The Culture Mediation Project

The Culture Mediators Project’s main aim is to develop a community support system for children and families of African origin and the schools which serve them.

The project seeks to:Create a well trained team of skilled individuals from African culture groups who are able to act as culture interpreters and mediators between schools, pupils and their families, especially where relationships between home and school are at risk of breaking down.
Provide schools in the UK with access to the knowledge and expertise of these individuals so that they can understand better and provide for the needs of pupils from African backgrounds (and their families) especially where those needs arise from cultural differences.
Encourage schools to tap into the huge potential resource available through local churches and other community organisations which serve and meet the needs of African families living in the UK.

Who will it involve?
Schools and volunteers from churches and other community groups (known as the sponsoring bodies) who are willing to commit their valuable time to making a difference to young people and their families. Benefits for schools, sponsoring bodies and culture mediators include.

For SchoolsAccess to help and support from people who understand the cultural issues their pupils are facing.Guidance on how to overcome some cultural barriers in order to better support pupils and their families.Opportunities to develop good links with community agencies in order to promote community cohesion.

For Sponsoring BodiesOpportunity to make a positive contribution to the community that their organisation serves.Opportunities to develop a better understanding of the people they serve so as to know how best to meet their spiritual and other needs.

For Culture MediatorsOpportunities to use their knowledge and expertise to enrich the lives of young people and their families and make a real contribution to the success that these pupils make in school.