SPuK – Language and Culture

1. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Cultural mediators for effective and adequate health care In charge of the sub-project: Caritasverband für die Diözese Osnabrück e.V.

2. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Target Groups: Unemployed asylum seekers and refugees with an unsecured status of residence who are interested in vocational qualification; for example- asylum seekers and persons filing a follow-up asylum application- migrants with a status of toleration or authorization according to §§ 53-55 AuslG (alien law)- (former) refugees of war and of civil war

3. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Three modules Duration in total: 27 months

4. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Module 1, duration: 6 months Intensive language course focussing on the sector of health care: „German Language in Health Care“ Period: 2 January 2003 – 30 June 2003 2 learning groups with 12 participants each

5. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Module 2, duration: 9 months Lessons with practical component, „Introduction to the Basic Fields of Health Care“ Period: 1 September 2003 – 31 May 2004 1 learning group with 15 participants per week: 4 days lessons, 1 day practical training in hospitals

6. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Contents of module 2: • - mediation of language and culture • training of interpreters • anatomy and theory of diseases • legal foundations • German health system • IT courses • guest observing and learning in a hospital

7. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Module 3, duration: 12 months Traineeship accompanied by lessons Period: 1 June 2004 – 31 May 2005 11 participants

8. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification Contents of module 3: • - establishment of a contact office • employment as mediators of language and culture • public relations • presentation of the service of „Mediation of Language and Culture“ • four-month traineeship in hospitals and similar institutions.

9. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Results and Experiences • 205 contacts between institutions of the regional health care system and migrants / refugees were accompanied by the cultural mediators • Gains for the regional health care sector: • - Saving personals time, especially doctors time • - Enabling successful communication around sensitive issues • Support of migrants/ refugees by explaining examinations and procedures • - Taking away responsibility from children

10. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care • Difficulties: • Uneven demands of minority languages (Russian and Turkish as most demanded languages) • - Sceptics towards the language skills of the mediators

11. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care • Sustainability of the service through exploring further possibilities, supported by the DP SAGA • - Networking among mediators • - Exploring further possibilities

12. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care • Gains for the target group: • “Personal sustainability” after taking part in the qualification measure • - Basis to get a traineeship • - Basis to look for different working areas in the health care sector • - Using short term opportunities in other EQUAL- and ERF-projects • - Looking for jobs, but on a more profound basis • - Access to IT-technologies

13. SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Results and Experiences Empowerment - Language abilities used in the community - Understanding and communicating the health care and the social system - The qualification measure as “one of the better times in Germany”