2021 WASLI Newsletter vol. 1

WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

Newsletter January 2021

Signs of hope?

2020 was a challenging year in many regards, but with the move of many events online WASLI was able to maintain a global presence.

Our Board, both the Executive and Regional Representatives, have continued to work to support the interpreting profession. That has included some of the Executive Board members attending online regional meetings and events

WASLI Conference proceedings WASLI is pleased to present the proceedings of our successful and memorable conference in Paris, France, 2019. You can purchase the proceedings by making a donation of your choice. wasli.org/2019-conferenceproceedings WASLI would like to thank the editors, Drs Campbell McDermid, and Suzanne Ehrlich, and Ashley Gentry, for their work on bringing this volume together.

We are also grateful to the reviewers for their suggestions.

And last but by no means least the authors for sharing their work.

Latin America and the Caribbea Our Treasurer, Nigel Howard* and DIA, Arunas Bražinskas were able to attend the LAC regional meeting; we appreciate the invitation from the Regional Representative, Marcel Garcia. Nigel and Arunas provided an update on the work of WASLI and addressed the work and role of deaf interpreters.

This led to a fruitful discussion on the need and provision of professional deaf interpreters. Both Arunas and Nigel discussed the issues related to this topic from their experience as professional deaf interpreters, giving not only their national perspective (Lithuania and Canada) but also drawing upon their knowledge of how DI services provision is organised around the world One issue of importance is the recognition that WASLI only confers professional status for IS interpreters via the WFDWASLI IS accreditation system. Individual members of WASLI are supporting the organisation but are not endorsed as professional working interpreters - that needs to happen via local or national accreditation processes. We will be amending our certi cates of individual membership accordingly

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WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

ISAAB - new Chair

Central Asia and the Caucuses

WASLI is delighted to announce Heidi Green as the new Chair of the ISAAB.

Our vice-President, Susan Emerson and DIA, Arunas BraĹžinskas attended the meeting hosted by our Regional Representative, Ekaterina Golovanova

Heidi has been an American Sign Language interpreter for ten years and has trained interpreters working in video relay. In addition she currently manages translation teams in Asia and the Middle East. Heidi has worked on development projects for various international organisations.

Heidi also speaks Arabic, and has been studying Saudi Arabian Sign Language for several of years.

Watch out for a call soon

Conference 2023 Our conference co-convenors Lucy Lam and Anthony Chong continue to work with our Korean Association of Sign Language Interpreters (KASLI) liaison Lydia Koh on the organisation of the conference.

Currently dates are being set and further information will follow soon. We hope we can gather in 2023.

Online repository WASLI is working with ASLI UK to increase the resources available to members on the website. This should enable the sharing of best practice guidelines globally.

In the meeting both Russian Sign Language and spoken Russian interpretation was provided via the WASLI zoom platform, which was a rst and we are delighted that we can now support our regions in this way.

As well as providing information about how to support WASLI as an individual we were able to explain the work of WASLI and introduce the new EECAC DIA to those in attendance. Our Honorary President, Dr Debra Russell then provided training for those in attendance - she has been in much demand from across the regions

Asia The Meeting of Sign Language Interpreters in Asia is held every year in conjunction with the WFD RS-Asia Representatives Meeting.

This year, the Asian meeting was scheduled to be in New Delhi, India, in November. However, it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While this deprived us of opportunities to exchange information face-to-face, it also expanded possibilities of online contact using ICT Indonesi On July 3, 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm (Japan time), Indonesian sign language interpreters and trainers of interpreters, Regional Representative, Noriko Miyazawa and Asia DIA, Megumi Kawakami exchanged information online about the training of Indonesian interpreters. We agreed to continue support for the training of interpreters in Indonesia

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WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

Shanghai, Chin

Leadership Training

On November 7, 2:00 pm - 4:45 pm (Japan time), Regional Representative, Noriko Miyazawa (Director of International Division, NRASLI, Japan) gave an online presentation to Shanghai sign language interpreters on the status of interpretation in Japan. We had a Q&A session and information exchange regarding training methods, certi cation systems, and the job situation of interpreters

Thanks to the work of our Honorary President Dr Debra Russell and the former President of the WFD Colin Allen some leadership training has been developed for sign language interpreter associations and those wishing to take leading roles in the development of the profession.

We want to continue to consider ways in which countries of the WASLI Asia Region can come together in solidarity using ICT

Currently a pilot is planned in Africa (online). Once amended this is something that we hope to be able to offer our members. It may also be an income stream from nonmembers wishing to develop their skills.

Australasia and Oceania

ISO Expert Group WASLI is establishing an expert group for the International Standards Organisation Technical Committee 37 work.

Our Vice President, Susan Emerson, Secretary, Isabelle Heyerick and DIA, Arunas Bražinskas were able to attend the Australasia and Oceania meeting just before the end of the year. Our Regional Representative Joneti Rokotuibau put together a program that enabled discussions of the regional challenges and then Dr Debra Russell presented on consecutive and simultaneous interpreting modes

The invited academics from around the world will contribute to the development and re-drafting of the standards.

WASLI President at larg The President of Slovenian Association of the Deaf, Damjan Šebjan invited the WASLI President, Christopher Stone, to introduce WASLI, and DIA, Arunas Bražinskas, to discuss the work of deaf interpreters. Afterwards the Q&A focused on ethics and social media, highlighting the need for training. Our Treasurer Nigel Howard has also presented in the past.

WASLI hopes to serve as one of the experts on the revision of the Community Interpreting standard ISO 13611 that will be lead by Dr Debra Russell.

CIUTI

The presentation and discussion is on YouTube interpreted into 11 di erent sign languages by deaf interpreter from around the globe

Our President presented at their conference (online) musing on the role of Arti cial Intelligence for sign language interpreters.

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WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

Regional Deaf Interpreter adviser After tremendous e ort from our Deaf Interpreter Adviser (DIA), Arunas Bražinskas we now have nine regional DIAs (see below) to support the work of our nine Regional Representatives.

Europ Christian Rathman (Germany)

Balkan Daša Peperk (Slovenia)

Central Asia & Caucuse Tatiana Tro mov (Russia)

North Americ Ronise Barrera (USA)

Asi Megumi Kawakam (Japan) Latin America the Caribbea Christian Ramírez Valeri (Costa Rica)

Africa Ayesha Ramjugernat (South Africa)

Ara MajdiYagh (Jordan)

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Australasia & Oceani Krishneer Se (Fiji)

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WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

The well-being of sign language interpreters in rapidly changed and ever changing times

Inspirations for well-being article: ASLI (UK) has Well-Being fund and o ers mentoring opportunities NUBSLI (UK) has a buddy scheme, which has been introduced in Belgium, Flanders by Tenuto vzw and BVGT vzw AFILS (France) invites interpreters to re ect on the practice of online interpreting. Dossier avec le point de départ de ré exions à mener plus largement sur les pratiques d'interprétation à distance CIT has an article on “Teaching interpreters about self-care” The Lean Podcast. With a dedicated episode on SelfCare and four episodes on Remote Interpreting including a session about boundaries.

Marjory Bancroft webinar “You're Worth It! Self-care for Remote Interpreters an Urgent Priority”

“We are our own tool, there is no replacement if we break!”

2020 has ended and what a strange and challenging year it has been. It has also shown us how resilient we can be and how we, no matter what, are and stay connected. Our profession had to respond and adapt to the new reality of interpreting during a pandemic where we nd ourselves “locked down”. And whereas we have tackled the practical and technological challenges, turned our homes in interpreting studios and trained ourselves in becoming tech-savvy, what have we done to make sure that we are coping with these changes on a personal, psychological and emotional level In November, WASLI Secretary, Isabelle Heyerick as the founder and Vice-President of Tenuto vzw (an organisation o ering continuous professional development for Flemish Sign Language interpreters) co-organised and attended a webinar on re ection through the concept of mirror play facilitated by Lianne Nap (www.inthemirror.eu). The webinar invited colleagues to re ect on how the physical and technological changes impact their overall energy and how they can tip the scale to the positive.

At the end of this webinar the impression remained that signed language interpreters have addressed the technological adjustments but are neglecting the mental strain interpreting from home is posing. It is necessary to know the technological and practical ins and outs of interpreting during a pandemic: the technology and equipment we need to be able to do our job. However, it is also necessary to know what we need to safeguard our mental well-being. Lianne pointed out: we are our own tool, there is no replacement if we break. This is especially true when professional and personal boundaries are blurred and our work enters our private homes, and vice versa.

We are currently not only interpreters working from our own home, we are also all the other facets of our person in that home, managing our personal, private and professional lives (and the ones we interpret for and with) in one space. The impact of this changed reality should not be underestimated and should be addressed so that we can continue to do the job we love

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WASLI Newsletter

28 January 2021

Sharing research

WASLI encourages interpreter associations and organisations to explore opportunities to devote attention to this topic and ways to address it. For instance, some of our regions have established closed Facebook groups where interpreters can discuss the challenges and support each other.

We are happy to share the results of two studies Interpreting international sign: mapping the interpreter’s pro le

In the side banner (above) we gladly provide other examples of what organisations have o ered or are o ering to their members, which can serve as inspiration. However, if an organised approach is not (yet) possible, getting in touch with your colleague(s) to have a “we are in this together and we will get through this together” chat might be simply enough.

Remote sign language interpreting in times of COVID-19

WASLI also needs your support During the holiday season we o ered people the suggestion to give the “gift of WASLI”. Our treasurer, Nigel, presented two possibilities • First you could turn your gift into a donation to support WASLI’s work • Secondly, you might consider gifting a WASLI membership to a national SLI association, or an organisation, who might not have the nancial means. You can pay a membership in their name and they will become a WASLI member The holidays are now behind us, but maybe there are other reasons to present your loved ones or colleagues with a gift. You can give the gift of WASLI all year round! We look forward to welcoming more members and growing our global community in order to be able to support of all you. You can make a donation through our PayPal Donation button: wasli.org/donation Or donate via bank transfer Membership fees can be found:

WASLI Bank HSB Country United Kingdo IBAN GB80MIDL 401409 1139 560 Sort code 40-14-0 Account number 1139560

wasli.org/membership/individual-member wasli.org/membership/national-membership wasli.org/membership/organisation-member

or get in touch with membership.wasli@gmail.com

Thank you

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