Cultural Awareness Training

We offer a range of training courses that develop cultural awareness and equip people and organisations to be more welcoming and inclusive in today’s diverse and interconnected world. 

Welcome to the UK

This course helps people seeking sanctuary in the UK to process their transition and adapt to life here. Delivered as 2 half-day sessions or 4 two-hour sessions, it explores the roots of British culture, social norms, cultural values, practicalities of daily life and cultural transition. Participants are equipped with the tools they need to make a good start to life in their new country. 

At the end of this course, participants will:

• Have a better understanding of British culture
• Be more confident in navigating social situations
• Have a better understanding of key systems and processes
• Understand their rights and responsibilities in the UK
• Have strategies for successful adjustment

We can provide this course in English or in Arabic, or a number of other languages through interpreters. Sessions can be either in-person on online, and we have successfully delivered the course for people arriving through Bristol City Council’s and Somerset Council’s Resettlement schemes, as well as for numerous families arriving through Community Sponsorship groups in the South West.

I’ve been here 3 months and you can really feel lost when you first arrive. You are overwhelmed by everything so it’s really helpful to attend a course like this where you learn new things about the country, your responsibilities and your rights here, what is accepted in British society, and how to look after yourself and your family.

Supporting Refugees & Asylum Seekers

This 2-4 hour course enables volunteers to more effectively welcome and support people who have fled war or persecution and are new to the UK. By gaining a better understanding of the reasons that refugees come to the UK and the challenges they face along the way, and by looking at principles of cross-cultural interaction, volunteers will be better prepared for the role they are undertaking. 

At the end of this course, volunteers will:

• Have a greater understanding of reasons for forced displacement
• Understand some of the challenges that people seeking sanctuary in the UK face
• Be better equipped to provide support that is helpful for new arrivals, building independence rather than dependence
• Have cultural awareness around issues that could cause misunderstanding or mistrust 

We have delivered this training for numerous Community Sponsorship groups around the South West as well as partner organisations in Bristol.

The Refugee Resettlement training covered all the bases in terms of what we were looking for.

The cultural aspect was particularly valuable and helped our volunteers understand how to relate to people from different backgrounds.

The interactive elements were also helpful in thinking what it might be like to be a refugee.

Cultural Awareness Training

This course helps people understand the role culture plays in shaping our experiences and expectations in life, as well as preparing them to relate more effectively to people from different cultural backgrounds or perspectives. By reflecting on our own cultural influences, and by seeking to understand those of others, it helps to prepare people for cross-cultural experiences, for working in multicultural teams and for living in today’s multicultural society.

At the end of this programme, you will:

• Understand the role culture plays in communities and in society
• Have a better understanding of your own cultural influences
• Have greater understanding of other cultural perspectives and norms
• Have some tools for living well with difference

The course format is flexible and can be delivered online or in person, from 1 hour to 1 day in length. We have delivered this training to several organisations in Bristol including the Job Centre, the NHS and Bristol Refugee Festival.

The training we received from Bridges was excellent. The trainer was able to share the benefit of their experience in a way that was both useful and easy to absorb.

We learnt so much about Middle Eastern culture, all of which will be so helpful to us in understanding and supporting the Syrian family we hope to welcome.