Core intercultural concepts and principles toolkit published for those working with asylum seekers and migrants

Artwork by Anastasiia Nekpila from Ukraine

Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre, Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (Health Innovation KSS) and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent Surrey and Sussex (ARC KSS) have published a new intercultural awareness toolkit to support those working with asylum seekers and migrants.

This follows a series of intercultural awareness training sessions commissioned by Health Education England and delivered by Nafsiyat to those working with unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. The training was highly sought after with over 109 individuals attending. The training was evaluated by ARC KSS, and the evaluation showed that it successfully met the workforce training needs and had impact on the working practice and behaviour of those that had taken part.

Becca Randell, Mental Health Lead at Health Innovation KSS, said: “The training was a result of feedback from those working with asylum seeking and migrant children who identified the urgent need for intercultural awareness training at a series of communities of practice held by Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex for leaving care teams, practitioners, academics, social workers, housing and mental health providers. The training and practical toolkit are a much need resource for anyone working with asylum seekers and migrants.”

The co-produced toolkit has been created to reach an even wider audience and to provide guidance and practical tips for anyone working with asylum seekers and migrants. The toolkit covers core intercultural principles including cultural competence, intersectionality and micro-incivilities. It also provides employers with practical tools to implement intercultural awareness within organisations.

Roy Millard, Partnership Manager at South East Strategic Partnership for Migration SESPM, said: “The toolkit is an excellent resource for anyone who is working with people who have come to the South East through the asylum system and other migration pathways. The toolkit illustrates the importance of practitioners having an understanding of intercultural issues and how these impact on people that they are supporting. Helpfully the toolkit provides practitioners with real life examples and approaches that staff can use in their work. The toolkit will be useful to many the SESPM’s partners, especially front-line staff and their managers.”

Prof Hatim Abdulhussein, CEO of Health Innovation KSS, said: “The social unrest of recent weeks has highlighted the importance of intercultural awareness. This toolkit, produced in partnership between Health Innovation KSS and Nasfiyat, helps in understanding one’s own cultural identity and biases, while learning about and respecting the cultural backgrounds of those we work with. We need this toolkit in the system now more than ever.”

Yasin Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre, said: “As CEO of Nafsiyat Intercultural Therapy Centre, on behalf of our staff and trustees, I am incredibly proud to introduce this comprehensive toolkit, designed to equip those working with asylum seekers and migrants with the essential skills for effective cross-cultural engagement. At Nafsiyat, our mission is to foster intercultural communication and promote healing through heightened intercultural awareness. This toolkit, developed in collaboration with Health Innovation Kent, Surrey, Sussex, is a significant step forward in enabling professionals to deliver meaningful change in the lives of those they support.

This guide is the culmination of our efforts to integrate core intercultural principles into practical strategies, empowering practitioners to address the unique challenges faced by migrants and asylum seekers and, in turn, help improve their quality of life. We are honoured to have partnered with Health Innovation KSS to bring this invaluable resource to fruition.”

Access the toolkit here.