When you’re working with youths, intercultural communication training is one of the most important types of training you can pursue. This article is all about what you can expect from such training, how it will make you a better youth worker, and what to look for in a training program.
What is Intercultural Communication Training?
Those who take working with youth seriously know that you simply can’t expect every youth you work with to come from the same monolithic backgrounds. Those who seek out youth services or are referred to them are going to come from widely different racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural background. This means that you can’t talk to every youth in the same way. Intercultural communication training helps you understand how to communicate with them, the situation they’re in, and speak in a language that resonates with their experiences and helps to establish the trust and rapport that are essential to effective youth work.
What to Look for in a Trainer
When you’re signing up for intercultural communication training, you’ll want to find a training program that is very clear about what it’s offering you. Look for a training organization that clearly specifies a list of competencies that they’ll focus on throughout the duration of your training. This list should include not only intercultural communication training, but other important aspects of youth work as well, such as mental health and behavioral interventions. With this in mind, you can be confident that your training program will provide you the skills you need to excel at this all-important job.
