Intercultural methods

1. Interculturalmethods MIRACLE -project first workshop 15.-17. March 2009, Brussels

2. At first • Conflicts seldom die down by themselves • Understanding the nature and development of a conflict • Understanding the importance of communication • Understanding the influence of cultural presumptions of conflicts

3. The context Finland • Fairly young history of migration, a bit behind other Nordic countries, • Immigration started from the late 70’ies. • Russians , Estonians, Swedes (Finns), Anglo-Americans, Somalis, Iraqis, Iranians, Vietnamese, Sudanese, Burmese… • Refugee Resettlement since 1985 • The first refugees were received from Chile in 1973. • Integration law 1999 –rights and responsibilities • The econ. depression in the beg. of the 90’ies -> the Somali shock • The current recession, the growing rate of unemployment • The political situation is changing: migration and refugee politics under debate the last two years -> The True Finns –party successful • 2009 the Common Responsibility Campaign for migrants’ work opportunities > racism breaks out

4. Foreign Citizens in FinlandTop ten 2008 Source: Population Information System

5. At moment in Finland lives about 140 000 immigrants + 40 000 how has got a Finnish citizenship. More than half of them live nowadays in the metropolitan area.Prognosis to year 2025 The number of the foreigners rises from about 140 000 to about 300 000 people. It means the doubling of the number of immigrants. About half of the foreigners will come to the metropolitan area. The growth will be fast also in Turku, in Tampere and in the towns of Eastern Finland as in Lappeenranta in Imatra and in Kotka

6. Mediation in Finland • Victim-offender mediation in criminal cases • Court mediation • Peer mediation in schools • Family group conferences • Workplace mediation • Neighbor mediation • Cross-cultural mediation (Let’s Talk –project, funded by ERF, social mediation for Refugee communities in Europe was initially developed in Finland with the help of some Finnish mediation offices, 2002-2004)

7. Mediation in Finland • In Finland The mediation activity started in the 1983 in City of Vantaa. • Mediation expanded rapidly. In the year 1996 mediation was carry out in 175 cities, towns and municipalities. • The law on the mediation of the criminal cases and some civil actions came into force 1.6.2006 -> the mediation is arranged in all Finland's municipalities. • The conciliation service is offered by mediation offices.

8. Based of mediation • The mediation is based on the ideology of the restorative justice. • Restorative justice is meant, repairing, in other words the correcting of particularly the human relations which have been damaged in the conflict. • Values of restorative justice are the respectful dialogue, the responsibility taking, the compensation, the mercy, moral learning central a factor ,the member of the community acceptance and prevention of new harmful acts. In the process emotional and symbolic values are revised: safety feeling of the one that has been hurt, self-esteem, autonomy and sense of justice. • The purpose of mediation is to be impartial, moderate confidential volunteer and alternative.

9. Handbook: Conflict resolution through discussion – Solutions to everyday conflicts • 2008, Ministry of Labour & Ministry of the Interior, Migration department • Everyday ethnic conflicts • How to prevent, handle or possibly resolve them • The focus in prevention “Hate has no medicine” –Ghana-

10. The first steps towards workshop in Finland • Question: What can we learn from restorative justice and various types of mediation ? • Brainstorming together with a group of experts on mediation, diversity training and conflict management • Diversity and Dialogue “If you do not listen to others advice, you will face the consequences”. –Malawi-

11. Training workshop The participants: • church employees and volunteers working with migrants, leaders or key persons in migrant communities The goals: • to encourage participants to intervene in multicultural, ethnic, language based or religious conflicts • to develop participants’ mediation approach • to present and teach various patterns of conflict resolution The methods: • The workshop is participatory learning by nature including group exercises, simulations of conflict situations and various methods to handle them. Assignment: • Description of one conflict situation. How did it develop and end? Any successful intervention? Alternative ways to deal with this particular situation? • Identify and list other conflicts from your experiences. The experts: • Jens Gellin, Terhi Joensuu, Anne-Maria Karjalainen “THEY HAVE HEALED THE WOUNDS OF MY PEOPLE LIGHTLY, SAYING “PEACE, PEACE WHEN THERE IS NO PEACE” -The Bible-

12. Why workshop likethis • Need of early intervention and prevention -> creates trust, increases feeling of security • Need of skills to handle conflicts, to intervene, to mediate. • Need of skills to work together and create codes of conduct, equal treatment plans, early intervention systems etc. • If none, the conflicts will increase -> populism, segregation, bitterness, hate, extremism, general insecurity

13. Contents of the workshop Day one • Church as a context – observations and experiences about everyday-life conflicts • Roadmap towards mediation and reconciliation • What is a conflict? Who’s responsibility is it to intervene? How and when? • What can we learn from various types of mediation? Dialogue as a key method. • Multicultural context in mediation • Where to find trained or professional help for conflict resolution and mediation • The role of values in conflict management • My own role as a peer, as a mediator as an advisor? Day two • What is cultural sensitivity? • Cultural assumptions about conflicts • Identifying aggression • The challenge and skill of intercultural communication • Relationship pedagogic and confrontation, challenging and questioning • Young people and values • Mediation, listening and consultation – what did we learn. Personal activity plan

14. Someobservations • Mediation as a solution focused method in various conflict situations can be an effective tool in certain conflicts. We do emphasis long term, process type of working within our Christian communities. Many difficulties can only be overcome through persistent efforts, mutual learning and by the commitment and ability to make problems visible and deal with them, over and over again. Many workers in churches report about conflicts hidden below the surface and people unable to handle them. “ A fall into a ditch makes you wiser” –China-

15. Plans for the future • There will be an evaluation of the training by the participants and the trainers. • This small training workshop could be a trigger point/ an initiative to make communication and mediation skills as well as any other conflict management as an important part of the civics. • This training model can be applied and fitted into the diversity training programs of various educational institutes and as part of personal training in organizations. • We hope to be able to continue offering training on a regular basis within the Christian churches and migrant communities in Finland. • There is some interest already in this type of training in the capital area.

16. The benefits of mediation • educational • ownership • social and emotional skills • the victim gets a voice • face to face encounter • an example of solving problems • prevents escalation of conflicts • fast intervention • possibility to repentance, asking of forgiveness, reconciliation and compensation • cheaper and faster than court • dialogue • empowering • face-saving • trust