As inter-cultural learning is one of the important dimensions of volunteering service, FSL India organised training-cum workshop on Developing Cross Cultural Awareness and Train the Trainer. The three-day program was organised at CRI Brothers’ Institute, Bangalore between 28^th April and 1^st May 2012. A total of 25 members from FSL India representing board of directors, senior and mid-level management staff participated in the program. The overall objective of this training-cum workshop is to provide FSL India staff with an opportunity to explore how culture impacts the way activity/business is conducted around the globe and prepare for cross-cultural adjustment by placing special attention to the ways in which one’s own cultural programing impacts workplace, social environments, basic communication. Following are the specific objectives of the training-cum workshop.

 

• Understand the importance and implication of culture on global communication
• Recognise cultural difference in work and communication style across the globe
• Develop skills to detect common sources of misunderstanding and conflict when dealing with international volunteers and interns
• Assess one’s own personal communication preferences and develop strategies to communicate better with others
• Analyse real life examples and develop strategies to overcome cultural barriers

 

Developing Cross Cultural Awareness Program: Developing Cross Cultural Awareness consisted of five distinctive modular input such as: 1) The concept of culture and Models of Culture, 2) Cultural Self-awareness, creating your own personal indicator of Culture, 3) Influence of national culture, cultural Indicator of India, 3) The Cross-Cultural Learning Process, 4) Cultural Dimensions, and 5) Developing Strategies for success -introducing DIE (describe, interpret, evaluate) model and solve case studies applying the DIE).

Train the Trainer Program: Train the Trainer Program also consisted of five distinctive modular input such as: 1) getting started and context setting, 2) the art of facilitation (Textra – activity around facilitation, learning Styles), 3) becoming a Cross Cultural Trainer, 4) let’s practice, and 5) group activity on activities & simulations, the concept of Culture, a closer look at the cultural indicator, welcome to India, strategies for cross-cultural success.

 

The participants were divided into five groups and each group was given all the necessary material and facilitator’s notes on how to conduct the session. The group was given one hour to familiarize themselves with the content and to come up with the best way to present it. Each group did a “Teach Back” exercise using the material given and received feedback from the rest of the group and the facilitators.

 

As a prelude to training and the first step towards reaching the objective each participant took up Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) assessment so as to get a clearer idea about current attitude towards cultural differences. IDI is a cross-culturally valid and reliable tool to measure a person’s attitude towards cultural differences. The training-cum-works was facilitated by Miss Juliane and Miss Shilpa from C2C Consulting & Training Pvt. Ltd. Having participated in the training-cum-workshop, FSL India team felt adequately equipped and empowered to facilitate inter-cultural learning for the international volunteers.