PDF created on 13/07/2017
- European Commission
MiMi - With Migrants for Migrants
Theme
Geographic Area
City
Language
Type of Information
Germany
35 cities in Germany
English
Case studies
Evaluation
Campaign
Organisation
Contact Person
Contact Person
Function
Link
Project Start
Ongoing Project
Summary
Issue/Challenge and
Goal/Assumption
How does it work
Ethno-Medizinisches Zentrum e.V.
Ramazan Salman (Login to send email)
Executive managing director
http://www.aids-migration.de
01/01/2003
No
The “With Migrants for Migrants – Intercultural Health in Germany”
(MiMi) programme recruits, trains and supports intercultural
mediators to teach the German health system and related health
topics to their migrant communities.
The majority of migrants living in Germany faces language as well
as social and cultural barriers within the health system. MiMi aims
at making the health system more accessible for immigrants,
increasing health literacy and empowering them through
participative processes. The programme uses an assets approach to
health promotion. It sees migrants as experts in their own cause
who have often developed positive coping strategies and resources
from their personal histories, of which ideal use could be made. The
aim of this training is to reduce socio-cultural obstacles
constricting migrants in using the German health system and
keeping them from attending regular early diagnosis medical
check-ups. In addition to that, the program wants to reduce barriers
between migrants and the municipal health services. Furthermore,
the programme aims at a general opening of institutions to
migrants. The MiMi programme involves two groups of people with
migrant backgrounds: 1. socially integrated immigrants (aged
20-60) legally living in Germany, who are trained as intercultural
mediators; 2. immigrant population with lower level of social
integration, who participate in community group sessions led by
intercultural mediators.
The programme uses five key mechanisms: Intercultural health
mediators. The programme trains and certifies multilingual
intercultural health mediators through a 50-hours course. Locally
recruited, they plan and conduct the information events themselves.
This aspect of the programme improves access by immigrant
communities and ensures sustainability (e.g., some mediators
voluntarily continue their work after the programme has ended).
Community group sessions. MiMi provides opportunities for sharing
culturally sensitive information with migrant communities in their
own language through group sessions held in easy-to-reach
locations. The topic “German health system” is compulsory, and
participants are asked to choose a second discussion topic from the
Health
Topic
Dialogue
PDF created on 13/07/2017
- European Commission
remaining 11 categories. Health Guide. Available in 16 languages,
the Health Guide is produced and regularly updated by the EMZ and
BKK Bundesverband in cooperation with 80 health-related
organisations. It describes the German health system in an easily
understandable way and gives information on specific health topics.
Health literacy and knowledge about the German health system’s
institutions and prevention services are essential in increasing
immigrants’ capacities to use available resources (e.g., regular use
of early diagnosis medical check-ups). Partnership, networking and
public relations. Public relations are jointly conducted by the EMZ
and BKK Bundesverband through media content, the website
(www.bkk-promig.de) and regular newsletters. Networking aims at
sensitising health and social institutions to better meet the needs of
immigrants. It includes annual programme review meetings where
policymakers, mediators and health and social workers can meet.
Results
The multilingual and culturally sensitive information events for
migrants promote the health of migrants living in Germany and
enable them to make use of early diagnosis medical check-ups. By
2008, more than 600 mediators have been trained who have carried
out more than 900 events in 32 languages. Through information
events more than 10.000 people with migration background could
be reached, an additional 100.000 have received information
leaflets or the Health Guide.
Evaluation
The programme is monitored by a protocol that records the
feedback of cooperation partners through programme conferences
and routine contacts. Measurement of health attitude changes,
analysis of objectives achieved and adjustments of ineffective
modules are based on: ¿ the evaluation of mediators’ training: o
pre/post interviews with mediators; o feedback from mediators and
trainers; ¿ the evaluation of information campaigns: o interviews
with participants; o feedback from participants; o reports by
mediators; ¿ further evaluation through network partners and
workshops. By means of these criteria, the programme’s
co-ordinators analyse whether the objectives of the programme are
met and how they can adjust the programme if some modules prove
to be ineffective. By getting the feedback of the participants in the
information campaigns, the co-ordinators can evaluate whether the
participants’ attitude towards health has been affected by the
information event.
Who will benefit?
Once the mediators are being trained in health promotion, they are
able to plan and conduct information events themselves. They visit
places where migrants belonging to their community meet and
present the structure and mechanisms of the German health system
and one of the other eleven topics of the group’s choice. By doing
this, they help to broaden and upgrade the knowledge of the
migrant community on possibilities of health promotion in Germany.
Source of funding
and Resources used
Fundings are provided by: BKK Bundesverband (Federal Association
of the Company Health Insurances), Association of the Company
Health Insurances Schleswig-Holstein, Association of the Company
Health Insurances northern federal states: provides funding, Social
Ministries of Hessen, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein The
means provided for the program depend on the number of cities or
regions in which the project is conducted. Since it is funded by the
statutory health insurance, the government does not fund the
programme directly.