Country Report Netherlands
Irma Sluis, June 2007
Country facts
Population: 16.570.613 (15.000 – 25.000 sign language Users)
Size of the country: 33,783 sq kmFacts on sign language interpreters:
Number of registered sign language interpreters: 243 (no data on part-time vs. full-time ratio). (source: www.stichtingrtg.nl)
Interpreter organization:
Nederlandse Beroepsvereniging Tolken Gebarentaal (NBTG)
Dutch Professional Organization of Sign Language Interpreters
NBTG Board
The board of the NBTG consists the president, secretary, treasurer, 1 member, a student board member, a board co-worker, and a speech-to-text reporter board co-worker. The NBTG board is assisted by a policy maker and an office co-coordinator. Since 15 November 2006, we have a speech-to-text reporter on the board. He represents the speech-to-text reporters members.
NBTG Members
The NBTG has a total number of members; 506
201 Interpreters
184 students
6 Sponsor Plus
3 Sponsor members
85 Newsletter subscriptions
21 speech-to-text reporters
21 student speech-to-text reporters
6 special members
Interpreter training:
Four-year Bachelors program (part-time and full-time) at the College of Utrecht. The program is a combined program for teachers and interpreters in Dutch Sign Language. The program officially started in 1998. The 10 pilot students of this new program graduated in August 2001. In 2002/2003 28 students graduated, in 2003/2004 32 students, in 2004/2005 20 students and in 2005/2006 25 students graduated. And in 2006/2007 28 students graduated. Main subjects in the program are Dutch Sign Language, Interpreting or Teaching Skills and Deaf Culture.
The program started a Masters program Deaf Studies. Graduated interpreters with a BA degree have the opportunity to enroll in the MA program.
Events 2006-2007
Interpreting in educational settings
A special working group is still working on the development of a DVD with information on sign language interpreting in educational settings. The DVD has not yet been finalized.
Research published
A publication is published on the efsli conference in Prague with a lot of information about team interpreting, deaf and hearing interpreters, the situation of deaf blind clients, and theater.
Regulations
A lot of time was spent on negotiations with the government on new rates within the finance system. According the government agency the rates in educational settings are not valid anymore and need to change.
The NBTG is pleased that after negotiations with the office that pays for community interpreting, team interpreting is allowed in specific situations without consultation in advance.
Board at work
The NBTG board with the office coordinator and the policy maker are continuing to look into an efficient work flow for the NBTG. Due to many volunteers and the few paid staff, this is an on going task. To be more efficient the board created a daily and a general board. As you could read above (NBTG board), the board has a speech-to-text reporter co-worker on the board. Since November 2006 all speech-to-text reporters are offered a trial membership. If all works out well the membership can become a definite membership.
Workshops
The NBTG working committee on continuing education, in co-operation with the board, organized various workshops for (student) interpreters and speech-to-text reporters.
Last year the NBTG hosted the following workshops:
Taxes and invoice
Voicing
Interpreting in international settings
Assertiveness
Interpreting for the elderly deaf
Ethics
Interpreting with a videophone
Kata Kolok, a village sign language on Bali
New spelling (for speech-to-text reporters)
Abusive language in Dutch Sign Language (NGT)
Interpreting for the disabled
Publications
The Interpres Newsletter is published every three months and is distributed to all members. Every edition covers a theme an in addition it reports of the latest events in the field of sign language interpreting. There is also a monthly news bulletin especially for interpreter and student members.
Website
A new website is a fact! The new site is accessible for people with a disability.
The number of visitors to the NBTG web site is still increasing, as is the number of NBTG web pages. The main web pages are accessible for every visitor and there are special web pages only accessible for interpreter and student members.
The past year
The NBTG, in cooperation with an interpreter agency and a deaf organization started with an orientation for the possibility to formulate an enabling legislation.
Until now the interpreters in the Netherlands had to deal with approximately thirty different offices for community interpreting. After intensive negotiations there is now one office dealing with the interpreting hours for community interpreting.
Goals of the NBTG for the coming year
The NBTG likes to continue the goals that were set for 2006. We have made a start on these goals, but have not yet accomplished all that we wanted.
PR: providing information on the profession of sign language interpreters and increasing (supporting) members to the NBTG
Continuing education: increasing the number of workshops organized by the NBTG and sharing expertise and support on an international level
Improving the working conditions of interpreters.