When the phone rings at the Grove Community Project nursery in Birmingham, manager Sarah Wood (pictured) often hears the caller simply state a language. ‘Georgian or Urdu,’ she says. ‘Then I rush out and find a member of staff who speaks that.’
The 25-year-old setting has always catered for a multinational population. Despite this, in July this year Ms Wood and her 12 staff shut the nursery for a day to explore the challenges of diverse communities. Cascade Solutions intercultural trainer and consultant Shirley Billage delivered two half-day courses on supporting families from diverse cultural backgrounds and communicating with them. Both are designed for early years settings and involve activities including group discussion exercises, watching and reflecting on video clips, and creating action plans. No written work is required.
Staff explored concepts such as cultural identity, values, stereotypes and prejudices. This included staff describing their upbringings. Ms Wood says this helped her understand colleagues better, particularly those from Cameroon. ‘You don’t realise how their start in life and upbringing is so different from England,’ she says. ‘Their traditions are inbred – it’s very hard to break that mould.’
As a result Ms Wood says colleagues have become more respectful of each other. ‘It’s made us realise how lucky we are to have people from so many cultures, and how beneficial it is for people using the setting,’ she says. ‘They feel comforted when they come because staff understand the journey they’ve probably come on.’
The communication course covered issues including misunderstandings and communication styles. Ms Wood says a particularly useful element was learning how to be understood when English is not the first language. Ms Billage explained how to use gestures and actions in such situations. Ms Wood also says the course helped practitioners who don’t speak English as a first language understand from their own experience the consequences of making assumptions about parents or other staff unable to communicate explicitly. ‘Some staff said often they felt stupid if they’re unable to say what they want, then they don’t feel valued,’ she says.
Ms Wood says staff now have a deeper understanding of each other’s needs, and those of parents and children.