compendium 2006 grundtvig 2 learning partnerships ... - NA-BIBB

Project reference: 06-DEU03-S2G01-00205-2
DEUTSCHLAND
BICOM – Promoting bilingual and intercultural competencies in public health
Medical care for patients with limited proficiency in the national language causes serious problems in European
hospitals. Staff members are not equipped to communicate in foreign languages. The use of English depends on the
educational background of both the patient and the health care provider. In view of these limitations, bilingual staff
members, relatives of the patients or external voluntary mediators frequently act as ad hoc-interpreters. In some
countries professional interpreting services for medical purposes exist, but they are not accessible in all hospitals.
Anyway, ad hoc-interpreting will continue to play a major role in communication with non-native patients in all
European countries. During a two-year exchange process leading clinic employees, linguistics, and cultural scientists,
public health-experts and ad hoc-interpreters (employees or volunteers) will come together to highlight multilingualism
as a human resource. This resource, however, requires constant encouragement and promotion. The overall goal is to
maintain the EU’s linguistic diversity and to enhance linguistic competencies. In the project conditions and existing
practices in different European metropolitan areas will be investigated and the needs of bilingual ad hoc-interpreters
will be analysed. This will be done via group discussions, meetings with local experts (i.e. scientists AND ad hocinterpreters),
the collection of “stories” told by ad hoc-interpreters, excursions and workshops. Participants will bring in
their own experience and reflect on their needs and already existing initiatives for ameliorating medical services for
non-native patients. Together, they will present the results in a publication.
Duration: 2 years Funding year: 2 nd
Area(s) covered
Project Objectives
Target Group(s)
COMPOSITION OF THE PARTNERSHIP
Coordinating institution
Health
Intercultural issues
Languages
Strategy for stimulating/promoting adult learners’ demand for learning
Methods for providing accreditation of competencies
Migrants/travellers/ethnic or other minorities
Women
Other: health care staff
Name of the organisation: dock europe GmbH, Bildung - Beratung - Moderation
Name of the contact person: Bernd Meyer
Address: Amandastraße 60, D – 20357 Hamburg
E-mail: ortrun-kliche@dock-europe.net
Tel: + 49 (0) 40 / 80609222
Fax: + 49 (0) 40 / 80 60 92 15
Website: www.dock-europe.net
Partners
Cooperativa Sociale COOSS Marche ONLUS Soc. Coop. p.a., IT
University College London, UK
Utrecht University, NL
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