VOLUNTEER TOOLKIT
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YOUR ASSIGNMENT AS A UN VOLUNTEER . 1
Cultural Induction and Awareness Training
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Foreword Cultural Induction: is a practical guidance on how to learn, to work and enjoy in multinational or international environments. The tool is part of a Volunteer Toolkit, which contains eight (8) volunteer tools. The Volunteer Toolkit has been developed to support the implementation of the Programme Strategy 2011- 2013, more specifically to enhance the effectiveness of volunteer management and the skills of UN Volunteers to become good advocates of Volunteerism for Peace and Development. The Volunteer Toolkit is to be disseminated and/or made available to UN Volunteers over the course of their volunteer assignment. The objective is to ensure that UN Volunteers (POs, other international UN Volunteers, and national UN Volunteers) can benefit from each tool at the relevant stage of their assignment: Pre-assignment; Support during assignment and End of Assignment.
Front Cover: UN Volunteer Zeid Al Khail Kassouha listens to an Iraqi refugee woman in the UNHCR Registration Center in Douma, Syria (Bridgette Auger, 2009).
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CONTENTS . 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1 The importance of cultural induction in the field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 Cultural induction and language training. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04 Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06 Monitoring and evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07 Concluding remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 08 PART 2 Practical examples, templates and good practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09 Suggested elements of a cultural induction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 09 Cultural orientation in the field – practical modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 The Iceberg View of Culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Bennett’s Challenging Content-Challenging Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Non-verbal communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Cultural Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Case Study “Cultural induction in Papua New Guinea” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Appendices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 I. The Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 II. Worksheet – characteristics and behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 III. The Iceberg conception of culture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 IV. Handout on Content and Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 V. Case Study – Madagascar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 VI. Intercultural Communication Dialogues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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Part 1 The importance of cultural induction in the field Background Intercultural communication is much more complex than it may seem at first glance. People from different cultures have different views on how priorities are set, how important hierarchies are, how “teamwork” is understood. They may have very different values and world views as well as styles of communication which all increase the likelihood of misunderstandings. These differences lead to possible risks of misapprehension and misinterpretation that are often underestimated and can lead to frustration on both sides. Therefore, we should equip UN Volunteers with the means to recognize and avoid these potential pitfalls in time, so that the assignment will be not only more effective and sustainable, but also more satisfying and fulfilling for the volunteer and his or her local counterparts. Recognizing the importance of this issue, UNV decided to mainstream intercultural orientation and training into its UN
Volunteer management cycle. UNV also looked into how other organizations carry out language and cultural induction of their volunteers and developed a practical toolkit to guide cultural orientation of UN Volunteers upon arrival by the country office. With this toolkit we aim at enhancing the language and cultural preparation of UN Volunteers upon arrival at the duty station. This toolkit is designed in a modular way and provides guidelines and practical examples to support UNV Field Units in their cultural induction activities. Cultural Induction and Language Training Cultural induction is important for many reasons. To begin with, it increases a person’s effectiveness in a given role and promotes satisfactory completion of assignments in multinational or international environments. Cultural induction also allows UN Volunteers to be happier in their volunteer assignments, grow personally, and help manage the health issues related to adjustment stress
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PART 1. THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL INDUCTION IN THE FIELD . 5
or culture shock. Participation in the host culture enhances a person’s overall satisfaction with their life at a given assignment location and facilitates the integration into their life and work there. In addition to this, the relationship that a UN Volunteer develops with the host culture can be an important part of a person’s motivation for volunteering. Many volunteers indicate that their desire to be immersed in a local culture is part of the reason they are interested in going on a volunteer assignment. This integration is equally necessary for national as well as international UN Volunteers. It is commonly accepted that a person needs to have a minimum level of language and intercultural skills in order to function well at the location of their assignments. A Canadian study demonstrates that for an individual to be effective in his or her aid or development assignment s/he must adapt – both personally and within his/her family – to the environment, have the expertise to carry out the assignment, and interact with the new culture and its people.” (Kealy, 2001) Volunteers play special roles in capacity development and transfer of knowledge; effectiveness in these areas is improved when a volunteer has shown a
commitment to or aptitude for the local language. In one study of professional advisors, those who made an effort to learn the local language were rated as more effective in their roles than those who did not. In this study, poor communication and interpersonal relationships were the most frequently cited reasons for ineffective transfer of skills (Kealy, 2001). Language skills also include the capacity to understand and adopt the various communications skills used in the host culture. Language skills have been shown to be an important predictor of personal adjustment. Language acquisition is linked to social interactions with local people and a desire for learning, which result in reduced adjustment stress. For national UN Volunteers, it is generally assumed that they will have at least a minimum understanding of the local language that they will be using at the duty station. In order to ensure that this is the case, Description of Assignments for national UN Volunteers need to stress local language requirements. Overall, social interactions between cultures promote feelings of respect, trust and goodwill, and increase the likelihood that a volunteer will be satisfied with his or her placement.
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International UNV volunteers are encouraged to enhance their skills that will contribute to their assignment, such as training in local language, through the use of the training allotment available to each UNV volunteer (see addendum of the Condition of Service for amounts applicable). Homestay is also one way of acquiring local language and cultural knowledge and fluency. A number of volunteer sending organizations provide homestay during the induction period or throughout the assignment (VSO, Peace Corps and JOCV). Also UNV knows homestay as one way to enhance cultural integration. In certain countries homestay is part of cultural induction for new UN Volunteers (see C. Case Study from Papua New Guinea) and in other UN Volunteers were allowed to stay with foster families throughout their assignment. As mentioned above, there is a positive relationship between a person’s adjustment to the culture and his or her performance in that setting. This adjustment, through cultural induction and language training, may not come easily or without stress. However, the rewards will be evident in the long-term. Friendships that are developed with local people can help to keep volunteers motivated and
focused whilst on assignment and may give them concrete reasons to remain active participants in development and peace-building upon their return home. This is critical for the promotion of volunteerism for peace and development. If a UN Volunteer is accompanied by dependents or partners, the cultural induction and language training process will ideally extend to include them. Often the dependents, who are not embedded within the UN system, are very actively engaged with the host culture. For this reason, language training for them is essential. An inability to speak the local language can make it difficult for them to settle in, develop family routines, get groceries and have access to services. Culture The term culture has already been used here, but it has not yet been defined. A basic definition of ‘culture’ is the society’s assumptions, values and norms. A society is often defined by the majority group in a country, but most countries have subcultures as well. A culture has visible aspects (such as fine arts, dance, theatre, etc) and invisible aspects (such as how to make decisions, methods of raising children, management styles, beliefs about death, etc) (AFS Intercultural Programs, 1984). Culture is a general
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overview of ways things may be done in a particular society, but this does not mean that there is no other way! There is always someone within a society who will do things differently than what is culturally established. In this way, an understanding of culture should not be used to create assumptions or stereotypes. Instead, knowledge of culture can be a way to value differences and promote understanding between people (Adler, 2002). Finally, culture can change and adapt over time- we affect other people and other people affect us, all of which causes culture to change (Hall, 1976). The stress of adjusting to a new organization or culture is also called ‘culture shock’. This is defined as the stress of meeting with new and unknown aspects of an environment, along with the adjustments linked with the losses of the old and familiar things from home. With an organizational or location change, we lose our familiar social networks, there are changes in the physical environment, we do not know how to behave and how to get what we want or need, and we have difficulty communicating meaningfully with others. Within the UN system, most teams are multicultural, and therefore will have a unique cultural composition within which a UN Volunteer will need to adjust.
At one time, researchers thought that culture shock was primarily felt by people who did not have much experience interacting across cultures. Now, however, culture shock is known to be a normal, healthy reaction to the stress of living or working in a different culture. How strongly a UN Volunteer feels this shock will be entirely personal. Culture and culture shock is discussed in detail in the UNV orientation document entitled “How do I fit in?”. Monitoring and Evaluation A cultural induction should be concluded closed with an evaluation form, that perhaps can be submitted confidentially at any point over the duration of the UN Volunteers’ assignment (perhaps to a UNV Field Unit/UNDP Country Office drop box) so that the UNV Field Units can collect important feedback on how to improve their cultural orientation. Evaluation questions could be: ■ In your opinion, what was the most
important aspect of this induction? ■ Do you feel more capable of interacting
with the host culture having done this induction? What do you feel you have learned? ■ What are the 2-3 main goals that you
have set for yourself during the
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induction? Did you reach these goals? If not, what prevented you from reaching them? ■ What questions do you have that are
still unanswered? ■ How would you improve this induction?
A second option is to have the volunteers set a learning objective before they start their cultural induction, so that their achievements regarding these objectives can be monitored. The volunteer would need to monitor these themselves through the Volunteer Reflection Toolkit, or they can incorporate it into their learning compacts or other performance appraisal systems. Concluding Remarks This is a living document that will be continually updated; therefore, we encourage UNV Field Units to forward to UNV HQ suggestions, good practices, induction examples and any other suggestions or improvements to this document that can be made. Please send your feedback to volunteer_tools@unv.org. It is hoped that the exercises and topics discussed will help to make your transition a successful one. We look forward to hearing from you in the future
For the practical part of this Cultural Induction Toolkit for UNV Field Units, we would like to acknowledge the contribution of Veronique Schoeffel from the Center for Information, Counseling and Training for Professions Related to International Cooperation in Switzerland and of Sarah Gleave, former UNV Programme Officer in Laos and Sri Lanka. A special thank you also goes to the authors of the Partners’ Intercultural Companion to Training for Transformation from the Irish organization Partners for their cooperation to include their training material into this toolkit and to the UNV Field Unit, Albania and its COA Blerina Geka for their support in the design of tools and activities.
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Part 2 Practical examples, templates and good practices for a cultural induction in the field Suggested Elements of a Cultural Induction For the UNV Field Unit, the following are suggested elements to be included in a cultural induction of UN Volunteers. We recommend orientating both national and international UN Volunteers before their assignments, and the programmes will need to be tailored slightly to their duty stations. It is likely that your office already has a strong basis for doing these inductions. The checklist included in this section allows you to see if there are things you can add to what you are currently doing. Materials can be complemented with photographs or other materials that people from the office can bring in from home (traditional dress, food, etc). If there are UN Volunteers or former UN Volunteers in your country of assignment who are interested in being resource persons for these inductions, this is ideal. It is also suggested to recommend UN Volunteers to look at www.intercultures.gc.ca, which is a website that offers both a local and an international point of view of a country’s culture.
■ Language training: how to contact
teachers, local perception of learning the language, what level of language is required for the post, language considerations for duty stations outside the capital? ■ Composition of the country or location
of assignment: how many ethnic groups, religions and languages are represented? ■ Conflict: how is conflict generally
perceived? how to prevent it? how to approach it? ■ Local communication styles and
learning styles: implications for transfer of expertise or other knowledge ■ Major holidays, and corresponding
rituals ■ Other customs unique to the country or
region ■ A local perspective on politics: how to
approach, UN position ■ Location specific dress: formal, office,
casual
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■ Major religions and customs ■ Body language: personal space, how to
greet one another, eye contact, do people physically contact each other (and between whom), public displays of affection ■ Styles of communication: direct,
indirect, linear, circular, other? ■ How to address people (Mr & Mrs, by
first name?, older brother/sister, aunt or uncle, etc) ■ Roles and status ■ Common management styles:
authoritarian, consultative, enabling? ■ Social life: ■ Common social interactions and
venues ■ Events that you will likely encounter.
For example weddings, births and funerals: rituals, behaviors and costs ■ Events that you may host (&
customs, costs). Are there any recommended for you to do? ■ Where is it appropriate to host
people? (At home, in public, etc) ■ Local ways to deal with stress (play
sports, volunteer, etc)
■ Health: ■ Local healthcare system and
associated customs and realities ■ HIV & AIDS in the local context:
country specific realities (access to condoms, availability of HIV testing, stigmas, availability of treatment, counseling, prevalence in the country, volunteer or support groups or CSOs, etc) ■ Other sexually transmitted diseases ■ Cultural guidelines on how to
approach HIV ■ Taking photographs ■ Any special considerations for: ■ Men ■ Women ■ Children ■ People with disabilities ■ Sexual exploitation and harassment:
local realities about sex industry, sexual harassment, how to report crimes and to whom ■ Perception of money: who pays? How
may you be perceived as a UN Volunteer? ■ Time: what is the local perception of
time professionally, socially, personally
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■ Speaking at public events: is it expected
or discouraged? And in what type of event (meeting, wedding, etc) ■ What styles of conversation are
especially developed at public events ■ Food: method of eating, style of eating,
any particular significance culturally for certain foods? ■ Alcohol: similar to food ■ Local transport: what is available, costs,
how to catch it ■ Ways of saying ‘no’ ■ Ways of saying ‘yes’ ■ ‘Uncomfortable questions’: Are there
questions that you can think of that are often asked and that may make a non-local UN Volunteer uncomfortable? (For example, questions about marriage, weight, money, etc). Are there questions that are taboo for the UN Volunteer to ask a person in the culture of assignment? ■ Private versus public: is the host culture
highly private or very open and communal? ■ Volunteerism: ■ How are UN Volunteers perceived in
this duty station?
■ How is volunteerism perceived in the
host culture? ■ New balance between adaptability and
authenticity ■ Evaluating one’s personal cultural
orientation ■ Hierarchies/power relations ■ Identify possible conflicts between the
host country and the volunteer’s goals (project wise and personal) ■ Attitude/expectations towards foreigners ■ Dealing with public agencies ■ Dealing with corruption
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Cultural orientation in the field – practical modules Possible orientation activities and exercises The following exercises and activities are designed to help newly arrived UN Volunteers to discover important aspects of the host culture, and to start making links between that culture and the work the volunteer will be expected to do. Most of the following activities can be done either as part of a training session with a group, or on one’s own. More exercises with focus on individual reflection supporting cultural integration can be found in the Volunteer Reflection Toolkit. The present document does not offer theoretical inputs about the various aspects
of intercultural communication. We advise the UNV Field Units to check the following website for easy and reader-friendly theoretical inputs on cultural and intercultural issues related to orientation and induction at the beginning of an assignment: http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/ As UN Volunteers represent a great number of people and thus a great variety of learning styles, the suggested activities try to take into account all of Kolb’s 4 learning styles. A short introduction in the theory of Kolb can be found in the Volunteer Reflection Toolkit. For more information also visit: http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearnings tyles.htm
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The Iceberg View of Culture Culture has often been described as an iceberg. At the “tip of the iceberg” are the visual manifestations of culture. Under the surface in the main body of the iceberg, where you can’t see them, are the underlying, ingrained patterns of thought, learning and ways of being of cultures. These are most often the areas that cause cultural bumps when communicating across cultures. As an iceberg culture is not static as it moves and changes constantly like ebb and flow.
© UBC Centre for Intercultural Communication
Ways of Doing: ■ Food ■ Dress ■ Religious Rituals
Ways of thinking: ■ Attitudes ■ Communication Styles ■ Perceptions ■ Assumptions
Ways of Being: ■ Beliefs ■ Values ■ World View
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Janet Bennett’s model: Challenging Content - Challenging Process Over her many years of expertise in the field in intercultural training, Dr. Janet Bennett has developed a model that balances the intercultural contents we teach and the methods we use. Her model is also added to this document to support facilitators as they establish induction programs, reminding them that learning is easier if they start with easier content issues, and if they don’t use very challenging methods for challenging content. Of course, the UNV trainings are by definition set for a multicultural public, and what is easy or challenging for some is not for others, and vise-versa.
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Perception and intercultural communication Perception - the Eggs The facilitator introduces the challenge related to perception in a multicultural setting: we can never be sure our perception corresponds to the meaning the other person meant to express, and we can never be sure that what we meant has been perceived the way we meant it.
Perception - case study The facilitator introduces the session by highlighting the importance of paying attention to « perception » in an intercultural interaction (for more information (see chapter “1.3.2 - In the Mind of the Beholder” of the on-line cultural training resource for study abroad of the University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/).
For more information see chapter “1.3.2 In the Mind of the Beholder” of the on-line cultural training resource for study abroad of the University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/.
The facilitator can also stress that in almost any intercultural interaction, the perception that both actors have of the same word-gesture-silence-movement will be different, due to different cultural backgrounds. These differences are not to be valued, just to be noticed.
Then the facilitator hands out a copy of the exercise «The Eggs » (see Appendix I). Finally, the newly arrived UN Volunteers: ■ think about the life and work areas
where they will have to be especially careful to make sure their perception is not too distant from what their colleagues meant ■ develop strategies to check out
whether their perception is close to what the other really meant
Then the facilitator hands out a copy of the case study « Madagascar: La vie icibas n’est qu’un passage, l’important vient après » (see Appendix 5). The group is divided in 2 sub-groups. One of the sub-groups reads the text from Mary’s perspective, the other tries to put itself in the situation of the inhabitants from Morondava. The guiding question for the group discussion after the reading is: For « Mary’s group »: What is Mary’s perception of what is most important to do
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in a situation of cholera, and why is this important? For the Morondava group: What is the Morondava people’s perception of what is most important to do in this situation of cholera, and why is this important?
of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/) The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to non-verbal communication in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting.
After the discussion, it can be helpful to use the image of two icebergs to take notes of the groups inputs in plenary. One iceberg will be Mary’s, the other will be the Morondava people’s. Around the visible part of the iceberg, the facilitator can note the actions each will suggest as a priority, in other words, the answers to the question « what? » In the invisible part, you’ll note the values and believes, in other words, the answers to the question « why? » By the end of the module, the facilitator can highlight the relation between perceptions and values, between visible and invisible parts of the iceberg, and invite newly arrived UN Volunteers to try to discover some of the invisible iceberg of the host culture.
Then the facilitator invites participants to choose 2-3 aspects of non-verbal communication, and to go out in the streets, shops, terrasses, buses, bars, to observe the way these aspects are lived and used in the host country.
Non-verbal communication Non-verbal communication - observation The facilitator gives input on key aspects of non verbal communication in a multicultural setting (see chapter “1.6.1 - The Body Speaks” of the on-line cultural training resource for study abroad of the University
Back in a plenary session, or as personal work, the participants reflect on the difference between their own practice and what they saw. They think individually about the following question: “What non verbal aspect will request work from my part in order to adjust? How will I try to develop these skills, and how will I measure the development of my new skills?” During a plenary session, people can share some of their thoughts, and facilitators and participants can offer useful suggestions. Non-verbal communication - skills development The facilitator gives input on key aspects of non verbal communication in a multicultural setting (see chapter “1.6.1 - The Body Speaks” of the on-line cultural training
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resource for study abroad of the University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/). The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to non-verbal communication in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting. Then s/he suggests 3-4 aspects of nonverbal communication (e.g.: eye contact, touch and space, silence, tone, relation to time, clothing, etc…), and invites participants including nationals to choose one of these aspects, and to work in groups: each group focuses on one aspect. The guiding questions for the group work are: ■ What are my norms in relation to that
non-verbal aspect? ■ What are the norms in my new host
culture? ■ Where do I need to develop my non-
verbal awareness and skills in relation to that aspect, and how will I go about it? After 20 minutes in groups, each group presents in plenary 3 to 4 elements of their conversation.
Communication Communication styles - styles in host culture The facilitator gives input on key aspects of communication styles in a multicultural setting (see chapter “1.6.3 Communication Styles” of the on-line cultural training resource for study abroad of the University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/). The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to communication styles in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting. The facilitator also informs the new volunteers of the communication styles used most frequently in the host country, and gives examples. Participants identify which styles are most difficult for them to understand and practice, and set themselves some learning goal: what do I want to observe, learn, and try to practice within which time frame? In their daily life and work, new arrivers then practice listening for the unfamiliar communication styles, and try to understand them. At that stage it will be very interesting to start practicing, and formulating sentences into one of the unfamiliar styles.
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Communication styles - identify styles The facilitator gives input on key aspects of communication styles in a multicultural setting (see chapter “1.6.3 Communication Styles” of the on-line cultural training resource for study abroad of the University of the Pacific at http://www.pacific.edu/sis/culture/). The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to communication styles in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting.
The facilitator also informs the new volunteers of the communication styles used most frequently in the host country, and gives examples. The facilitator introduces the topic, and gives participants a copy of 1-2 dialogs from Craig Storti’s book « 74 CrossCultural Dialogs ». We propose the following dialogues:
DINNER ON WEDNESDAY MR. SOGO:
Mr. Collins! Good to hear your voice again. What brings you to Osaka?
MR. COLLINS:
Good to hear you too, Sogo-san. I’m here on business with my new company. Id like to invite you and Ozawa-san to dinner on Wednesday.
MR. SOGO:
Thank you very much. l’ll tell Ozawa-san. Did you hear his good news?
MR. COLLINS:
No.
MR. SOGO :
He’s been made president of the company
MR. COLLINS:
That’s wonderful. Please give him my congratulations. I look forward to seeing you both on Wednesday
MR. SOGO:
I’m sure Ozawa-san will be very pleased to see you again. Where shall I tell him to meet you?
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SATURDAY SHIFT MR. JONES:
It looks like we’re going to have to keep the production live running on Saturday.
MR. WU:
I see.
MR. JONES:
Can you come in on Saturday?
MR. WU:
Yes. I think so.
MR. JONES:
That’ll be a great help.
MR. WU:
Yes. Saturday’s a special day, did you know?
MR. JONES:
How do you mean?
MR. WU:
It’s my son’s birthday.
MR. JONES:
How nice. I hope you all enjoy it very much.
MR. WU:
Thank you. I appreciate your understanding.
Dialogs 9 and 42 are especially useful to work on communication styles.
When participants have read the dialog, they talk to their neighbour about the different communication styles they perceive in the text. A plenary session allows for a global conversation, on which the facilitator can then base his/her theoretical input on communication styles, focusing on the most relevant challenges for the country of assignment. In the debriefing it would be important to highlight the first dialogue that Mr. Sogo values indirect communication and
hierarchy while Mr. Collins values direct communication and flat hierarchies. In the second dialogue Mr. Jones values low context and direct communication styles while Mr. Wu communicates in high context and indirect communication styles. How can the two understand each others? Which skills each of them need to develop in order to understand each others?
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Names and culture Invite new arrivers to do the following exercise: Within the next 3-4 days, ask about 20 persons (10 women and 10 men) to tell you their name-s. (In many cultures people have more than one name) ■ try to pronounce it ■ write it down ■ try to remember it ■ find out what it means ■ think of what the name-s and its
structure tell you about the host culture ■ what does your own name mean and
tell about your own culture? Cultural values Cultural values - proverbs Participants are requested to collect about 15 proverbs from the host culture. In plenary, the proverbs are presented, and their meaning is guessed by the participants, and then explained by the facilitator. In groups or in plenary, participants try to identify the cultural values that appear in these proverbs. What do these values tell us for our work as UN Volunteers? (for the
way we plan, discuss, take decisions, solve conflicts, start projects, etc…) It is also possible to ask participants to collect proverbs about specific dimensions (family, conflict resolution, time, youth, old age, etc,) and to use them in a similar way as explained above. Cultural values - novels The facilitator distributes copies of 2-3 passages of famous novels written by local authors, or written about the host country and set in the host country. The texts need to be available in a language understood by the group. After reading them, newly arrived volunteers think about the following questions: ■ What do these passages tell us about
the cultural values in the host country? ■ How do these cultural values differ
from mine? ■ What does this learning tell us about
our work as UN Volunteers? Results are shared in plenary.
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Cultural values - films The facilitator shows 1-2 passages of a significant film about the host country, or set in the host culture, passages that reflect some of the country’s cultural values. The films need to be available in a language understood by the group. After watching them, newly arrived volunteers think about the following questions: ■ What do these passages tell us about
the cultural values in the host country? ■ How do these cultural values differ
from mine? ■ What does this learning tell us about
our work as UN Volunteers? Cultural values - my own cultural values The facilitator gives input on key aspects of cultural values in a multicultural setting (see chapter on cultural values by Stella Ting Toomey, in her book « Communication across cultures » ) The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to cultural values in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting.
Then the facilitator hands out a copy of the worksheet «Score yourself – individualist or collectivist », page 69 in Partners’ book « Intercultural Companion to Training for Transformation » (see Appendix 2). Participants do the activity alone or in pairs, and when everybody is ready, the results are shared and discussed in plenary. Disagreements among participants are discussed in order to find common understanding. Cultural values - values and behavior The facilitator gives input on key aspects of cultural values in a multicultural setting (see chapter on cultural values by Stella Ting Toomey, in her book « Communication across cultures » )The input also focuses on the importance of paying attention to cultural values in order to create common meaning in a multicultural setting. Then the facilitator hands out a copy of the worksheet « Characteristics and Behavior », page 67 in Partners’ book « Intercultural Companion to Training for Transformation » (see Appendix 2). Participants do the activity alone or in pairs, and when everybody is ready, the results are shared and discussed in plenary. Disagreements among participants are discussed in order to find common understanding.
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Cultural value-food Food is only one aspect of cultural traditions, yet it is probably one of the most persistent. There is no cultural group and no individual for whom at least one specific food - the memory, taste, or smell of which - does not evoke a pang of loving nostalgia. Food plays an inextricable role in our daily lives. Without food we cannot survive. But food is much more than a tool of survival. Food is a source of pleasure, comfort and security. Food is also a symbol of hospitality, social status, and religious significance. What we select to eat, how we prepare it, serve it, and even how we eat it are all factors profoundly touched by our individual cultural inheritance. Increasingly, too, it is becoming obvious that an understanding of many aspects of the cultures of others, including their food traditions, is indispensable in any human communication. For more information also visit: http://www.mislinks.org/communicating/int ercultural-communication/ http://www.salto-youth.net/rc/culturaldiversity/publications/intercultural-commu nication-resource-pack/ http://www.norquest.ca/pdf/edresources/C riticalIncidentsBooklet.pdf
Case study ‘Cultural Induction in Papua New Guinea’ Program Overview Cultural induction in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for UN Volunteers is carried out by the National Volunteer Service on behalf of the UNV Field Unit, PNG. It takes 10 workings days including the site visits within the national capital district, Port Moresby and to communities outside of Port Moresby. The entire induction programme is paid by the host agency. By the end of the Cross-Cultural Orientation, participants or volunteers will have an increased ability to: ■ Make confident and personal contact
with individual Papua New Guineans and or host organization personnel. ■ Appreciate and respect the
Melanesian cultures and values ■ Understand and start using
Melanesian ways of establishing and maintaining meaningful relationships ■ Develop a sense of purpose as to
why they are working in Papua New Guinea; and cultivate their abilities to make a positive contribution to PNG society ■ Make their stay in PNG an enjoyable
and productive one, both for
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themselves as well as for Papua New Guineans with whom they will be living, working and interacting.. There are sessions on personal safety and security, social relationship/partners, raising awareness for incoming volunteers to acquire knowledge about relations within social and cultural contexts in PNG and develop insight into how to behave appropriately in different contexts and develop sensitivity about forming relationships with Papua New Guineans and being aware of the consequences informing these relationships. Pidgin Language Training – A language trainer is engaged to teach Tok Pidgin language because most of people living in the rural and urban areas speak Pidgin. At the end of the Pidgin Training, Volunteers are provided with Tok Pidgin Dictionary, a Tok Motu Basic Booklet and a Tok Pidgin Tape to assist Volunteers in their communication with people of Papua New Guinea as well as in their work. Volunteers take public motor vehicles, public motor vehicle rides and visit open fresh vegetable and fish markets and other sites within the city boundary, like War Cemetery, Botanical Gardens, national Parliament and National Museum etc.
Volunteers visit one or two villages outside of Port Moresby city and stay with the families in the Communities for two to three days to experience and participate in the community. While in the communities, Volunteers participate in the community activities, like helping in preparing the meal, scraping coconuts, peeling of bananas, sweet potatoes, scaling of fish, or put fish over the fire, sweep floors, feel and experience the real life of the Communities. Various guest speakers are invited to speak on traditions and customary status from the respective Districts and Province where volunteer duty stations would be; and presentation on various developmental issues such as health, environment, education, community policing, political, social and other issues. Closing up of Cross-Cultural Orientation – various national dishes are prepared for the participants/Volunteers to feast before departing to their respective organizations.
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Appendices I The Eggs (from ‘Partner’s’ book)
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APPENDICES . 25
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26 . CULTURAL INDUCTION AND AWARENESS TRAINING
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APPENDICES . 27
Appendices II Worksheet – characterizes and behavior (from ‘Partner’s’ book)
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Appendices III The Iceberg conception of Culture
Š UBC Centre for Intercultural Communication
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APPENDICES . 29
Appendices IV Handout on Content and Process (from Bennett, Janet)
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Appendices V Case Study – Madagascar
Case Study: Life here is only a transition: the important comes after Mary knows, of course, the importance of funeral ceremonies for the Malagasies. But yet she falls into the trap of taking a decision too quickly. Mary works in Madagascar, in the region of Monrodava. An epidemic spreads out. The number of casualties is growing from day to day. People are very worried. The 13 of January 2000, the Madagascan government publishes the results of the medical analysis of many of the victims in the concerned region: it is cholera. An official press statement is released. At the same time a team of very experienced medical doctors, specialists of fight against epidemics, arrives. With the help of the Local Development Committee, the installation of a temporary hospital is organized. The sick should be isolated, without any contact with their families and, if they die, their bodies will be whitewashed, and buried in a common grave. Mary is collaborating actively. She feels that this situation is taken care of with very high professionalism, at a scientific and medical level. The collaboration between the local and the national authorities shows a sincere preoccupation about the fate of the most vulnerable. Yet, it is a complete failure. The sick don’t go to the local health structures any more and the temporary hospital will never function. The population is boycotting it totally. Mary is shattered!
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APPENDICES . 31
Appendices VI Intercultural Communication Dialogues (From Craig Storti’s book « 74 Cross-Cultural Dialogs »)
DINNER ON WEDNESDAY MR. SOGO:
Mr. Collins! Good to hear your voice again. What brings you to Osaka?
MR. COLLINS:
Good to hear you too, Sogo-san. I’m here on business with my new company. Id like to invite you and Ozawa-san to dinner on Wednesday.
MR. SOGO:
Thank you very much. l’ll tell Ozawa-san. Did you hear his good news?
MR. COLLINS:
No.
MR. SOGO :
He’s been made president of the company
MR. COLLINS:
That’s wonderful. Please give him my congratulations. I look forward to seeing you both on Wednesday
MR. SOGO:
I’m sure Ozawa-san will be very pleased to see you again. Where shall I tell him to meet you?
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SATURDAY SHIFT MR. JONES:
It looks like we’re going to have to keep the production live running on Saturday.
MR. WU:
I see.
MR. JONES:
Can you come in on Saturday?
MR. WU:
Yes. I think so.
MR. JONES:
That’ll be a great help.
MR. WU:
Yes. Saturday’s a special day, did you know?
MR. JONES:
How do you mean?
MR. WU:
It’s my son’s birthday.
MR. JONES:
How nice. I hope you all enjoy it very much.
MR. WU:
Thank you. I appreciate your understanding.
Dialogs 9 and 42 are especially useful to work on communication styles.
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REFERENCES . 33
References Adler, Nancy J. International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour, Fourth Addition. South-Western, 2002. AFS Intercultural Programs Inc. AFS Orientation Handbook, Volume 4. AFS, 1984. Bennett, Janet. Designing Intercultural Training: Skills and Tools for the Practitioner. 2005 Bennett, Janet. Designing Intercultural Training: Skills and Tools for the Practitioner. 2005 Bennett, Milton J. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Selected Readings. Intercultual Press, 1998. Bennett, Janet. ‘Transition Shock: Putting Culture Shock in Perspective’. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. Intercultural Press, 1998. Chase, Mackie and Moira de Silva. PreDeparture Preparation Document for BCCIE/CBIE: Facilitator’s Manual. Intercultural Training and Resource Centre, Continuing Studies, UBC, 1995.
CINFO; Intercultural Communication. PowerPoint presentation. CINFO, 2006 CINFO;Collaboration InterculturelleCollection d’Expériences. Bienne, 2005 Council of Europe and European Commission. Intercultural Learning T-Kit, No. 4. Available at http://www.youthpartnership.net/youth-partnership/public ations/T-kits/4/Tkit_4_EN [Accessed 10 June 2008]. Hall, Edward T. Beyond Culture. Anchor Books, 1976. Kealy, Daniel J. Cross-cultural Effectiveness- A Study of Canadian Technical Advisors Overseas. Centre for Intercultural Learning, Canadian Foreign Service Institute, 2001. Kolb, David. http://www.businessballs.com/kolblearni ngstyles.htm Oberg, Kalervo. Culture shock: adjustment to new cultural environments. Practical Anthropology, 7, 1960, pp. 77-182.
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Partners. Partners’ Intercultural Companion to Training for Transformation. Dublin, 2007 Storti, Craig: Cross-Cultural Dialogs – 74 brief encounters with cultural difference. Intercultural Press, 1994. Ting Toomey, Stella. Communicating Across Cultures. Guilford, 1999. University of British Columbia (UBC). Supporting International Assignments. UBC Certificate in Intercultural Studies Course Book (Unit code: CIS 602). Centre for Intercultural Communication, UBC. Unstead-Joss, Ruth. An Analysis of Volunteer Motivation: Implications for International Development. Voluntary Action: The Journal of the Institute for Volunteering Research (volume 9: number 1, 2008).
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UNV is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)