empowerment in practice “rising in your own power” a resources approach to working with...

Empowerment in Empowerment in practicepractice

““Rising in your own Rising in your own power”power”

a resources approach to a resources approach to working with immigrant working with immigrant

womenwomen

PMV-centre for health, dialogue and development Chuch City Mission Oslo Norway

Goals for the workshopGoals for the workshop

Contribute to a shiftContribute to a shift in focus from a in focus from a negative biased angle to a negative biased angle to a progressive balanced one, where progressive balanced one, where mutual gain is the focus.mutual gain is the focus.

To provide a practical model for To provide a practical model for enhancing empowerment at the enhancing empowerment at the micro level.micro level.


PMV`s basic conceptPMV`s basic concept

Dialogue and cooperationDialogue and cooperation

Aiming at identifying and developing Aiming at identifying and developing self-help strategies in collaboration self-help strategies in collaboration with the individuals involvedwith the individuals involved


PMV`s basic conceptPMV`s basic concept

Giving our users participatory roles which can Giving our users participatory roles which can lead to more control over their own lives and lead to more control over their own lives and healthhealth

And thereby increase their ability to bring And thereby increase their ability to bring about change.about change.

At the same time PMV is working to create At the same time PMV is working to create situations where immigrants and foreigners situations where immigrants and foreigners can display their strengths, as we consider this can display their strengths, as we consider this essential in the process of gaining sufficient essential in the process of gaining sufficient self- confidence to be able to become active self- confidence to be able to become active participants in their new environment.participants in their new environment.


The promotion of reciprocal The promotion of reciprocal learning and developing of learning and developing of

competencecompetenceOne of the most important strengths of One of the most important strengths of

the centre is the close collaboration the centre is the close collaboration between its natural helpers and between its natural helpers and professionalsprofessionals

Natural helpers-Natural helpers-

are laymen who have the interest and are laymen who have the interest and ability to work with professionals on ability to work with professionals on health-related initiatives.health-related initiatives.


The promotion of reciprocal The promotion of reciprocal learning and developing of learning and developing of

competencecompetenceNatural helpers contribute Natural helpers contribute • by providing a bridgeby providing a bridge• by acting as cultural intermediaries by acting as cultural intermediaries

This teamwork creates situations that promote This teamwork creates situations that promote reciprocal learning and develop competencereciprocal learning and develop competence

In this sense we serve as a vehicle for cultural In this sense we serve as a vehicle for cultural exchange and a meeting point for immigrant exchange and a meeting point for immigrant communities and Norwegian society.communities and Norwegian society.

MUTUAL GAIN – A MUTUAL GAIN – A BALANCE:BALANCE:

A TWO –WAY A TWO –WAY CORRIDOR FOR CORRIDOR FOR

FRESH THINKINGFRESH THINKING

Reciprocity - A Mutual Reciprocity - A Mutual learninglearning processprocess


The underlying understanding The underlying understanding of healthof health

- the starting point-- the starting point-• Antonovsky (1987): Sense of Antonovsky (1987): Sense of

coherencecoherence

Comprehensibility; Comprehensibility;

is about understanding and to is about understanding and to comprehend the world, make oneself comprehend the world, make oneself understood and feel understood.understood and feel understood.


The underlying understanding The underlying understanding of healthof health

- the starting point-- the starting point-Manageability: Manageability:

is about having those resources is about having those resources needed for an individual to manage needed for an individual to manage life; with oneself, in the family, in the life; with oneself, in the family, in the network and in the society.network and in the society.

Meaningfulness:Meaningfulness:

is about the individual experiencing is about the individual experiencing that what she does is meaningful and that what she does is meaningful and worth investing energy in.worth investing energy in.


EmpowermentEmpowermentas strategy and method for as strategy and method for

meaningful health-related workmeaningful health-related work

•DisempowermentDisempowerment

•EmpowermentEmpowerment ““rising in your own power” rising in your own power” “ “the power to name and the power to name and

the power to act”the power to act”


EmpowermentEmpowermentas strategy and method for as strategy and method for

meaningful health-related workmeaningful health-related work

• Empowerment at different Empowerment at different levelslevels

““a process of gaining self-confidence a process of gaining self-confidence through emancipating own resources”through emancipating own resources”

psychological processes aimed on mastering psychological processes aimed on mastering and influence for the individual.and influence for the individual.

group initiatives which make the whole group initiatives which make the whole group able to demand influence group able to demand influence


A place to beA place to be

• Women in isolationWomen in isolation• Women are heard and treated with Women are heard and treated with

respect and this makes the centre a respect and this makes the centre a place of safety and trustplace of safety and trust

• Time and patience is essentialTime and patience is essential• By having such a meeting place By having such a meeting place

women become active and women become active and participate in groupsparticipate in groups


A place to gain masteryA place to gain mastery

• group leadersgroup leaders• ““working groups”working groups” such as groups such as groups

working against FGM, forced marriages working against FGM, forced marriages and groups that describe different self-and groups that describe different self-help strategies.help strategies.

• Cooking course and baby massageCooking course and baby massage

This process encourages one to draw on This process encourages one to draw on what they have learned from personal what they have learned from personal experience and to make use of their experience and to make use of their personal strengthspersonal strengths


A place to gain masteryA place to gain mastery

Steps towards empowermentSteps towards empowerment

1.1. An increase in self-confidence and motivationAn increase in self-confidence and motivation

2.2. Goals are set and a need for information is Goals are set and a need for information is createdcreated

3.3. One becomes ready to absorb new knowledgeOne becomes ready to absorb new knowledge

4.4. The process of reflecting on their own The process of reflecting on their own situation and social environmentsituation and social environment

5.5. They are ready to take a critical look at their They are ready to take a critical look at their social environment and initiatives for change social environment and initiatives for change are madeare made


““the staircase”the staircase”

Participationin “common

Groups”

Group leaders

“Know/unknown”

client

school

work Own project

Natural helperconsultant


The process of changeThe process of change

• ““change is a process that unfolds change is a process that unfolds over time. It involves a progression over time. It involves a progression through stages…”through stages…”

- James O. Prochaska- James O. Prochaska


Stages of changeStages of change

• Pre-contemplation: not even thought Pre-contemplation: not even thought about changeabout change

• Contemplation: thinking about Contemplation: thinking about changechange

• Preparation: getting ready to changePreparation: getting ready to change• Action: making a public declarationAction: making a public declaration• Maintenance: keeping the change!Maintenance: keeping the change!• TerminationTermination


The process at PMVThe process at PMV- Bridge building- Bridge building

(Team work(Team work & Trust & Trust))• Neighbour/Friend/Family Neighbour/Friend/Family

member/Acquaintance: member/Acquaintance: PRE PRE CONTEMPLATIONCONTEMPLATION

• Silent Participant (Onlooker): Silent Participant (Onlooker): CONTEMPLATIONCONTEMPLATION

• Contributing Participant (Active): Contributing Participant (Active): PREPARATIONPREPARATION


The process at PMVThe process at PMV- Bridge building- Bridge building

(Team work(Team work & Trust & Trust))• Group leader: Group leader: ACTIONACTION

• Natural Helper/Field Natural Helper/Field worker/Activist/Cultural consultant:: worker/Activist/Cultural consultant:: MAINTENANCE AND MAINTENANCE AND TERMINATIONTERMINATION


Respect your body – FGM Respect your body – FGM projectproject

• Health informationHealth information• Human rights and women’s rightsHuman rights and women’s rights• Harmful traditionsHarmful traditions• Female genital mutilationFemale genital mutilation


HIV/AIDS information HIV/AIDS information projectproject

• Familiarisation , impressionsFamiliarisation , impressions• Information from Information from

participants/Discussionparticipants/Discussion• Challenges arising out of discussionChallenges arising out of discussion• Information and DiscussionInformation and Discussion• Sharing information through talking and Sharing information through talking and

/giving out brochures/giving out brochures• Feedback and discussion from fieldworkFeedback and discussion from fieldwork• Revision/EvaluationRevision/Evaluation


A place to learnA place to learn

• Fostering an understanding for the basic Fostering an understanding for the basic concept of human rightsconcept of human rights

• Learn about own language and cultureLearn about own language and culture Increased awareness and knowledge of Increased awareness and knowledge of

ones personal cultural identity provides a ones personal cultural identity provides a sense of belonging and works as a sense of belonging and works as a stepping stone toward approaching the stepping stone toward approaching the Norwegian language and cultureNorwegian language and culture

• Next step for many are the school system Next step for many are the school system and the job marketand the job market


EMPOWERMENT IN EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICEPRACTICE

A measure for the A measure for the marginalisedmarginalised• Focus on solutions that come from Focus on solutions that come from

within, and can lastwithin, and can last

• Contact with the strength in Contact with the strength in yourself, that you either took for yourself, that you either took for granted or never knew existedgranted or never knew existed


EMPOWERMENT IN EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICEPRACTICE

A measure for the A measure for the marginalisedmarginalised• A participatory approach that A participatory approach that

embraces and includes the whole embraces and includes the whole personperson

• Builds up and encourages self Builds up and encourages self confidence that enables the women confidence that enables the women examine their lives critically and to examine their lives critically and to make initiatives for change in host make initiatives for change in host country and country of origincountry and country of origin


Empowerment in Empowerment in practicepractice

• ““Rising in your own power”Rising in your own power”• a resources approach to working a resources approach to working

with immigrant womenwith immigrant women

empowerment in practice “rising in your own power” a resources approach to working with...

Documents

immigrant womenpmvcentre

individuals involvedpmvcentre

meeting point

starting pointantonovsky

starting pointmanageability

professionalsnatural

competencenatural helpers

mutual gain