Court Interpreter Shadowing Program – An up-date by Jola Bronstein

Posted on April 9th, 2012 by gabriela

The Court Interpreter Shadowing Program is in his second month and we are happy to provide inside information by Jola Bronstein, one of the two participating court interpreters from DVTA:

“The Court Interpreter Shadowing Program had its second meeting yesterday. Aside from shadowing Javier Aguilar, a consummate professional, he gave our group (Eassa Faheem, two other interpreters and me, Jola Bronstein) a tour of the Family Court that left me with a feeling of being lost. I had no idea how many different types of cases are handled there that have own “territory” within the building. During our first meeting we were shadowing Letitia Nixon, also a consummate professional, who showed us the Criminal Justice Center. Another feeling of wonderment at the sheer number of places and people who work there, who appear there.

Around noon, we had a lunch-meeting at the library whose theme was The Code of Ethics. Gabriela Jenicek’s presentation and the handout were excellent, Judge Chen’s questions were spot on and forced us, the interpreters, to think. Ethics in our profession cannot be emphasized enough as it is so easy to let the guard down, to lose some impartiality. After all, in the maze of different cultures, we find ourselves with one of our “own”. In many cases, our “own” look at us as a friendly “bridge” to the American culture. It is quite a challenge to not overstep our role and to remain neutral.

As an experienced interpreter, I find this program to be invaluable and cannot express well enough my appreciation to Judge Chen, Gabriela Jenicek, Janet Fasy, Roseann DiPrimio, Letitia Nixon and Javier Aguilar for allowing me to participate. The program allows both sides to see challenges while performing to the best of our ability within our respective professions.”

Haitian Creole Classes by DLCMCDC Linguistic Ministries

Posted on March 23rd, 2012 by gabriela

(Information provided by DLCMCDC)

ONE MORE STEP OF PROGRESS FOR HAITI

YON TI PROGRÈ ANPLIS POU AYITI

HAITIAN CREOLE – KREYÒL AYISYEN

Bishop Dr. Daniel Laurent, a twenty years professional linguist without borders, Haitian native, Haitian Creole and French Teacher, member of ATA, American Translators Association; DVTA, Delaware Valley Translators Association; NLSC, National Language Service Corps and more, is always happy to teach Haitian Creole. Dr Daniel Laurent stated, “By this initiative, more people will be able to communicate with the Haitian Diaspora or work in a volunteer capacity in Haiti, or visit Haiti for a genuine tropical fun.”

We offer 10 basic systematic classes which will debut Monday, February 27, 2012 to finish Monday, April 30, 2012; Monday only, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Registration is free, but a minimum donation of $10.00 per class is required, which will be received at the beginning of each class. This proceed will support DLCMCDC Linguistic and Outreach Ministries.

To register please contact drdaniel99@gmail.com, o. 484-461-6304, c. 267-679-2028, www.dlcm.net

Children 13 and up are also welcomed, but must be registered by parents. Missionaries and visitors with Haitian interests, this is the time to learn Haitian Creole. I love Haitian Creole!!

Volunteers are also welcomed.

Court Interpreter Shadowing Program

Posted on February 17th, 2012 by gabriela

The DVTA is honored to announce that it was asked by Judge Chen and the First Judicial District to be part of the Court Interpreter Shadowing Program, the first of its kind in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

After a comprehensive selection process of interpreters of languages the FJD is in need of, the DVTA named two DVTA members to participate in this program: Jola Bronstein (Polish) and Eassa Faheem (Arabic). We thank all other interpreters who submitted their applications! The decision was not easy due to the high level of excellence, skills, and professionalism of our members in general.

The Court Interpreter Shadowing Program is an eight-month program in which the chosen interpreters shadow the FJD’s staff interpreters once per month and rotate throughout the Criminal Court, Family Court, Municipal Court and other courts, while attending seminars regarding topics related to court interpreting. This program shall support interpreters in their effort to become court certified. The Widener Legal Institute and the FJD’s vendors were also asked to name each two interpreters.

The program is an exciting opportunity for candidates to receive first-hand information from the court and to be able to interact with experienced court staff interpreters directly. The speakers for the monthly seminars have been thoroughly selected by Judge Chen and her team. Gabriela Jenicek has been assigned as the representative of DVTA for the program due to her background in interpreter training and her previous involvement at the court as independent trainer, specialized in Code of Ethics. The program kicks off the first week of March and the DVTA is happy to keep our members informed about the progress throughout the length of this historic program.

DVTA Patent Seminar and Social Networking Event, by Carlota Dalziel

Posted on November 25th, 2011 by gabriela

Greetings!

The November 12 DVTA seminar and annual meeting held at the Best Western Hotel in Philadelphia was both sucessful and well attended. The morning was informative presentation on the subject of patents, and the afternoon got fired up on the subject of health! Stephanie Cash gave us an excellent hour-long presentation on ” Subversive Activities for Linguists: A different approach to exercise” that really got us thinking -and worrying- about our sedentary life as translators, sitting at our computers all day, or as interpreters, crashing at the end of a long day, with any form of exercise as the last thing on our minds. Stephanie challenged us: “How about another approach? What matters most of all: getting up off of your big fat chair!” (Mea culpa!!) Stephanie encouraged us to become more health conscious, while at the same time having fun! A variety of different activities were suggested. These included walking, old-fashioned calisthenics, running, swimming, different forms of dancing (including ballet for adults: never too late!), to name a few. Stephanie also included information on websites to check on availability of these activities in our area.There is a five page not-to-be-missed hand-out on the subject of how to achieve and keep vitality! Anne was our superb model for some of the recommended exercises, standing on a chair -most gracefully, I must say- in order to ensure visibility to our captive and enthralled audience, who joined in the fun as willing participants in the demonstration.

Anne Connor called the business meeting to order at 2.15 pm. All present were able to admire the DVTA’s eye-catching new website on the screen. A couple of our most recent activities were commented on such as our attendance at the Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Fairness meeting at the Bar Association in Philadelphia on September 15. Board members Anne Connor, Carlota Dalziel, Gabriela Jenicek, Maria Weir and Tony Guerra were present, as well as DVTA member Suzana Volquarts. One very interesting endeavor on the part of this commission is the formation of an Interpreter Services Committee that plans to expand interpreter services by improving the availability of interpreter and translation services in the Commonwealth’s courts and administrative agencies. The committee is also considering ways to assist the AOPC in training judicial personnel on Act 172 interpreter-services regulations passed in 2010. Anne also informed the audience of the board meeting held via Skype on September 26. Gabriela Jenicek was appointed to replace Caudia Krusch on the board. Tony Guerra agreed to replace Anne Connor as President after the meeting and Anne agreed to replace Tony as DVTA secretary. Our first Skype Board Meeting proved to be a very practical tool. Next, we had the reports by committee members, after which Anne invited the attendees to make suggestions that might lead to expanding the DVTA’s area of influence. Arnold Winter suggested putting together a panel of 4/5 people to come up with a “canned” presentation or script, similar to ATA’s Client Outreach Program, that could be offered to people who put on programs in the area, such as the Philadelphia Bar Institute, Local Chamber of Commerce, International Chamber of Commerce and others. Another member suggested advertising in business publications. Linda Pollack-Johnson suggested reaching out to a Doula organization since they often need medical interpreters.

The ATA Save-the-Date flyer on the mid-year conference for the interpreters and Spanish language division to be held in Orlando March 16-18, 2012, was handed out by Anne. All the attendees who had been there for the whole day left with 4 CE Points. The day also offered an excellent opportunity for networking, which I noticed was taken advantage by many. It turned out to be a very satisfactory event, with Anne at the helm of an excellent team.

Carlota Dalziel Federally Certified Spanish Court Interpreter and DVTA Board Member

Save the Date: ATA Interpreters & Spanish Language Divisions Joint Mid-Year Conference

Link

March 16 – 18, 2012 Hilton, Orlando Orlando, Florida

For more information, please go to: http://www.atanet.org/divisions/ID_SPD_conference_2011.pdf

ATA follow up: LSA presents, supports and sponsors

Posted on November 7th, 2011 by gabriela

The 52^nd ATA Conference took place in Boston last week and provided an opportunity for stakeholders in the industry to connect, exchange ideas and learn about the latest developments in our field. Language Services Associates (LSA) sponsored the Speed Networking session which was attended by approximately 500 novice and seasoned linguists hoping to make inroads or expand their connections with contacts from around the world.

Along with sponsoring the Speed Networking event, LSA also presented as a part of the general session. LSA’s Maureen Garelick, Vendor Relations Manager in the Translation and Localization Division, presented “An Inside Look: What Agencies Really Want from Translators.” The presentation had high attendance from new and established translators.

The goal of the presentation was to review how freelance translators can find, develop and maintain mutually satisfactory relationships with language service agencies. Freelancers have ideas about what agencies want, but not all of those perceptions are accurate. Maureen discussed what agencies and freelancers expect from each other and how freelancers can effectively position and market themselves to an agency. Maureen also addressed some of the myths about agency motives, how agencies approach recruiting according to subject matter and project types and setting and negotiating rates.

Many of LSA’s linguists attended the presentation and enjoyed the many opportunities for interaction and fellowship with colleagues such as members from our local chapter, the DVTA. LSA was particularly pleased with the selection of Holly Mikkelson as the recipient of the Alexander Gode Award for her valuable services to the industry and with the election of their colleague and friend Tony Guerra as the Administrator for the Medical Division. We look forward to next year’s event to take place in San Diego.

ATA follow up: Warming up to HVAC, presented by Stephanie Delozier Strobel

Posted on November 4th, 2011 by gabriela

As Anne Connor mentioned in her article about the ATA, there were several of DVTA members who presented successfully at the conference. We are proud of our members who show professionalism and dedication to their field!

One of those presenters was Stephanie Delozier Strobel, Technical Translator, French to English and DVTA board member who held a conference session entitled Warming up to HVAC. During the session Stephanie explained the workings of an air conditioner, and a geothermal heat pump. She provided a virtual tour of a business in the Delaware Valley which has a large geothermal heat pump system. Butter Valley Harvest is a hydroponic farm growing pesticide-free produce. They cooperated with Stephanie by providing information and photos for her session.The session also included examples and explanation of design criteria used in HVAC (Heating ventilating and Air-conditioning ) design.

We are looking forward to more contributions to our ATA follow up series!

DVTA connects with Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs

Posted on October 19th, 2011 by gabriela

On September 15^th, 2011, an initial meeting between the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs represented by Dr. Darlene Thompson and members of the DVTA Board took place at the Quarterly Meeting of the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness. Mrs. Darlene Thompson informed the audience during the Interbranch Meeting about the difficulties the African and Caribbean population faces, such as limited access to services available to them in the City of Philadelphia and in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, their fear of the judicial system and the law enforcement and also the difficult outreach to this community which consists of members from over 35 countries where different languages and dialects are being spoken.

The DVTA Board Members Antonio Guerra and Gabriela Jenicek were invited to the Commission Meeting on October 12^th, 2011, together with Osvaldo Aviles, the Interpreter Program Administrator from the Administrative Office of the PA Courts to present their ideas and suggestions in regards to the outlined problems.

Mr. Guerra as representative of DVTA, Mrs. Jenicek as independent interpreter trainer, and Mr. Aviles as the AOPC Interpreter Program Administrator recognized that the court certification program, the services DVTA offers and supportive interpreter training are services which might be beneficial to the Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs to support them in their efforts in these communities. The three language service professionals recommended identifying the most frequent languages and then to search within those target communities for qualified professionals who would be interested in the AOPC interpreter certification program and taking on the rewarding profession of a judiciary interpreter. Even though not the entire range of presented problems of the Mayor’s Commission can be solved through this approach, qualified and well trained interpreters for those communities and languages could serve as a great asset to improve the situation of many individuals with limited English proficiency in the court system. The AOPC certification program has a high standard and additional supportive training for those potential judiciary interpreters will be necessary and could be offered through the DVTA.

The suggestions and ideas presented were welcomed by the Chairman of the Commission Mr. Stanley Straughter. The DVTA is looking forward to a productive future cooperation with the Mayor’s Commission and its members.

Information from the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness on Interpreter Services

Posted on October 19th, 2011 by gabriela

Several DVTA Board members including Anne Connor, Maria Weir, Carlota Dalziel, Antonio Guerra and Gabriela Jenicek represented the association during the Quarterly Meeting of the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness and were able to introduce the DVTA and to establish valuable connections. During this meeting, the annual report for the years 2010 and 2011 was presented which included the achievements and plans of the Interpreter Services Committee which are interesting facts for our profession.

From the Annual Report 2010-2011 of The Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness – Interpreter Services Committee:

Expanding Interpreter Services

The basic fairness of the Pennsylvania court system is jeopardized if litigants with limited English proficiency do not have access to competent interpreters and other language assistance.

The Commission continues its work to improve the availability of interpreter and translation services in the Commonwealth’s courts and administrative agencies. Among last year’s initiatives, the Commission co-sponsored training for Haitian Creole interpreters with Widener University’s Legal Education Institute and the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. In September of this year, the Commission supported a similar program for interpreters working in the Vietnamese language. Both followed the 2010 training for professionals interested in becoming certified in the Pennsylvania courts.

Also during 2010, the Interpreter Services Committee arranged for the translation of key court documents in five languages, including Vietnamese, Kmer, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese. The documents are now available on the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) website for easy access by judicial districts [great resource for court interpreters!].

Next up? The committee is considering ways to assist the AOPC in training judicial district personnel on Act 172 interpreter-services regulations passed in 2010.

Members are also working with the Philadelphia Bar Association to assist its Language Access Task Force and are planning ongoing training for attorneys on effective use of interpreter services during litigation. The 2011 session will follow up on initial workshop for members of the Bar Association’s Family Law Section, The Philadelphia Story: The Language of Justice in Family Court.”

For more information on the Pennsylvania Interbranch Commission for Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Fairness, please go to: www.pa-interbranchcommission.com

We are on the rise! 22 % Estimated Growth for Translator and Interpreter Profession!

Posted on September 29th, 2011 by gabriela

Dear Interpreters and Translators,

If you are one of those who asked themselves recently if your profession is financially really rewarding or if you should rather change trades, there are good news! The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that “employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 22 percent over the 2008–18 decade, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.” International political and economic relations and the continued immigration support the need for our profession across all fields.

Traditional languages such as Portuguese, French, Italian, German and Spanish will be still high in demand, but on the rise are now Arabic, Middle Eastern and East Asian languages such as Chinese, Korean and Japanese.

It is an exciting time right now for us as professionals. So, for those who are maybe weary, check out following links:

Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos175.htm#outlook

Recent article from 09/18/2011 in the Las Vegas Review Journal: http://www.lvrj.com/employment/translator-interpreter-becomes-top-profession-for-2012-130062423.html