As the population of Merseyside becomes more diverse, it is imperative that professionals develop and expand their Cultural Intelligence in order to better support members of minority groups. The Black African communities are the fastest growing ethnic group in the last decade. Africans make up 1.8% of the population in Liverpool and at New Era Initiative, we recognise that Africa is not homogeneous. Each African country has a distinctively proud history; yet, values, norms and culture cuts across states and tribal lines. It is imperative that improving the Cultural Intelligence of practitioners is key when working with African families which will better protect children and empower families.

Aims:

These series of workshops will help the practitioner focus on developing an understanding of Cultural Intelligence, the strengths and positive outcomes of the African culture.

Key issues to be addressed by New Era Initiative will include the most effective ways to identify why African families are strongly tied to culture and tradition. The impact of these key issues and the role of practitioner is to understand and support African families when there is a need for early intervention or preventive measures to be carried out in their work which will be a focus in these workshops.

We will utilise an array of learning and teaching styles including small group discussions, experiential hands-on learning, multimedia methods and lecture delivery along with case studies will be interwoven throughout.

Workshop Summary:

• Workshop 1: Cultural Intelligence and the relevance to Practitioners working with the African Families in Merseyside
• Workshop 2: Strengths of the African Family
• Workshop 3: The role of the practitioner using Cultural Intelligence in breaking barriers

Workshop Outcomes:

• Improve knowledge of key stakeholders in understanding African families and their culture
• Raise awareness in understanding the cultural syndromes of African Families in child up-bringing
• Enhance good ethical standards when working psychologically with Black and African families.
• Develop an understanding of the processes to cultural beliefs that impact African child up-bringing
• Increase the capacity of stakeholders in their ability to support African children and families in a positive manner
• To reduce the number of African children into the care system by practitioners