Cultural Orientation for Refugees
 
Why is cultural orientation needed?
Some refugees are resettled in their countries of destination without being given accurate information about their new country or sufficient preparation to easily adapt to life there. The result is often an extended period of adjustment, during which the newcomer may suffer personal difficulties. The recipient municipalities also point out that none, too little or wrong information about Norway and Norwegian society often gives resettling refugees unrealistic expectations about their new community. Participation in cultural orientation class not only makes the actual travel to the new country less stressful for the refugees, but it also eases the initial adjustment period. The result of lowering the possibility of culture shock for the refugees also has a positive side effect on the recipient society in terms of resources.

Increasingly many countries receiving refugees see the benefits of pre-departure cultural orientation. In addition to the Norwegian Cultural Orientation Programme, IOM is implementing CO for migrants and refugees bound for Australia, Canada, Finland, UK and USA.

Objectives
By increasing the refugees’ knowledge of Norway, this project will contribute to the overall empowerment of refugees to cope with their immediate needs on arrival, enhance their ability to become self-sufficient sooner and facilitate their integration into Norwegian society.

Through the CO programme, refugees can:

• Develop a realistic picture of Norway and understand its culture and values
• Develop an understanding of the receiving municipalities’ expectations of them
• Develop problem solving skills
• Feel in control of their life and reduce their anxiety
• Learn about common problems that they may encounter in the resettlement process, understand that these are normal, and thus help reduce negative impact

Target Group
The programme organizes CO classes for the largest groups of quota refugees. The nationalities of refugees participating in CO classes vary from year to year.

In 2007 the refugees who were provided with CO classes originated from Myanmar, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. CO classes were held in the following transit countries: Zambia (Congolese and Burundian refugees), Thailand and Malaysia (Myanmarese refugees).

During the year 2008 refugees who will be provided with CO classes will originate from Myanmar, Bhutan, and Eritrea. CO classes for these groups will be held in India and Thailand (Myanmarese refugees), in Nepal (Bhutanese refugees) and in Sudan (Eritrean refugees).

Cultural Orientation (CO) classes
CO classes are given to refugees prior their departure to Norway. Each course consists of 20 hours of intensive CO training given over period of 4 days for adults aged 15 and above.

Children aged 8 to 14 years receive 2 days, a total of 10 hours, of CO training. The use of the refugees’ own language as the language of instruction maximizes effective learning.

The curriculum includes topics like resettlement process in Norway, climate, history, geography, housing, introduction programme, education, health care, employment, and other public services. Special attention is given to local customs of the accepted refugees that could be misunderstood or problematic in European / Norwegian culture. Such topics include gender issues, reproductive health issues and domestic violence.

The CO Student Handbook gives more detailed information about the content of the topics covered at the CO classes.

Last ned CO-boka - norsk (PDF-versjon)
Download the CO Student Handbook - English (PDF version, English)

Download the CO schedule (PDF version)
Download the CO schedule (Word .doc version)

Download the CO schedule for children (PDF version)
Download the CO schedule for children (Word .doc version)

The CO classes emphasize a participatory approach, are learner-centered, and combine discussions, visual teaching aids, theatre-for-development and learning through dialogue and case studies.

Bi-cultural trainers
The pedagogical base of the CO programme is the bi-cultural trainer. A bi-cultural trainer is a person who has an origin or background similar to the refugee group in question and who also has a solid background from and living experience in Norway. He or she speaks the language of the CO participants thus eliminating the need for an interpreter. Similar ethnic and immigrant/refugee background and ability to speak the same language as the refugees facilitates creation of trusting and open atmosphere in the class room. Bi-cultural trainer also acts as a role model for refugees as the bi-cultural trainer him/herself has gone successfully through an integration process in Norway, learned the language and has also managed to professionally establish him/herself in Norway.