Contact details

 

•    Name association: Association of Interpreters of Greek Sign Language
•    Name president:    Mr. Klimis Antzakas                    
•    Address:        Koroneias St. D1, Athens 11522
•    Country:        Greece

•    Phone:          +306978592716
•    E-mail:          sdeng.gr@gmail.com

 

Country Report: Greece

Association of Greek Sign Language Interpreters
AGSLI-SDENG

Country and topical report

Country report

Greece occupies a total area of 132 km2 and has a population of 11,000,000. According to the Greek Federation of the Deaf (HFD) the estimated number of deaf/hard of hearing people who use Sign language is 15,000. The Association of Greek Sign Language Interpreters (AGSLI) has at the moment 62 members. 22 of them work as full time interpreters. AGSLI has certified interpreters and collaborates closely with the Greek Federation of the Deaf.

There are no official training programs at university level for sign language interepreters. There is also no formal assessment for the certification of the interpreters. At the moment Sign language interpreters training programs are organized by the Greek Federation of the Deaf or by other private schools.
AGSLI organizes exams for interpreters once a year. Students who have attended the above training programs can have these exams. However, the completion of these programs is not an obligatory term for someone who wants to have these exams. The exams are organized in collaboration with the Greek Federation of the Deaf. Interpreter candidates who pass the AGSLI are able to apply for an AGSLI membership. There is no special training program yet in any specific areas (legal or medical interpreting). There are interpreters who are considered as specialists in specific areas because of their experience.

Most AGSLI members work with HFD in a program established by the Ministry of Health that offers 35 hours of interpretation services (per year) for the Deaf and hard of hearing people who are members of the HFD. The majority of the interpreters also work as free lancers. Additionally, there is a number of interpreters who work in television.

As mentioned above interpreters training programs are organized by the Greek Federation of the Deaf or by other private schools. These schools do not follow a specific curriculum and there are lots of differences in the way they organize the courses.
In general these programs are complete in two years. In most cases the content of the training program is as follows:

  • Students have to master sign language in various areas (deaf community, vocabulary for health issues, sports, religion, etc.).
  • Students have to master interpretation techniques interpreting from spoken to sign language.
  •  Students have to master interpretation techniques interpreting from sign to spoken language.
  • Students have to master general issues related to their role as interpreters (behavior, dress code, etc.).
  • Students have to master the code of ethics for a sign language interpreter.
  • Students have to learn issues related to the deaf community, deaf education, linguistics of sign language, etc.

 

Topical report

1. What are the risk factors endangering most the mental and physical health of sign language interpreters in your country?

  • People are not familiar with how a SL interpreter works.
  • Usually, government officers (not only) ask one interpreter to work for long periods (e.g. police questioning  for 8 hours).
  • Interpreters accept jobs/contracts they are not able to handle.
  • There is no specialization-specification level of interpreters.
  • Lack of formal supervision even in the training programs for interpreters.

2. What are the factors in the work of sign language interpreters bringing upon burnout syndrome?

  • Too many hours of interpreting.
  • Great involvement with the community Interpreting becomes a way of life. Not being professional.
  • Are not able to make a living working as interpreters.

3. What methods are used to prevent the mental and physical health of sign language interpreters in your country?

  • SDENG has planned to inform government offices/agencies and agencies that are involved with SL interpretation.
  • SDENG runs a program of meetings with Deaf Clubs all over Greece discussing the role and use of SL interpreter; the rights of SL interpreter and the rights of the Deaf customer.
  • SDENG provides support (by its senior members) to its members on: how to make arrangements, how to stand for their rights, etc. 

4. What legal acts protect sign language interpreters/determine working conditions of sign language interpreters in your country?

  • General health and safety conditions and policy applied in work places is also applied for SL interpreters. 
  • Lately in courts a leaflet is provided for the rights of the interpreters of spoken languages which also applies for SL interpreters.
  • SDENG advises the Federation of the Deaf and Government offices to assign complex interpretations to more experience interpreters.
  • SDENG works together with the Federation of the Deaf so we will be able to propose legal acts determining working conditions fro SL interpreters.

5. How are sign language interpreters trained to avoid burnout syndrome?

  • Interpreter training programs provide information about working practices (hours to work, topics to be assigned, involvement with the community, etc.).
  • SDENG provides support (by its senior members) to its members.