Enhancing the Skills and Identity of Cultural Mediators in a Multicultural Europe The Perspective of PRAKSIS Polyclinic Georgina Galanopoulou Social Anthropologist-Job Councellor PRAKSIS, Athens Polyclinic

Our Identity PR.A.K.SI.S. - Programs of Development, Social support and Medical Cooperation is a Non Governmental Organization, founded in Its main goal is the planning and implementation of humanitarian and development projects and medical interventions.

Our methodology / approach The Holistic Approach Support Empowerment (Re)integration of vulnerable social groups who experience social or/and economic exclusion All services are offerred for free and irrespective of colour, race, nationality, religion, political convictions or sexual orientation.

PRAKSIS Infrastructures and Interventions Polyclinics (Athens and Thessaloniki) Day Centers for Homeless (Athens, Pireus and Thessaloniki) Social Housing (Athens and Thessaloniki) Drop-In Centre for Unaccompanied Minors (Patras) STEGI - Accommodation to asylum seekers (Athens, Thessaloniki and Lesvos) Mobile Medical Unit (Northern and Southern Greece) Medical Mobile Units for information, counselling and HIV and Hepatitis C testing Hotline (HIV and Hepatitis B, C) Streetwork (Unaccompanied Minors, Homeless, Victims of Trafficking, Injection Drug Users, Sex Workers)

Our beneficiaries Homeless Uninsured Economic Migrants Asylum seekers/Refugees Unaccompanied minors Sex workers Ex-prisoners HIV+ people Roma Injection drug users Victims of trafficking Single parent families Families hit by the economic crisis In other words, any person that faces social or/and economic exclusion and is deprived of basic goods.

POLYCLINIC Services: Medical Services (Primary Health Care and Pharmacy) Social Services (psycho-social support, social welfare issues, housing, work councelling) Legal Services (councelling)

Staff members Personnel Social Scientists (Social Workers, Psychologists, Social Anthropologists, Sociologists) Medical Doctors Nurses Lawyers Interpreters & Cultural Mediators Interns Volunteers

Staff members

Interpreters & Cultural Mediators in PRAKSIS Profile: Speaking and writing skills in Greek (relevant terminology) Speaking languages: Farsi, Dari, Urdu/Pajabi, Arabic, French, English Same background as the target groups Integrated (familiar with both cultures: origin and host) Respect and tolerance for diversity Communication skills Perceptive

Interpreters & Cultural Mediators in PRAKSIS Training on: PRAKSIS projects, campaigns, philosophy and principles, Relevant legislation (such as immigration and asylum issues, employment) Rules of interpretation services and the interpreter's role On-job training - Monitoring and assessment meetings

Interpreters & Cultural Mediators in PRAKSIS The importance of the cultural mediators: Bridge in between the staff and the beneficiaries Mediation when/if cultural or ethnical differences occur Development or/and enhancement of common ground between groups On-going cooperation with members of staff for monitoring and assessment of cases Information and input on cultural and other issues of country of origin

Enhancing the Skills and Identity of Cultural Mediators in a Multicultural Europe

THANK YOU!