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.

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 §§ AuslG (alien law) - (former) refugees of war and of civil war

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

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

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

SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification - 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 Contents of module 2:

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

SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Sub - project: Qualification - 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. Contents of module 3:

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

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

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

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

SPuK – Language and Culture Foundations for an effective health care Results and Experiences - 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” Empowerment