Strengthening Intercultural Mediation in the support of young refugees
Nidos uses Intercultural Mediation (ICM) to strengthen the support provided to underage unaccompanied refugees. An intercultural mediator works with the young person and the professional, particularly the guardian, helping to build trust, strengthen resilience and improve mutual understanding between them. ICM also supports professionals in developing a more culturally sensitive approach.
Together with the Verwey-Jonker Institute, Nidos carried out the project Strengthening the evidence base for Intercultural Mediation. The project focused on further researching, substantiating and professionalising the ICM intervention, as well as strengthening its sustainable implementation and transferability.
The Verwey-Jonker Institute evaluated the intervention through literature research, case studies, interviews, document analysis and observations. The findings show that young people, parents and professionals are generally very positive about ICM. The intervention contributes to young people’s well-being and resilience, strengthens trust and mutual understanding between young people and professionals, improves cooperation and contributes to the professional development of guardians and other professionals.
The project also focused on making ICM more sustainable and transferable. The intervention was further described and developed, professionals received training, and knowledge and experiences were shared nationally and internationally. The results were also presented to professionals from several European countries through the European Guardianship Network.
These activities contribute to the longer-term ambition of making ICM more widely applicable, including for other organisations supporting unaccompanied children and refugees.
Read the research report (available only Dutch) ‘Evaluatie Interventie Interculturele Mediation bij Nidos’
A practical ICM manual has also been developed to support professionals in applying the intervention consistently. The manual is not yet available for publication but will be made available later this year.