof the mediator and on his/her personal professional background • We can utilize: • Short coursesofabout 20 - 30 hrs. if the mediatorisalreadyoneof the staff • Medium lengthcoursesofabout 50 – 60 hrs. • Long coursesofabout 250 - 350 hrs.

4. General coursecontentthemes and organization • Itisveryinteresting to note thatthesecourseshaveverysimilarcontentthemes and organizationalstructure • Whatvariesis the degreeofdetailwithineachthemepresented and the presenceofalliedthemesinvolved • The courses are basicallyallorganizedutilizzing the modulemethod • Theyusuallyhavefrom 4 to 10 modules • Allcoursetypeshave a practicalmodule or stage

5. Why short and long courses • Thisdepends on whereyouexpect the person to work • If the individualisgoing to be primarilyinvolved in oneprofessional area then a short to medium courseisoftensufficient , evenmoresoif the personisalreadyworkingwithin the field • eg – health care staff, teachers, social workers….….. • If the personisgoing to be involved in a numberofdifferentareas and isnotalready part ofthese, foreg – health, welfare, education, legal system, prisons, minorsetc ……………. • Then a short courseisreally not sufficient and is inappropriate

6. A typical short course and relevantcontentthemes • The migrant, ethnicity and migrationtrends in the country in general • ( national, regional, provincial, locallevels…….. ) • Norms, legislation and legalissuesregardingmigrants • Mediationfromtheorytopractice – itsapplication in the field • ( roleof the mediator , roleof the staff ) • Understanding the health care system /organization and itsservices • Impact ofmigration on the system, accesstoservices & equityissues ) • Meeting staff, migrants, mediators – what are the principledifficulties • A practicalmodulewithexercises - about 4 / 6hrs.

7. A typical medium lengthcourse • The contentbasicallycovers the samethemes& involves more detail • Introductionto the role and basicconceptsof cultural anthropology • Norms, legislation and legalissuesregardingmigrants • Pedapsycologicalconcepts and intercultural educationissues • Understanding the health care system et al and the impact ofmigration • ( quality, equityand comunicatingacrossdiversity ) • How the mediatorshouldbeutilized . ( roleofmediator, roleof staff ) • Revisitingyoursecondlanguage ( the officiallanguage, localdialects ) • Intercultural discussionwith staff, mediators on strategiesformanagingconflict • The practicalisusuallyabout 8 / 12hrs.

8. A typical long coursehas similare contentthemesand evenmore detail • The dynamics and flow ofmigrantswithin the country ( at alllevels ) • Understanding the specificneedsofmigrants and whytheyhavesuchneeds • Relationship building strategies and possiblespsycoemotionalcomplexities • Norms, legislation and legalissuesregardingmigration • Understanding the servicesavailable and howthey can bebetteraccessed and utilizzed • Know how to interpret the needs of migrants and staff - the role of diversity • Supporting the developmentof a positive bidirectionalattitudebetween staff and migrant client - handlingconflictsituations

9. Know how to interpret the cultural code of staff and migrant clients and facilitate them to developgoodcomunication • Beingan intercultural mediator, fromtheorytopractice - howitshouldbeapplied • Revisitingyoursecondlanguage – the officiallanguage, the localdialects • Know how to mediate acrossdiversity - able to pinpointshortfalls in the abilityto comunicate between staff and clients • Help staff interactwithclients,; Identifyactions, projectsthat can fosterthisaspect • Understand the importance of workplace security and pass thisknowledge on to clients • The practical stage hereisabout 60 / 80 hrs.

10. Is the cultural mediator the onlyviable alternative in a multiethnicEurope ?

11. The best cultural mediatorsare the staffand this can be achievedthrough the process of becoming • CulturallyCompetent • How isthispossible ? • The system assuchshouldbecome……………………………………………… C-C • The organizationswithin the systemshouldbecome ….……………….. C-C • The professionswithin the organizationsshouldbecome…………….. C-C • The individualsinvolvedwithin the whole system shouldbecome C-C.

12. Why the cultural mediator is not a sustainablestrategy • Forbasicallytworeasons : • 1. The professionalarguement • 2. The economicarguement • The useofmediatorsdoesnotdevelop the staff’s intercultural ability and knowledge • Staff tend to delegate theircomunication and responsability to a thirdperson • Theirislessinteraction and thereforelessbidirectionalunderstanding and learning • Theirdevelopsanotherpower base - the mediator • Staff slowlyloosetheirprofessional authority/status with the client and family • A third ( non professional ) fills a key rolein the professionalinteraction……………

13. How to proceedtowardsthis C-C • Have an organizationalstrategy( a model to work with ……………………. • Makeavailable to all staff a basic intercultural introductorycourse- 8 hrs. . • Select intercultural referencepersonsfrom thoseattending the course and thenhave at leastoneofthese in each work area/unit • Offer a furtherspecificcourseforthe intercultural referees– 6 hrs and develop an internal network for them • Giveon the job continuouseduc. to the intercultural referencepersons ( in the work place ) during the year ( ½ to 1 hr. a week seems to be enough ) Thesepersons are referencepoints for the staff – - theygivesupport and encouragement to staff - theygiveideas and advice on handling intercultural events and questions - they indicate what and where intercultural material can be found and makeitavailable - theyknowwherecontactpersons are within the organiation and within the comunity……

14. The costofa mediatortends to beconstant over time – itdoesnotdiminish • For a 400/500 bed hospital with 10% -15% migrants, (25%-55% in midwifery) & • from 8 -10 differentlanguage / culturesyouneedto cover these for the week …….. • The costisbasically (Italy) 9.000 to 16.000 a month via outsourcing; more ifinternal • ( wespend 15.000 to 17.000 a month and itisforeverconstant) • Thiscost can be cut by 40% to 65% and thiswillimprove over time as staff become more CulturallyCompetent ( C-C ) • Having C-C staff is the key to success & economicviability • Theiris more efficiency and effectiveness of servicesgiven • Theirisincreasedsatisfactionofclients, family and staff • Theirisless intercultural conflict • Theiris a constantfall in the cost for mediationservices • Staff and migrant clients develop a betterbidirectionalunderstanding of eachother

15. Work developmentstrategy to achieve C-C staff • Offer the intercultural educationprogramtoasmanyof the operational staff aspossible • Map and document the linguistic and cultural capabilities of your staff ( a compendium ) thenplacethese staff accordinglywithinthe organizationif and whenpossible • Use an appropriate employmentstrategy: havebilingual/bicultural & C-C staff at alllevelswithin the organization • Encourage staff to use ‘ theirotherlanguage ’ as a normal work tool – its just anotherassetttheyhave • The staff are supportedbythe intercultural referencepersonswithinthe department, the work area, the location ………………. • Bothintercultural referencepersons and staff are inturnsupportedby the central intercultural work unit staff ( 2 persons) • Specificcultural mediators/interpreters can becalledin onlywhenthe linguistic situation requiresit

16. The costsinvolved: • Lessintercultural mediatorsneedtobecalled • Thereforelessmediationhrsare needed • Lessinterculturalconflictsoccure • Staff satisfactionimprovesrapidly • The correct data iscollected and compiled • Theiris more client satisfaction and activecollaboration • Staff’s intercultural ability and knowledgeincreases • Staff motivation to interface with migrantsimproves • Costsavingisfrom40% to 65% per yearcompared to the classicalmediationmethodology and the level of quality and equity of servicesofferedimprovesmarkedly

17. FurtherbenefitsofhavingC-C staff capableofbeing • theirownmediators • Lessthirdpersonsinvolvedwho are not professionals of the specific area • The staff get to learndirectly from the client and viceversa whilethey take action • As time progressesthe staff learnmuch more aboutdiversity and the ‘ other ’ • As time progressesthe need for mediators / interpretersdiminishesfuther • Staff do not delegate theirprofessionalresponsability and client contact • Clients havedirectcontact with the professionalswho are able to mediate withoutintermediaries • Theirdoes not develop a thirdpower base within the work area - the mediator • Quality and equityofservicesofferedimproves

18. We can start witha short basicintercultural educationcourse for allthe staff • 8 hrs in oneday……………………………….( 7+1 ) or 2 halfdays . • Content : • - The migrant situation within the country, region, province –state of the art • - The normative/legale aspectsrequiringattentionwithin the workplace • - The impact of culture and diverse world views of individuals on eachother • The impact of migration on the specific service in question – the mainissues • - Mediation - why and howitshould be carried out • ( in summary - whathaveyoubeenable to achieve up to now…whatwouldyoulike to achieve over the nexttwelvemonths • ( thislatterquestion can be usedas the basis for mapping out the strategicactionplan for the next 12 / 24 months. )

20. Modello di processo transculturale per il disegno e lo sviluppo della competenza culturale delle istituzioni sanitarie, sociali, del welfare e del loro personale 1. Percorso multidisciplinare di responsabilità 10.Processo di 2. Desiderio di agire analisi e feedback e consapevolezza 3. Formazione: 9. Supervisione interattiva processo longitudinale sviluppo di conoscenze la C-C delle istituzioni sul lavoro e skills e del personale culturali 8.Sistema multilingue 4. Analisi della C-C di documentazione/ istituzionale e del comunicazione personale 7. Strategie di sviluppo 5. Nomina dei referenti istituzionale, degli stakeholders interculturali e di standards per la C-C ( 11° fase ) 6.Interfacia / interazione con i nuovi Italiani B.Ciancio 1994 - 2008. modello di processo per il disegno e sviluppo della competenza culturale delle istituzioni e del loro personale

21. In a multiethnicEuropedeveloping intercultural competenceisnotan optional, itis a necessity I believethattheiris no otherviableand affordable alternative forthe future