SpraKuM | Language and culture mediation - Transkom

Career qualification at SpraKuMLanguage and culture mediators:These professionals provide languageinterpreting and cultural mediationparallel to the home culture forforeign patients or clients. Thepurpose is to avoid cross-culturalmisunderstandings between theclients and the institutions taskedwith providing basic services.Participants are strengthenedthrough continuous promotion oftheir sense of self-worth andempowerment. This is reflectedin a wide variety of culturalactivities that the parti cipantscontribute to the project’s workinggroups, which augment classroominstruction.In the meantime the language andculture mediators at SpraKuMcan provide support in 60 languagesand dialects from Africa, Asia,eastern Europe and the Near andMiddle East.The qualification conceptand its modulesQualification as a language and culturemediator builds on the results ofthe first project cycle. Qualificationtraining lasts 2 1 / 2 years, divided intoa 1 1 / 2 -year theoretical phase and aone - year professional orientationphase carried out in the form of practica.The theoretical phase is subdividedinto three 6-month modules,each of which represents a com pleteinstructional unit.In the first module the emphasisis on perfecting the participants’command of the German languagewhile they also reflect on their ownimmigration experiences. The purposeof the second module is totrain participants for interpretingtasks in the health care and socialservices settings, taking account oflinguistic, intercultural and technicalaspects. An important factoris mediating with a sensitivity forthe cultural differences betweenthe patient or client and the institutionswhich deliver basic services.Taught in addition are thefundamental methods for crossculturalcommunication, mediationand conflict management; professionalethics requirements such asconfidentiality and impartiality aredealt with. There follows in thethird module more specialized instructionand professionalization inthe specific fields of health careand social welfare.The participants are awarded subcertificatesas each module is concluded.Qualification culminates ina final certificate authenticated bythe Hamburg-Eppendorf UniversityHospital.Auxiliary qualificationcertificates at SpraKuMProject participants can acquire additional,internationally recognizedcertificates and thus improve theirprospects on the labor markets in boththeir home country and in Germany:· First German language certificate,issued by the Goethe Institute· Central intermediate examination,administered by the Goethe Institute· “Xpert” European computer passport· Youth trainer certificate(at SpraKuM Aachen)The high qualification levels that projectparticipants achieve pave the roadto successful integration once theirpetitions for asylum are approved.

Career practice among the traineesWeselKevelaerGelsenkirchenBönenOberhausenDuisburgBochumKrefeldViersenKaarstMönchengladbachRatingenWuppertalErkrathEnnepetalBreckerfeldNeussRemscheidGeilenkirchen DormagenMonheimGangelt LinnichJülichBaesweilerKölnHerzogenrathDürenAachen StolbergAlfterBonnWürselenCooperating municipalitiesin North-Rhine Westphalia:SpraKuM in AachenSpraKuM in Wuppertal195168Following the firsttraining cycle19 persons, or 70%of the 27 personscompleting the course,were able to findemployment.2102Of those participantswho found work, theiremployment situationwasFull-time: 5 / 26%Part-time: 2 / 10.5%Contractemployment: 10 / 53%Casual labor: 2 / 10.5%326The qualified participantsare working· As language and culturemediators: 16 / 59.3%· In other careers: 3 / 11.1%Of the 8 participants(8 / 29.6%) who could notbe placed, 2 (2 / 7.4%) aredoing volunteer workMunicipalities in North-Rhine Westphaliaparticipating in SpraKuMRefugees’ taking part in the SpraKuMproject is made possible by the participatingmunicipalities as they offsetthe costs against the entitlementsprescribed in the Asylum Seek ers’Benefits Act or in Volume III of theSocial Welfare Code; disbursementsare in the form of co-financing andremuneration of the daily expensesfor travel to the training sites.Cooperation has been establishedwith the following municipalities inNorth-Rhine Westphalia:Aachen, Alfter, Baesweiler,Bochum, Bönen, Bonn, Breckerfeld,Cologne, Duisburg, Dormagen,Düren, Ennepetal, Erkrath, Gangelt,Geilenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen,Herzogenrath, Jülich, Kaarst,Kevelaer, Krefeld, Linnich,Mönchengladbach, Monheim,Neuss, Oberhausen, Ratingen,Remscheid, Stolberg, Viersen,Würselen, Wesel and Wuppertal.Employment and deployment oflanguage and culture mediatorsThe experiences from the first trainingcycle show that the use of language andculture mediators in health care andsocial services facilities helps fosterthe integration of asylum seekers intothe labor market without lesseningemployment opportunities for groupsenjoying priority in placement. Makinguse of linguistic and cultural potentialsalready on hand makes forefficient support of assistance seekerswho speak a foreign language.Errors resulting from misunderstandingscan be avoided and protractedcommunications processes can beabbreviated considerably.The results of the SpraKuM programare evaluated by the Hamburg-Eppendorf University Hospital andby the Integration Ministry of theState of North-Rhine Westphalia.Among the institutions that make useof language and culture mediatorsare hospitals, public health offices,psychotherapeutic facilities, psychiatricpractices, all kinds of advisoryagencies, youth welfare offices, socialservices offices, welfare agencies etc.To date it has been possible to place70 per cent of the qualified languageand culture mediators in the pri maryand secondary labor markets.More than 200 facilities involved indelivering basic social services inNorth-Rhine Westphalia regularlyavail themselves of services by languageand culture mediators.

Contacts at SpraKuMPhotography: EQUAL Projekt SpraKuMDesign: Stephan Preuss Grafik + DesignDiakonie WuppertalEQUAL Project SpraKuMLudwigstrasse 2242105 WuppertalPhone: +49 / 202 / 49 69 70Fax: +49 / 202 / 45 31 44Project management/coordination:Varinia MoralesProject associate:Melanie AssauerCo-workers:Cigdem Akinci and Birgit NaujoksAdministration:Nicole RossiAccounting:Simona Schröder and Anja Schüttermorales@migrationsdienst-wuppertal.deassauer@migrationsdienst-wuppertal.deThe objectives of the “TransKomHealth and Welfare” developmentpartnership are, firstly, to try outnew concepts for professionalqualification of refugees and,secondly, to improve interculturalcommunications in both the healthcare field and in welfare agencies.TransKom’s operativepartners include:· Practicum Year at the CharitableServices Agency of the ProtestantChurch in Rhineland· Pedagogic Center in Aachen(Pädagogisches Zentrum Aachen e. V.)· Charitable Services Agencyin Wuppertal· PSZ Psychosocial Center forRefugees in Düsseldorf· Ministry of Integration of theState of North-Rhine Westphalia· University Hospital atHamburg-Eppendorf· BiG Health Care Education Institute(Bildungsinstitut im GesundheitswesengGmbH), Essen· Medikon GmbH, Oberhausenwww.transkom.infowww.sprakum.de