Purpose: The project aims to create a better basis for communication between generations (i.e., between “second-generation” children born and living in a foreign country and parents that migrated later in their life and want to keep connections with their culture of origin) that involves increased understanding of individual differences and empathy towards these differences. The TUSMO Association has developed a new concept called “GENERATIONAL DIALOG” which focusses on counteracting negative social control of the parents on their second-generation children and on facilitating safe dialogue between the generations.

Bergen municipality and the Norwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) finance the project. Bergen Municipality finances local initiatives, while IMDi ​​finances initiatives of national level projects such as mentor training. TUSMO and Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) carry out a research project on the effect of Generational Dialogue. Resource centre on violence, traumatic stress and suicide prevention ( RVTS-Vest) is an important partner in quality assurance of certain measures and contributes with professional resources.  

Stimulus/Rationale: In minority families living in Norway, parents and children may experience challenges in communication and relationships due to a mismatch in power, position, language, and cultural mastery. This can also be due to a mismatch in understanding what integration entails, leading to the generations growing apart and having different degrees of loyalty to their original culture and traditions. This can create contradictions and challenges between the generations, leading to negative social control where parents may violate the children's right to freedom and independence in Norway.

Process: GENERATIONAL DIALOG provides a controlled and guided process where credible supervisors guide and support the participants. The process is arranged in a safe environment for both parties, and the supervisors convey relevant information and knowledge to build trust and mutual respect. The project includes raising awareness and sensitizing parents and young people about boundary setting and the importance of individual freedom in Norway. It also includes motivational seminars, mentor training for multicultural youth, and trust-building measures.

The activities implemented by the GENERATIONAL DIALOG project include:

• Raising awareness and sensitizing parents and young people about the importance of boundary setting and individual freedom in Norway.
• Conducting motivational seminars to involve participants and make them active through exercises on flexibility and cultural recognition, thus creating ownership and participation.
• Providing mentor training for youth identifying with different cultures, to increase their skills and improve their understanding of community participation.
• Establishing trust-building measures and credible means of communication to facilitate a safe and controlled environment for both parties. 

These measures aim to create a better basis for communication, promote empathy and respect, and prevent negative social control between the generations. By providing a safe and controlled environment for dialogue, the GENERATIONAL DIALOG project helps to bridge cultural and language barriers, promote understanding and mutual respect, and create stronger and more connected families.

Impact: The expected impact is to create a better basis for communication, promote empathy and respect, and prevent negative social control between the generations. By providing a safe and controlled environment for dialogue, the GENERATIONAL DIALOG project helps to bridge cultural and language barriers, promote understanding and mutual respect, and create stronger and more connected families.

Key reference documents:  Contact information: E-mail: [email protected], Tel: +47 91592940, Web: www.tusmo.org 

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