WEA project tackles community interpreting issues

The second forum of the WEA's National Community Interpreting Project has taken place around the theme of 'challenges in the interpreting interview'.

Judith Carter, immigration solicitor from Islington Law Centre opened with a presentation on how interpreters are used in an immigration advice setting, what the rules and regulations are and what interventions are allowed and encouraged.

The presentation was followed by questions from the floor with a panel who joined Judith; Farida Stanikzai, Interpreting Co-ordinator of Refugee Arrivals Project; Rachel Fairbairn, development worker for Newlon Housing Trust who have run community interpreting training with WEA for their tenants; and Sylvia Velasquez, advisor with Multilingual Community Rights Shop.

(Below) Participants at the Community Interpreting Forum engaged in role play to illustrate how challenges of interpreting interviews can be resolved.

Questions from the floor reflected two main areas of concern for practising interpreters: How to establish the clear role of the interpreter and ensure both clients and service providers are aware of the role, and the need for interpreters to be able to refer between agencies so clients can access services they need rather than asking the interpreter to act as an advisor.

Practical workshops focused on challenges that arise in the interview and how to manage these situations effectively. Participants identified that among the reasons for difficulties arising were; unrealistic client expectations, different systems, the nature of the client-interpreter relationship, some obstructive service providers, cultural misunderstandings, unfair legislation putting pressure on service providers and incorrect assumptions that clients have existing knowledge of the public services they are accessing.

Using role play, a badly-managed interview with a housing service provider was acted out and then re-enacted after the workshops showing how the interpreter could manage the interview more effectively, using some of the techniques discussed among the group. Techniques discussed included:

- The benefit of holding a pre-interview with the client
- Intervention when both parties are arguing
- Recognition of stress of situation for client
- Outline rules at the beginning of the interview

The forum finished with a preview of a Community Interpreting training video the Project team is developing. If you work in the field or have an interest in Community Interpreting, you are invited send ideas and suggestion to the team by e-mail to ncip@wea.org.uk. Further information on the work of the group can be obtained from:

Ann Hayes or Natasha Eve
WEA National Community Interpreting Project
4 Luke Street
London
WC2A 4XW
Tel: 020 7613 7589
E-mail: ncip@wea.org.uk