Michael Beijer Mar 26, 2014:

mediator? Hi André,

I think maybe ‘mediator’ will do in your context.

André Linsen (asker) Mar 26, 2014:

Liaison officer is too "rigid", I think. It has a very military and official ring to it. A "brugfiguur" is supposed to act more as a mother does when her kids fight or when a kid has problems with a teacher. A liaison officer rather transfers communications without trouble solving authority.
A "brugfiguur" is kind of a translator, not so much of languages, but more of cultures, customs, views. You could compare this (in immigration matters) to a "intercultureel bemiddelaar"

André Linsen (asker) Mar 26, 2014:

Context example In my text, the word is used to communicate a contact phone number. But I do have another example (for schools)

Niet alle kinderen krijgen evenveel kansen. Deze sociale ongelijkheid is er al van bij de start van de schoolloopbaan.
Het niet aansluiten van sommige groepen kinderen kan voor een deel begrepen worden als het niet aansluiten van de cultuur van de school op de cultuur van de kinderen die ze ontvangt. Een volwaardige dialoog tussen ouders en de leerkracht is, zeker in de basisschool, een sleutel tot het welbevinden, de betrokkenheid en het schoolse rendement van de kinderen.
Deze dialoog echter verloopt vaak moeizaam en botst op allerlei obstakels.
Een brugfiguur werkt voor het kind met de school, de ouders en de buurt.
Het brugfigurenproject is een netoverschrijdend project ter bevordering van de communicatie tussen de school, het gezin en de buurt.
Brugfiguren zijn niet meer weg te denken uit het schoolbeeld en hebben na al die tijd heel wat expertise opgebouwd in het dichten van de kloof tussen school en thuis.
Speerpunt in hun taak is het ondersteunen van de school bij alle initiatieven die de school onderneemt om de kloof tussen de school en thuiscultuur te dichten.

philgoddard Mar 26, 2014:

We can't translate this without some Dutch context.

Michael Beijer Mar 26, 2014:

Oxford: bridge-building = The promotion of friendly relations between groups:

EXAMPLE SENTENCES:

the teaching force has been less willing in recent years to devote unpaid hours to community bridge-building
This will require leadership, compromise and bridge-building.
Your work of years of bridge-building can be undone in minutes.
I think it may even be a genuine attempt at bridge-building.
However, Medici's bridge-building policy proved no better at preventing revolt.
The alliance needs a bridge-building policy to resolve its military problems.

bridge-builder (NOUN)
EXAMPLE SENTENCES:

The world continues to mourn this man, a torch-bearer of peace and a bridge-builder between faiths.
Turkey was in a position to play the role of bridge-builder between the Occidental and Muslim worlds.
The future belongs to the bridge-builders, not the wreckers.
The dwarf bridge-builders were as good as their word.
Nor are they worried much about the fighting that may well surround the bridge-builders as they do their job.
-------------------

If you are going to use 'bridge builder', I think it should probably be hyphenated.

btw, I think ‘mediator’ is also a pretty good option.

Michael Beijer Mar 26, 2014:

@André: What is your exact context?

Michael Beijer Mar 26, 2014:

liaison / liaison officer 'liaison' can also be used a s a noun.

Oxford again:

liaison = A person who acts as a link to assist communication or cooperation between people: 'he’s our liaison with a number of interested parties'

or

liaison officer = A person who is employed to form a working relationship between two organizations to their mutual benefit: 'the school’s police liaison officer'

Michael Beijer Mar 26, 2014:

rewrite using ‘liaise’? You could also rewrite it, using ‘liaise’.

Oxford:

(liaise between) Act as a link to assist communication between (people or groups):

usage examples:

civil servants who liaise between the prime minister and departmental ministers

First of all, they are supposed to liaise between the two families.

They visit scenes of death and attend autopsies, take witness statements and liaise between traumatised relatives, police,
solicitors and doctors.

There is a greater need for liaising between club and school than ever before.

‘Basically the committee is a body set up to liaise between general practitioners and hospitals and hearing concerns,’ he said.