Working multicultural

multicultural frame

In addition to training and consultancy in the area of substance abuse treatment and experienced expertise Try-angles prepares people who go for a short or longer period for internship, study, work, or training in a, for them, unfamiliar culture. My work is on the cutting edge of addiction care treatment and experienced expertise (since 1977), working in a multicultural frame (since 1990), and international training and consultancy (since 2001).

Key concepts in my work are:

Learning to think and act multi-perspective and multicultural.
Learning to look over the fence of your own existence.

Globalisation

We live in a world at your fingertips. Just turn on the TV, read the newspaper, or communicate via social media. We learn other languages, step on the plane as if it is the most natural thing in the world, go on holiday to other countries, or study or work in other cultures. Boundaries and distances shrink. However the question is how effectively we can make the translation to other countries and cultures. Going on holiday usually goes well, but what happens if you study or work temporarily or permanently in a, for you, completely different culture.

Sometimes we are defensive compared to what is unknown or strange to us. That can hinder us in our encounter with the other culture. Here I want to define the concept of culture wider. It is not just about a foreign culture in a different country, but also about to us strange looking cultures in our own country. That can be a work culture, or the culture that holds true within a village, district or community.

In our globalizing world for many, knowledge of -, and understanding for other cultures and the unknown ‘other’ is a challenge or even a must. But how to prepare for an internship, study, work or training in a, for you, unknown culture? What should you know decided in advance and how can you prepare best to avoid disappointment. Try-angles offers you in the training ‘studying or working intercultural’ enough handles to travel better equipped and helps you to know the do’s and do not’s of a stay outside your own borders and conceptual frameworks.

Knowlegde, character, skills

This training is meant for anyone who wants to study, go for and internship, or provide training in a, for you, foreign culture.

After my training the following objectives have been reached:

You have knowledge of the concept of culture. You know in which Dutch culture (on main lines) differs from other cultures? Also you know how ‘foreigners’ look to the Dutch culture.
You know the meaning of the concepts of honour, respect, embarrassment and shame and you know (skills) how to handle these concepts well.
You know what character (properties) is (are) needed to look ‘over the fence of your own existence’ and stand in the shoes of ‘the unknown other’.
You have knowledge of the main do’s and don’ts of functioning within a, for you, unknown culture.
You know (knowledge) how you can prepare thorough for a stay beyond our borders.
You are aware (knowledge) of the most common emergencies that may occur and how to keep in touch well with family and friends at home.