The Linguistic and Cultural Mediation

Cooperativa Tempo Libero

The role of a cultural mediator Translate from one language to another

Help both sides to know and understand the significance of the words from the cultural point of view

Help to understand the functioning of a service and the role of its operators

Make visible the cultural origins of a migrant consumer

Explicit the demands of operator and user

Have a neutral position

Support the operator without substituting his\her role

La mediazione in ambito sanitario

The Migrants and Health Services

The relation between the foreign citizens and health services is still quite discontinuous and most of them use health services for emergency reasons only and find difficult understanding its importance as prevention

Although the health service needs to intercept the demands of all citizens with their social and cultural differences

Often a migrant citizen is not able to have access to these services because of linguistic barriers, a different conception of health and illness, approach towards the medical staff and differences in the organization of the service in different cultures

As for the recomendations of the WHO: for an efficient functioning of a health service it is important that the subject and the operator mutually participate in the process of healing. This recognizes the patient as a competent subject

If we consider a migrant patient and the health service of the host country as two open and parallel systems it is possible to immagine how a “ short circuit” in communication is inevitable. This is because of differences in cultural references of the patient and the health system.

Come far comunicare i due sistemi? Is efficient communication between these two systems possible? How?

The cultural and linguistic Mediation

The cultural-linguistic mediation is an instrument which can be a bridge to create an efficient relationship between the two systems

This instrument can help in constructing a relation of mutual trust between the patient and the operator since there are different conceptions of health and illness in different cultures

It makes the comprehension more efficient for both sides It helps in making the patient -operator relationship more

efficient as both disease and cure are in a framework which is recognized by both sides

The role of cultural mediation in health services:

Decodify the meaning of the word “health” in different cultures

Help in creating a climate of mutual trust

Help in the comprehension of needs and demands of both patient and the operator

Provide information to the patient about the services and cures offered by the health service

The mediation in schools

Present in the following contexts: Nursery schools Primary schools Secondary schools Stage 1(middle school) Secondary schools stage 2 Youth centres Centres for after school activities(homework) Summer camps

lThe role of cultural mediation in schools

Receive the family and new student together with the teachers Gather the personal and scolastic history of the student. Provide the teachers with information about the school system in the home country of the student Translate the documents, school notices etc. Provide support in the initial phase of insertion in the class Help during the regular school and parents meetings Underline the importance of the original language and culture of the student Collaborate with different intercultural projects in the school