If you can't read this email correctly, please click here

At September the 8th & 9th 2016, the International Closure Conference IME-2016: Intercultural Mediation in contemporary Europe: challenges and possibilities held in the frame of the EU project TIME (Train Intercultural Mediators for a Multicultural Europe) was implemented with great success. The conference was addressed to researchers and practitioners of IM and associated disciplines, including among others social workers and researchers who interact with immigrants, members of immigrant communities, personnel of educational institutions, training centers, NGOs and voluntary organizations, employees of public administration and local authorities.

The objective of the conference was to promote exploitation of the results of project TIME, which was funded under Erasmus+, aiming to identify and discuss challenges, explore possibilities, exchange knowledge on practices and interventions and present successful IM (Intercultural Mediators) policies.

Participants from many european countries, including State Ministries' representatives, Public Services' officials engaged in implementing migration policy, NGO directors, university professors, other proffesionals experienced in handling migrants' issues and journalists attended the conference two-day sessions.

The conference programme included: Presentations by TIME project Researchers, Invited lectures by distinguished academics and professionals, Contributions from IMs, Policy consultation sessions, Hands-on Workshops.

The conference sessions included a detailed presentantion of the TIME project results especially concerning:
- mapping the field of intercultural mediation of immigrants in Europe
- the training program for IMs and IM trainers developed through the TIME project
- the multiple occupational profiles of IMs throughout Europe and the TIME project contribution towards
a European Intercultural Mediator Profile and code of conduct
- the prospects on the accreditation/certification of the IMs' skills and knowledge in EU countries.

The above research findings and project products' presentations were supplemented by a fruitful debate including:
- the interaction of current migration policies in Greece with intercultural mediation projects and the role of NGOs
- the implementation and dissemination prospects of the best practices in IM, as pointed out in the TIME project
- discussion over specific examples of good practices in the use of technologies in IM (SONETOR Portal, the practice of videoconferencing in IM in Belgium)
- insight on various aspects of IM (e.g. cultural - health mediation)
- personal experiences from IMs on the field

Parallel sessions included workshops on issues such as:
- Intercultural Mediation as a necessary skill for "Citizen of the World"
- Intercultural Mediation and Interpretation
- IM proffesional oppotunities

Another special feature of the conference was the presentation of various posters reflecting experts' research on cultural, linguistic, and social aspects of the intercultural interaction in the Greek society.

The debate was timely especially because of the growing effects of the recent refugee crisis all over Europe.

Update on Project Products

Self-study Course for Trainers of Intercultural Mediators
(Intellectual Output No.5 - O5)

Do you wish to download
the trainer profile or the modules?

Α Self-study Course for Trainers of Intercultural Mediators (IMs) was one of the basic intellectual outputs developed in the frame of the TIME project.

This is a modular training program for active and future IMfI trainers has been developed according to the requirements of the IMfI training program and data collected from research.

What is included in this product?
At first, data collected from research activities of the project, as well as the requirements of the new IMfI training program were analyzed in order to determine which competences, characteristics and skills are important for an IMfI trainer. Issues like formal qualifications, interpersonal and linguistic skills, and experience in intercultural mediation were addressed. This led to the definition of the desired trainer profile according to the requirements of the TIME IMfI training program.

Accordingly, a training program was developed for professionals of various profiles and levels of experience with intercultural mediation, who are interested in training intercultural mediators by means of the IM training program developed by the TIME partnership. At the same time this training course can be used by any active or future IM trainers who want to further develop their skills.

Desired learning outcomes and training content have been developed in modular form, covering the following topics:
- Special characteristics of the IMfI training programme
- Adult training methodology and techniques
- Psychological issues in mediation
- Communication techniques
- Cultural and anthropological issues
- Legal aspects of intercultural mediation
- Resources on intercultural mediation

Recommendations for the validation, certification and accreditation
of Intercultural Mediator training (Intellectual Output No.6 - O6)

Do you wish to learn more
or download the study?

Another important contribution of the TIME project in the field of Intercultural Mediation in Europe is the O6 project product, namely the Recommendations for the validation, certification and accreditation of Intercultural Mediator training.

In this product the accreditation and validation possibilities of the new courses produced by the TIME project (for IMs and for their trainers) are explored.

First, alignment with EQF and ECVET is proposed. Then the accreditation authorities of the partnership countries were contacted and partners retrieved information on procedures and prerequisites of accreditation. This document briefly describes the accreditation procedures applicable in each country of the partnership and proposes an alignment of the new courses with respective NQFs. Most important, opportunities for the accreditation of the courses are identified and recommendations to stakeholders are made in order to further promote the professionalization of intercultural mediation.

National Multiplier events
for the presentation of new training programs
and the communication with stakeholders

The last round of events was held throughout summer 2016 in 7 EU countries: Greece, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal.

The discussion revolved around knowledge, skills and competences that Intercultural mediators should posses in order to provide effective mediation services, the suggested by TIME project training course for intercultural mediators and the self-study course for their trainers. Round table discussions with stakeholders and social partners provided useful feedback concerning how the TIME project products could or should be exploited so as to maximise the project impact.

For more information on the implemented events access the Multiplier Events section on the project website.

If you wish to receive regular feedback about the project progress (next events and the activities updates) please subscribe.

You may also follow us on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CulturalMediationSonetor?fref=photo)

If you no longer wish to receive TIME newsletter, just let us know at: infoly@olympiakokek.gr

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The TIME newsletter reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.