CCS Cultural Citizenship Scale

The Cultural Citizenship Scale is the result of the experience of the project partners in relation to the individualized guidance methodologies for groups at risk of exclusion and the implementation of activities for integration.

The InCommon project takes the ladder model for citizenship participation and goes a step beyond, enriching them with core concepts such as the exercise of active citizenship and the Key Competences of the European Reference Framework, in order to develop the concept of cultural citizenship.

Download the full pdf on the methodology
Stage 1

Connecting with the culture of the host country.

Description

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Description

This stage is characterized by the isolation and absence of contact of the migrant woman with the social and cultural environment of the host community. Women have few contacts outside of their homes or their community of origin.
This situation is worse when there is a lack of skills in the host language. Another factor to take into consideration is the personal / emotional situation of the woman, whether she is a newly arrived or if the case, a refugee women. The life circumstances surrounding the situation of “refugee” and the possible tough experiences on the way to the host country can create a perception of danger and need for isolation in women.

In many cases, interaction with women at this stage requires the presence of cultural interpreters or mediators, formal o non formal.

Coach advice

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Coach advice

The main challenges of this stage are:

  • To gain the trust of the woman and her environment.
  • To rise awareness of the value of woman’s own cultural background.
  • To make women understand the benefits of breaking the isolation and progressively participating in the social and cultural environment of the host community.
  • To get in contact with trusted people in the migrant community that are recognized and respected.
  • To stablish activities that are comfortable for women, low demanding, and with a clear time limit.

Supporting actions

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Supporting actions

Actions for the motivation and raise of self-esteem/empowerment of migrant women. If necessary, provide emotional support through art therapy that use artistic means to help the woman to explore her thoughts and feelings.

Try to contact women and introduce activities that fit to their daily routine of women.

Outcomes

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Outcomes

  • A positive change in the life patterns of the women themselves.
  • Women participate in some type of course / training related to any of their immediate needs, for example: language, cooking, writing, etc.
  • Women’s involvement in some group / collective activity of expression of feelings through creativity.

Key Competences related

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Key Competences related

KC2. Multilingual competence
KC5. Personal, social and learning to learn competence

Support training activities

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Support training activities

Language courses
Literacy courses

Activities suggested

Connecting with the culture of the host country

Activities suggested

Therapy through the arts.
Self-support groups with other women.
Liberating activities such as casual gatherings as cultural walks, a book club and movie nights.

Stage 2

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures.

Description

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Description

In this stage, migrant women have social and cultural contacts both inside and outside their immediate living quarter. They are active in their neighbourhood. However, these contacts are not directly related to the expression of their own needs or do not respond to an explicit cultural awareness. It is usually a passive participation in which the initiative does not arise from the woman and the culture of the host community can be perceived as strange or distant to their personal interests.

Culture and cultural participation are not perceived as a priority by women.
To participate in cultural activities related to their children, celebrations of their own community or go to a religious service may be some of the activities women usually do in this stage. During this stage women have the necessary languages skills to interact with the local community and may explore further.

Coach advice

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Coach advice

The main challenge at this stage is to increase the cultural awareness and involvement of migrant women, by showing them the resources of the host community at their disposal.
For this it will be important

  • To address existing patterns of functioning, expectations and family structures and build on those.
  • To organise activities that increase cultural interaction with the host community in a comfortable way.
  • Increase motivation for personal development and learning through culture.
  • Find the similarities between two cultures and start there in order to make them feel more comfortable.

Supporting actions

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Supporting actions

Organise more frequent activities, but in a realistic way, taking into account the potential limitations that may arise to these women.

Use attractive and motivating forms of learning.

Involve the family and / or partners in the activities.

Relate the activities of women with the cultural resources of the community (civic and cultural centres, libraries, etc).

Provide activities that encourage free expression through the arts.

Outcomes

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Outcomes

  • Migrant women participate in regular activities such as: being members of a cultural association or joining activities on a regular basis.
  • Women participate in citizenship courses (learning the language, social skills, training in new technologies, etc.) or in adult education courses.
  • They increase their self-confidence and appreciate the value of social contacts.

Key Competences related

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Key Competences related

KC2. Multilingual competence
KC4. Digital competences
KC5. Personal, social and learning to learn competence
KC6. Citizenship competence
KC8. Cultural awareness and expression competence

Support training activities

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Support training activities

Foreign language courses.

Training in digital skills: web management, registration in platforms and social networks, basic knowledge of digital video editing and photography with mobile devices.

Training in social and interpersonal competences.

Activities suggested

Exploration and realisation of common grounds between cultures

Activities suggested

Visit to cultural facilities and associations to know how they work and what services they provide.

Organisation of guided visits to exhibitions, conferences, etc.

Registration and access to cultural services such as public libraries.

Participation in courses that promote creativity and relationships (cooking courses, reading clubs, narrative activities, contests, etc.).

Introduce them to the popular cultural events of your region and their activities.

Stage 3

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage.

Description

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Description

This stage refers to migrant women who have become more active in the different domains of citizenship -social, political, economic and cultural. They could be enrolled and participate in a VET program or have working experience and/or work on a temporary basis. At some point they can also play an active role in citizenship (participation in local pools, political advocacy through associations, etc.).

Women have the capacity to access local cultural resources although they may not attend them on a regular basis.r.

Coach advice

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Coach advice

At this stage, activities should be carried out on a regular basis to help women to go deeper and to know the local and European heritage and culture as well as connect with it, promoting a critical and reflective spirit in women that allows them to relate to the culture of the host community and as well as their own.

A challenge of this stage is to make women aware of the benefits of cultural participation in their personal development and overcome self-imposed barriers such as lack of time or interest.

Women must acquire independence regarding the initiative in carrying out activities. The role of counsellor and / or mediator is replaced with that of a guide and facilitator.

Supporting actions

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Supporting actions

Have a guide of cultural resources available to women for planning activities according to their needs.

Organise peer support.

Organise shared activities with members of the host community.

Outcomes

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Outcomes

Migrant women have the capacity to manage their cultural activities.

Women are more active in the areas where they live and their social network is broader.

Women are more prompt to search for and participate to cultural activities on their own.

Key Competences related

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Key Competences related

KC2. Multilingual competence
KC4. Digital competences
KC5. Personal, social and learning to learn competence
KC6. Citizenship competence
KC7. Entrepreneurship competence
KC8. Cultural awareness and expression competence

Support training activities

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Support training activities

Training in digital skills: web management, registration in platforms and social networks, basic knowledge of digital video editing and photography with mobile devices.

Training in social and civic competences.

Specific courses of artistic subjects.

Specific courses of local and European history and heritage.

Activities suggested

Participation to activities involving national and EU cultural heritage

Activities suggested

Visits and excursions to the local cultural heritage.

Attendance at conferences on dissemination and round tables on topics of cultural and social interest.

Access to open cultural resources.

Participation in courses that promote creativity and human relations.

Stage 4

Self expression and participation in culture life.

Description

Self expression and participation in culture life

Description

At this stage, women are active: they can have a paid job with a contract, be self-employed or be an entrepreneur, who does not have any additional help from social services or PES. Women themselves make an active use of the services offered by society.

The focus at this stage is on the empowerment of women and the cultural awareness. To support women’s initiative and active participation in the cultural life of the community, which means, in addition to making use of cultural resources (libraries, museums, conservatories, etc.), the free creative expression and the ability to build a cultural narrative shared with the host community.

Coach advice

Self expression and participation in culture life

Coach advice

To empower the women and support their leadership role in order they become volunteers or mentors to other women in their community.

Supporting actions

Self expression and participation in culture life

Supporting actions

Create opportunities to keep contact.

Establish invitations to share experiences with other groups of migrant and refugee women and/or ONGs.

Involve them in the planning of cultural events.

Outcomes

Self expression and participation in culture life

Outcomes

Women are able to organise and participate independently in cultural activities.
Women have a cultural narrative that they are able to share with other members of the community.

Women can be models/mentor for other women in their journey towards social inclusion through culture.

Women can plan and manage their own cultural activities.

Key Competences related

Self expression and participation in culture life

Key Competences related

KC4. Digital competences
KC5. Personal, social and learning to learn competence
KC6. Citizenship competence
KC7. Entrepreneurship competence
KC8. Cultural awareness and expression competence

Support training activities

Self expression and participation in culture life

Support training activities

Leadership training
Intercultural education
Reinforcement of social and civic competences

Activities suggested

Self expression and participation in culture life

Activities suggested

Mentoring.

Migrant women involvement in cultural organisations.

Creation of visual boards concerning their cultural expression.

Design of small cultural events such as movie nights, book clubs, dance events.

logo