Intercultural mediators also play a role in health education
7 July 2026
Did you know that Foyer’s intercultural mediators do much more than provide language support and cultural mediation in the healthcare and social welfare sectors? They also play an important role in health education.
From the beginning of September, the mediators will once again take part in HPV Boost, a pilot project coordinated by Gezond in Brussel. The initiative brings together a wide range of partners, including GO! CLB, BRUSANO, the BruZEL Primary Care Zone, the Health Advisors, several GO! schools in Brussels and many other organisations.
The HPV vaccine is offered to boys and girls aged 12 to 13. It protects against the most common types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause several forms of cancer and genital warts. In Brussels, the vaccination rate is around 60%, considerably lower than in Flanders, where it is approximately 80%. This highlights the importance of this Brussels pilot project.
During information sessions held in schools, the intercultural mediators provide information to parents who do not speak sufficient Dutch. Thanks to their knowledge of both language and culture, they are also well placed to recognise cultural or religious factors that may influence parents’ decisions about vaccinating their children. They discuss these topics with parents in an open and respectful way.
Intercultural mediators always work alongside healthcare and social care professionals. To ensure they provide accurate and reliable information about vaccines and how they work, they regularly receive training on this topic. In doing so, they help make health information more accessible to communities that are often harder to reach.
Both during the previous edition of HPV Boost and in similar initiatives abroad, directly engaging with parents has proven to be an effective way to reduce vaccine hesitancy. As trusted bridge-builders between families and professionals, intercultural mediators play a vital role in this process.
