We have had a wonderful year including DISCOMP disseminations around local universities of CH for you help sciences in Helsinki. These universities have been excited to have been given the opportunity to include and make use of the material as part of their courses for future professionals such as nurses, occupational therapists, bachelors and masters of social sciences, paramedics, physiotherapists etc.
Jade Yhtesiö ry has been a partner for multiple years in the ENIEC (European Network on Intercultural Older People’s Care) network. ENIEC unites professionals of person-centred care approach for older migrants in Europe.
This spring we met in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, to discuss the topics, “The Future of Minority Women” and “Inclusive Care”. The highlighted theme was how care professionals can deliver culturally sensitive support to Europe’s increasingly diverse ageing population.
The meeting included many field trips around the local area and most importantly workshops delivered by professionals from around Europe. One of the workshops was held by Eva Rönkkö PHD, Chair of Jade Yhteisö ry and Miina Inkilä, Diversity Work Developer at Jade Yhteisö ry.
The workshop included two major themes. The first theme was disseminating professionals about the DISCOMP material bank and increasing the knowledge of this particular ERASMUS project. In the second part we spoke about socially safe places, how to create, maintain and support spaces that are truly achievable for all.
We had people attending from, to name a few, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Austria. Conversation around the topics was overflowing, and there was particular enthusiasm for the interviews of older people with migrant background in the material. Accessibility was one of the main topics of conversation, so the fact that DISCOMP material is free to use for everyone truly impressed and excited the workshop attendants.
Throughout the whole process of disseminating, it has become clear that the need for knowledge is real. When the world is developing to be more and more diverse, we as professionals, and most importantly the future professionals, need to have the tools to be ready to meet the needs of a growingly diverse population.
DISCOMP material truly provides a tool to develop knowledge and with that to meet the actual needs of older people with migrant and diverse backgrounds.