Country Report: Austria
Austria is located in Central Europe. It is a predominantly mountainous country with an area of 83,855 km2. Italy, Switzerland, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia form the Austrian border. Austria's population is growing toward eight million. Twenty percent of the total population (1, 54 million people) is living in the capital, called Vienna. About one tenth of a percent, that means eight to ten thousand people are deaf.
The Austrian Association of Sign language Interpreters (ÖGSDV) was founded in 1998.
Today we have 76 full members, working in nine regions of Austria. The majority is working as free lancers. In four of these nine regions there is a central coordination of the assignments of the Sign Language Interpreters. In the rest of the Austrian districts the organisation of the appointments is made by the interpreters themselves. To share information and stay in contact the interpreters in their regions are meeting at regular intervals.
In Austria we have the possibility to attend about four to five workshops the year, organised by the ÖGSDV to get further training and continuously fresh ups of our skills. This year workshops with the topics: “Voice & speech training”, “Specific grammatical training”, “Constructed action in practice”, and “Interpreting in an emancipatoric dialog” are offered to attend.
A warrant that has to be submitted at the ÖGSDV every three years is used as proof of the ongoing control of the quality of its members. The applicant has to attest a certain number of hours further training to get a valid warrant.
The goal of the ÖGSDV board is to set and keep quality standards, consolidate a fair payment and good working conditions for Sign Language Interpreters in Austria.
With July 2009 we have our first deaf woman voted to the Austrian parliament. Because of that Sign language, SL- Interpreters and the situation of deaf people has a strong presence in the media.