“I am a small mediator too”

A short report on after-school activity with Comunità Progetto Cooperativa 

In May, the città-IN team held workshops on the 10th and 14th with children and volunteers from Comunità Progetto Cooperativa. This organization provides after-school programs (“Doposcuola”) for children from immigrant families in Milan’s San Siro neighborhood. The workshop theme proposed by città-IN was “I am a small mediator too.”

The workshops included children aged 6-10, with a few teenagers joining in. The città-IN team aimed to help them reflect on and share their experiences as cultural and linguistic mediators for their families. To achieve this, the team designed a 45-minute activity with three steps.

Following introductions, the team presented the children with six short stories to read aloud. Each story depicted a child’s perspective, helping their parents by translating and interacting with authority figures or peers. Half the stories evoked positive emotions (pride, happiness, fun), while the others explored negative ones (embarrassment, anger, annoyance). Despite any difficulties, most children eagerly volunteered to read on both days.

After listening to all the stories, the team briefly discussed the main theme with the children to introduce the next activity. The kids were then asked to consider situations where they themselves had acted as mediators, or where they had seen a sibling or relative take on this role for the family.

Next, each child received a sheet of paper with ten places listed. They were instructed to select the places where they had acted as mediators for their parents. To represent their feelings in these situations, they could choose red for anger, yellow for embarrassment or annoyance, and green for happiness, pride, or usefulness. The children embraced this task creatively, expressing themselves in various ways. It was evident that for many, this mediating role was an integrated part of their identity and daily life.

To encourage further exploration, the città-IN team dedicated the final 15-20 minutes for the children to artistically express a situation where they mediated between their parents and the outside world, particularly a public service or entity. With complete freedom to choose their medium – drawing, writing, collage, origami, or anything else – the children shared their emotions during these experiences. They also used this time to discuss the topic and exchange experiences with their peers and the team.

The città-IN workshops shed light on the crucial role children from immigrant families play in facilitating communication and access to services for their parents. Their experiences highlight the critical need for public services to be accessible, not only in multiple languages to remove the burden of translation from children, but also culturally sensitive and respectful of human rights. Service providers should be trained to understand and respect diverse cultural backgrounds and the implications of rights. By prioritizing accessibility, we can empower these young mediators, their parents, and ensure their well-being alongside their families. This fosters a more inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to exercise their rights.