Multi-lingual and Cultural Barriers

1. Multi-lingual and Cultural Barriers Teaching Methods for Addressing Future Students Assignments Leslie Little C.E.M.A. At-risk Safety Trainer and Educator HELPU Fire Life Safety Williamsburg, Va. Graduate student IEM Program Jacksonville State University

2. Multi-Lingual and Cultural Barriers Issues of Concern for Safety Educators and How Schooling Programs can Address these Issues • Require Foreign Language proficiency in Curriculum • Behavioral Sciences study component on Ethnic Populations • Sociology component in study curriculum • Expanded Disaster Psychology study in curriculum

3. Areas of Expanded Study

4. Potential Uses for Studies

5. Examples • City of Oakland, California began the first all Chinese CERT team. They are continuing with the program and have begun additional CERT training programs for more neighborhoods that are Chinese speaking. • Also in Oakland, California and in a few other cities nationwide there are now Spanish speaking CERT teams. BENEFITS Collaboration and Cooperation with non-English speaking cultural groups that are now prepared and self-sustaining.

6. Additional uses of Expanded Skills and Study • DHS needs employees proficient in at least one foreign language. • Employment is focusing on foreign language proficiency as a necessary component to employment and promotions. • Illegal and Immigrant populations are not going to leave the United States. • Additional refugees and people granted visas and entry into America is continuing.

7. Behavioral Studies Ethnic populations are diverse – They are close-knit and have been taught methods and mannerisms that can and do conflict at times with standard policies in force. Elders are the leaders and the communities (most populations) adhere to the role of authority of the elders. Many ethnic populations have a deep mistrust and fear of all government authority.

8. Sociological Concerns for Study Hierarchy structuring within various Middle-eastern cultures and Asian cultures. • Paternal or Maternal hierarchy • Conceptual understandings of disasters per ethnic grouping • Cultural barriers to Mitigation strategies • Cultural beliefs pertaining to authority personnel

9. Disaster Psychology A study of multi-cultural beliefs especially pertaining to family values and religious beliefs is imperative. Hispanic and Latina cultures are deeply spiritual and believe in the teachings of their religious elders. Understanding of various religious beliefs i.e. Buddhist, Muslim, Naturalist, Amish etc., are necessary to understanding what can be perceived as a danger to life.

10. Methods that Work • Internship and interaction with ethnic community centers as student not instructor. • Cultural training with elders of the community. • Guest lecturers from culture groups to teach cultural biases and beliefs. • Adaptations to policies to include and use ethnic cultural practices. • Collaboration with cultural groups.

11. Multi-lingual and Cultural Barriers Prepared by Leslie Little C.E.M.A. , At-risk Safety Trainer, specializing in multi-cultural, ethnic, and vulnerable populations. Prepared for EMI Higher Education Conference. Graduate student – Jacksonville State University