The Association of Sign Language Interpreters
for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Country report: England Wales and Northern Ireland
Facts about the UK
POPULATION
According to government statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=6) the mid-2008
population estimates of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom as follows:
DEAF PEOPLE
According to the BDA (British Deaf Association) website British Sign Language (BSL) is the
first or preferred language of around 250,000 Deaf people in the UK. Other estimates put this
at a much lower figure.
THE NUMBER OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
In the UK there are two registering bodies specifically for sign language interpreters (NRCPD
and SASLI) and one membership-led body for sign language interpreters with no registering
function (ASLI). Some interpreters are members of ASLI and/or registered with NRCPD and/
or registered with SASLI.
THE NUMBER OF PART-TIME AND FULL-TIME INTERPRETERS
According to the ASLI fees and salaries report (www.asli.org.uk/fees-salaries-report-p122.aspx)
2008, of the interpreters with a salaried position (27% of survey participants): 14% full-time,
13% part-time (2 to 4.5 days per week). Of the respondents who undertook freelance work
(73%) none were asked if they worked part-time or full-time.
ASLI MEMBERSHIP AND NRCPD REGISTRATION
There continues to be those working in an interpreting role without formal training and/or qualifications who are ineligible to register with the NRCPD or become members of ASLI. At this time we are not able to estimate how many of these support worker there are but it is reasonable to assume that there are at least the same number as those who are ASLI members and/or registered.
INTERPRETER TRAINING
To become an interpreter you need to meet the National Occupational Standards established
for both spoken and signed languages1. This system allows for interpreters to either follow a
university qualification or to compile an individual portfolio under the National Vocational
Qualifications (NVQ) system of assessment to meet the national interpreting standard’s
requirements.
LEVELS OF INTERPRETER TRAINING
Those who are acquiring theoretical knowledge according to the national interpreting standards
and have the equivalent of NVQ 3 BSL can register as Junior Trainee Interpreters (JTI) with the
NRCPD. JTIs are eligible to join as Associate Members of ASLI when they have successfully
completed an approved course.
Those who have proven knowledge that meets the national interpreting standards and the
equivalent of NVQ 4 BSL can register as Trainee interpreters (TI with NRCPD) and are eligible
to join as Associate Members of ASLI if they have successfully completed an approved course
Those that have proven knowledge meeting the national interpreting standards, NVQ 4 BSL
and proven practical interpreting meeting the national interpreting standards are eligible to be
Full Members of ASLI (MASLI) and are eligible to apply to the NRCPD to become Members
of the Register of Sign Language Interpreters (MRSLI).
All the courses vary slightly as to their content. In the main courses include the knowledge and
competencies outlines in the National Occupational Standards for Interpreting (NOSI).
INITIAL UNIVERSITY TRAINING
The University of Bristol Centre for Deaf Studies has a 3 year BSc (Hons) degree in Deaf
Studies with an interpreting stream. If a student successfully completes the interpreting stream
with a minimum of 45% in the Advanced BSL for Interpreters module, s/he is eligible to become an Associate Members of ASLI and a JTI. Passing the interpreting stream with 65% Advanced
BSL for Interpreters means that a student is eligible to be an Associate Member of ASLI and a
TI. The student is expected to have passed the degree overall and the interpreting stream
modules.
Heriot-Watt University currently offers a Certificate Course in Interpreting Studies and Skills (BSL/English) as a part-time course over a 2-year period. A successful graduate can apply to be a Junior Trainee Interpreter if they also have BSL Level 3. This is one of the criteria for Associate Membership with or without BSL qualification.
The University of Wolverhampton offers a foundation year for students with no knowledge of
BSL and then a 3 year, or part time equivalent, BA (Hons) Interpreting (BSL/English) degree. If
a student successfully completes the BA (Hons) s/he is eligible to become an Associate Member
of ASLI. The student is eligible also to become a TI (NRCPD).
The University of Central Lancashire offers a BA (Hons) in Deaf Studies. If a student successfully completes this course (including all of the Graduate Diploma modules) then s/he is eligible to become a JTI and an Associate Member of ASLI.
Durham University offers the ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Interpreting with the Deaf Community’ (in alternate years). This one-year part-time course introduces students to BSL/ English interpreting. The qualification (with external experience) allows eligibility for Associate interpreter membership of ASLI and Trainee Interpreter status with NRCPD.
ADVANCED UNIVERSITY TRAINING
The University of Central Lancashire offers a part-time postgraduate diploma in BSL/English
interpreting and translation. If a student successfully completes this diploma, they are eligible to
become a Full Members of ASLI (and to become MRSLI through the NRCPD).
SLI/UCLAN offers a part time postgraduate diploma in BSL/English interpreting. If a student successfully completes this diploma, they are eligible to become a Full Member of ASLI (and to become MRSLI through the NRCPD).
The University of Leeds offers a postgraduate diploma and a MA in Interpreting and Translation Studies: BSL/English. If a student successfully completes the diploma or the MA they are eligible to become a Full Member of ASLI and to become MRSLI through the NRCPD.
Events and goals
MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS FOR ASLI IN THE PAST YEAR
We launched our new website with a members’ only section and rolled out the new ASLI brand
across the organisation.
MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS FOR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS IN THE
PAST YEAR
We have strengthened our relationships with CiLT the government skills sector body for
languages. This happened by attending their practitioners group and attending events in
relation to the Routes to Language initiative (www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk). The most
important event was the Language Diploma and the National Network for Interpreting
(www.nationalnetworkforinterpreting.ac.uk) consultation event. We were able to ensure signed languages are fully included in the Language Diploma, enabling future generations to have earlier exposure to Sign Languages and potentially swelling the ranks of interpreters, whilst simultaneously increasing mastery of BSL and ISL through earlier exposure and teaching. The was a useful chance to increase the awareness of Sign Language interpreting within mainstream structures, highlighting our similarity and uniqueness.
GOALS FOR ASLI THIS COMING YEAR
Continuing to work with the NRCPD to establish a registering system for Deaf interpreters;
employing a member of staff; reviewing the centralisation of our services and publications;
attending more public events as stall holders to get greater public awareness of ASLI and
interpreting.
Topical Report
1. What are the risk factors endangering most the mental and physical health of
sign language interpreters in your country?
Mental health:
Often feeling as if we are in a subservient position and lacking bicultural competence.
Lacking formal supervision structures as staff or freelance interpreters to formally debrief as
and when necessary.
Sometimes feeling as if we need to defend or apologise for our rates of pay and disillustionment
about the lack of use of suitably qualified interpreters.
Increasing work with immigrants who have experienced traumatic events that are
communicated through the interpreter.
Physical health:
Pressure to work solo for long periods without a break.
Working in many different offices where we may share workstations that are not set up to
preserve our physical health.
Freelancers administering own business from home where we may not have formal office space
which are rarely set up with ergonomic properties in mind.
2. What are the factors in the work of sign language interpreters bringing upon
burnout syndrome?
The longer we are in the Deaf community, the more involved we get and the more we want to
do as much as we can to make life easier/ensure the best services for our friends/family
members. Interpreting becomes a way of life that is not left behind at the office (if you have
one).
There is no formal career structure and this lack of structure can lead to interpreters
undertaking work they are not ready to undertake either because they do not have the domain specific language causing unsafe physical working practices, or they do not have the experience
to deal with some of the mental demands (ethical decisions, witnessing of unexpected retelling
of trauma, etc.) of the interpreting assignment.
Lack of bicultural competence.
3. What methods are used to prevent the mental and physical health of sign
language interpreters in your country?
Interpreters are left to their own devices to put in place strategies of health preservation.
ASLI trains and holds a list of its trained mentors.
In the main interpreters have set up their own supervision groups and take exercise/get therapy
at their own instigation/expense.
4. What legal acts protect sign language interpreters / determine working
conditions of sign language interpreters in your country?
General health and safety legislation for employment are available but rarely used for sign
language interpreters.
It is advised that complex assignments that may result in stress (mentally and physically) are
given to more experience interpreters with their full professional status.
5. How are sign language interpreters trained to avoid burnout syndrome?
Our membership publication Newsli, ran an article asking interpreters what they to prevent
burnout.
Interpreter training programmes are starting to teach interpreters how to schedule a safe
working week.
Overall there is no strategy although interpreters are trained to seek the advice of more senior
colleagues whose judgement they may benefit from.
1 http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/standards_and_qualifications/
uk_occupational_standards/interpreting.aspx