Report of the. Task Force Cultural and Ethnic Diversity. Inger Birk Jensen (Convenor)

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1 Report 2013 of the Task Force Cultural and Ethnic Diversity Inger Birk Jensen (Convenor) EFPA General Assembly in Stockholm on July 13-14,

2 Report 2013 Executive summary The present period of the task force on Cultural and Ethnic Diversity has been shorter than it was supposed to be, as it turned out to be difficult to collect sufficient active representatives from member states. However, in February 2012 it was decided that we were allowed to start working with only 6 active and 4 passive members. The constituting meeting was held in Brussels on October the 5 th.since then we have been working on carrying out the planned activities. By the time of deadline for this report some of our ongoing activities are not completed, and we are very interested in getting more time and hope that a continuation of the task force will be decided by the General Assembly In July Introduction In the first proposal for the EFPA GA in 2009 to establish a Task Force on Cultural and Ethnic Diversity: Implications for psychologists Ine Vink, convenor to come, and co-workers made a clear statement of the aims and goals of the Task Force : 2.1. To raise the awareness of practitioners and students of psychology about the psychological consequences of cultural and ethnic diversity in European societies, in all areas: clinical and health, work and organizations, development and education. This includes diagnosis, treatment, counselling and coaching of migrants and refugees, managing diversity, acculturation processes and interethnic relations. 2.2 To exchange relevant reports and information and on-going research on multicultural and multi-ethnic psychology available from EFPA members and/or their associated organizations. 2.3 To determine intercultural competencies related to working as a professional in multicultural and multi-ethnic societies. 2.4 To begin to establish for various fields sets of best practices for psychologists interacting with clients from diverse ethnic and cultural groups. 2.5 to stimulate the inclusion of ethnic and cultural diversity issues in curricula leading to the EuroPsy certificate. The task force was established in 2009 and the report of the first 2 years was published in As mentioned the continuation of the task force for a new 2 years period was delayed, as it turned out to be difficult to find enough member countries willing to nominate a representative for the group. 2

3 At the constituting meeting in October 2012 the EFPA guidelines and requestions were revised and the work plan for the period was made. The working plan was supposed to contain: Suggestions regarding how knowledge on (the implications of) Cultural and Ethnic Diversity can best be incorporated in the education and professional work of psychologists in various areas. Suggestions regarding promising lobbying activities and/or funded projects with the European Commission (particularly Directorate General Employment, social affairs and inclusion.) Present at the meeting were: Ludêk Kolman, Czech Republic, Alexander Thomas, Germany, Ine Vink, the Netherlands, Carla Moleiro, Portugal,Emine Kale, Norway, Inger Birk, Denmark, Enlisa Khanna, Denmark, colleague of convenor and penholder on this occasion. Task force targets that were discussed were: 1. Best practices of academic teaching programs in Culture and Ethnic Diversity for students of psychology, BA and MA. 2. Special training programs for clinical psychology to conduct psychotherapy for migrants 3. Best practice or preparation programs for school teachers working in the field of intercultural learning. 4. Development of Ethical guidelines for European psychologists working with cultural and ethnic diversity. Topic number one and number 4 were considered the most important for the present time and decided upon. Apart from this it was decided that we will open a CED website in connection with the EFPA website. Carla Moleiro volunteered as the webmaster and was promised assistance from Ivana.marinovic,efpa.eu. The next meeting of the task force was decided to be held in Copenhagen February 2013 in combination with a conference with invited speakers, practitioners and researchers in the field, including also members of the Board of the Danish Society for Intercultural Psychology, who have constituted a background team for the convenor s work in the task force. Also it was decided to arrange a symposium at the Stockholm congress in July From the very start it seemed likely that we would be able to make our own Symposium with topics relevant to our interests, as immediately some of the members of our group expressed their willingness to contribute. 3

4 At the next meeting in Copenhagen a new proposal was made, namely that we make a Pan-European Survey on Best practice of academic teaching programs in Culture and Ethnic Diversity for students of Psychology BA/MA. In Germany prof. Alexander Thomas had already collected 5 descriptions of Teaching programs from various universities. The other members of the task force were called on to make a request to institutions /universities in their own and perhaps in one more country. Alexander Thomas would then collect the answers and present the results in Stockholm. No attempt was made to cover all European countries. Activities 1. Activity: A Cult ethnic web -site has been opened in connection with the EFPA website with task force member Carla Moleiro as webmaster. Relevant and useful information is being collected for the website. Decisions on which information may be limited for professionals and colleagues and which may be open to the public are be worked on.. Purpose: Give information about promising and ongoing projects in the intercultural field. To give links to useful networks for practitioners, scientists and students. To give inspiration for direct contact and promote the establishment of partnerships across borders. 2. Activity: A Pan-European- Survey initiated by CED task force member Prof. Alexander Thomas is carried out at the moment with the title: Best Practice of Academic Teaching Programs in Culture and Ethnic Diversity for students of psychology BA/MA. a. Best practice examples of academic teaching programs in culture and ethnic diversity for students of psychology BA/MA are being collected and will be communicated at the task force symposium in Stockholm July Five Universities/ institutions in Germany have so far contributed with their programs, and inquiries have been made to Universities/institutions in Spain, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. b. Responsible persons / subgroups : Alexander Thomas, Inger Birk, Carla Moleiro b. Deadline: April/ May 2013 c. Priority: High, 3. a. A questionnaire on Culture and Ethnic Diversity in Psychological helping Activities under the heading: Challenges in Cross-Cultural 4

5 Therapy and Counseling has been designed on the initiative of task force member Ludêk Kolman and will distributed to psychologists in EFPA member countries as soon as possible. The Intention is to have the questionnaire distributed through the national Psychology Associations. b. Responsible persons/subgroups: Ludêk Kolman, Carla Moleiro, CED task force. c. Deadline: beginning of the next task force period. 4. Task Force on Culture and Ethnic Diversity (CED) symposium at the 13 th European Congress of Psychology in Stockholm. The symposium has been accepted under the title: New Developments in Psychological Academic teaching and Cultural Competence Training in Europe: in context of globalization. Symposium Organizer: Ass. Prof. Rashmi Singla, Denmark, Roskilde University (RUC): Presentations by: Prof. Alexander Thomas, Germany, ass.prof.ludêk Kolman, Czech Republic. Carla Moleiro associates, Lisboa University, Portugal. 5. Other activities February 22th 201. Conference on Cultural and Ethnic Diversity. Topic: The role of the psychologist regarding migration, inclusion and exclusion in National and European context. a. Psychologist N. P Rygaard: Urbanization, migration, abandoned children and cross-cultural intervention-the role of psychologist and their organizations. Presentation of a free internet based education development program for orphan caregivers. Translated in to 20 languages. b. Associate professor Rashmi Singla: Inclusion and exclusion processes in context of diversity- newer theoretical perspectives. c. Psychiatrist Davor Mucic: Perspectives on psychological and psychiatric assessment and treatment. Cross-cultural psychiatry and its impact on quality of care. Description of the use of telepsychiatry to secure ethnic matching. d. psychologist Basim Osman: Inclusion of minority pupils and parents in the Danish public school- Challenges and dilemmas. 4 Activity: Plan for the new period of the Task force on Cultural and Ethnic Diversity : 5

6 To produce a special volume on Culture and Ethnic Diversity with articles clarifying relevant concepts, reports on recent research and descriptions of best practice programs in different areas of the field, written by task force members or colleagues. Two task force members with a scientific background have expressed an interest in taking responsibility, may be on a team base. 4.1 Deliverable: In the course of the next task force period. 4.2 Responsible persons / subgroups (optional): 4.3 Deadline: <2013/14 4,4 Priority: <High, 6. Report to the EC / GA a. Activity: <Text> b. Deadline: April 30, 2013 c. Priority: High Meetings 1) October 5 th Constituting meeting of the task force. EFPA Headquarters, Brussels 2) October 26 th 2012 Brussels. Convenors Meeting 3) February 22th 2013 Copenhagen. Task force meeting and Conference on Cultural and Ethnic Diversity: The role of the Psychologist regarding Migration, Inclusion and Exclusion in National and European Context. Held at the Danish Psychology Association. 4) Task force meeting in connection with the CED task force symposium Accepted for the ECP13 Conference in Stockholm: New Developments in Psychological Academic Teaching and Cultural Competence training in Europe: in Context of Globalization. Information & recommendations for GA & Member Associations The General Assembly is asked to take notice of the following: a. The members of the Task force on Cultural and Ethnic want to apply for another period to continue and extend its work. b. It would be very convenient for us if EFPA could communicate to us and others about the possibilities for EU founding of mutual and partnership projects. Proposals for decisions by GA The General Assembly is advised to accept the following proposals: 6

7 1. EFPA will develop and work out professional guidelines and Ethical standards for psychologists working in the Intercultural field. 2. EFPA will promote and support the founding of Educational programs for University Students on bachelor and master levels. 3. EFPA will promote and support mutual intercultural partnership programs including practitioners, students and researchers across the European borders. Members of the group: Austria: Andrea Hochfilzer-Winter, active member Cyprus: Loizidou Kalia, corresponding member Czech Republic: Ludêk Kolman, active member Denmark: Inger Birk Jensen, active member, convenor Finland: Elise Sailas, corresponding member Germany: Alexander Thomas, active member Netherlands: Ine Vink, active member Norway. Emine Kale, corresponding member Portugal: Carla Marina dos Moleiro, active member EFPSA: Maris Vainre, corresponding member 7