Effective Practices for Working with Interpreters in Refugee Support Services
Explore the critical importance of utilizing interpreters in refugee support services, as highlighted by past tragic incidents. Learn about supporting refugees and asylum seekers, good practices for working with interpreters, challenges faced by interpreters, and legal obligations for service providers in providing language services. Gain insights into promoting equal access, eliminating discrimination, and ensuring efficient communication in multilingual settings.
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Working with Interpreters Laura Wilson Refugee Council 01482 421120/ 07799664508 laura.wilson@refugeecouncil.org.uk www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 1
What will we cover today? o Why is this an important topic? o Who we are supporting o Interpreters o Service Providers o Service Users o Alternatives o Do and Do Not s www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 2
Why is this an Important Topic? o Victoria Climbie died on the 25th February 2000- Victoria s life could have been saved if she had had an interpreter. o Child H- Two year old child died in June 2013; dismissal of child protection concerns on the grounds of misunderstandings due to language barriers. o Child A- Two month old Lithuanian girl died in Sept 2013 of severe non-accidental head injury. o Child H- Three year old Somali boy murdered by his Father in Dec 2013. o All of these deaths could have been avoided if an appropriate interpreter had been present. www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 3
Supporting Refugees and Asylum Seekers www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 4
Good Practice: Interpreters o Impartiality o Confidentiality o Disclosure of any conflict of interests o Intervene o But it is your job as a service provider to ask the right questions, brief and de-brief the interpreter! o How are we doing as service providers www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 5
What do Interpreters say? I am not qualified to give the kind of advice I am giving No direct translation and no alternative is offered I am praised for the work I do Language is not simplified I feel like I am helping Service User often leaves confused and I feel responsible Not enough time for clarification They do their best www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 6
Service Providers o Statutory bodies have a legal obligation to: - Provide language services - Promote equal access to services - Eliminate racial discrimination. o Statutory bodies must ensure that language services are efficient and effective: - Allow enough time for interviews/ appointments - Brief and de-brief Interpreters - Work with professional, trained Interpreters www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 7
What do Service Providers say? Most do not understand Google Translate Some Languages are unavailable There is not enough time for appointments If you keep booking interpreters THEY will never learn English!!!!! Bring a friend or family member with you Pressure www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 8
Perspectives from Service Users I was told there was no interpreters and I should bring a friend. It was too personal so I tried to explain in English but couldn t understand them. I am illiterate and couldn t understand Google translate. It spoke in a different dialect. It went really well and the Interpreter helped me and explained things clearly. I waited for two hours for an interpreter to come and this was not the first time. I don t feel my time is respected Sometimes no Interpreter is booked and my husband comes in with me. The Interpreter did not speak good English and we were both confused! www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 9
Requests from Service Users o Give us enough time to explain (we know you don t have time!) o Explain things a couple of different ways to clarify understanding o Don t ask our family members to interpret for us www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 10
Google Translate o Hosts 91 different languages o There are around 6500 different languages and dialects spoken worldwide o 2000 in Africa alone! o Some parts of the developing world; literacy rates are below 30% o Swahili example o Example: let s talk FGM www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 11
Dos and Do Nots o DO NOT ask a child/family member/ other service users to interpret. o DO identify the language, dialect and country of origin prior to booking the interpreter- avoids wasting time and resources o DO consider the age/ gender of the interpret and judge whether this is appropriate o DO Ask Questions before the appointment o DO Brief and De-brief o DO reflect www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 12
Thank you very much for listening! www.refugeecouncil.org.uk 13
