This video provides an understanding of how intercultural communication in the settlement sector supports newcomers’ settlement experiences. Culture and respect of culture play an important role in how our sector can best help newcomers. The settlement and integration sector is one that works directly with racialized and vulnerable communities with diverse cultural backgrounds. As such, an important aspect of a settlement worker’s role is to effectively communicate with their clients, navigating through sometimes unfamiliar nuances and understanding the cultural context through which their client is communicating with them.

Dr. Joenita Paulrajan (Director at the UBC Centre for Equitable Systems Design), Adrienne Bale (Senior Manager of Settlement and Integration at MOSAIC), Payvand Gonzalez (Director of People and Culture at MOSAIC), and Mehrnoosh Amin Aghaee (Project Coordinator for Advocacy and Engagement, Pacific Immigrant Resources Society) provide their perspectives on intercultural communication throughout the video, with the latter 3 speakers pulling from personal experiences in helping newcomers in their settlement organizations.

Watch “Exploring Intercultural Communication” below.