Introduction

NICEM aims to identify and respond to the needs of minority ethnic communities. One of the needs which has been identified is the provision of a high quality and standard of interpreting services for ethnic minorities in many areas including access to public services. One of the ways to ensure good quality provision and promote a high standard of interpreting in Northern Ireland is by offering accredited training.

NICEM seeks to ensure that those individuals and community organisations providing community-interpreting services have the appropriate skills and knowledge to provide a high quality effective services to the ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland.

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Basic Training for Interpreters OCN Level 3

The current programme of Community Interpreter is a first step in a series of interpreting training courses NICEM hopes to offer. The further training courses will focus on specific areas of training such as interpreting within the health service, policing, courts services and immigration. This introductory course will be a pre-requisite for the further training courses.

NICEM offers this course in partnership with Making Training Work, a training and consultancy organisation based in London specialising in language and basic skills. Making Training Work designs and delivers a range of courses which enable those disadvantaged within the labour market to develop their skills and secure qualifications and employment. The trainers work with smaller groups and trainees receive a high level of personal tutorial support in their learning.

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Course details

This course is for bilingual people interested in working as community interpreters and those who are already working as community interpreters within an ethnic minority community organisation.

Participants will gain knowledge and skills to support their interpreting activity;
knowledge of public services, especially those working with asylum seekers.

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Entry Criteria

To access this programme you will need to demonstrate that you have

good communication skills, spoken and written, both in English and your other language
some experience of working in a paid or voluntary capacity as an community interpreter
a good understanding of the needs of the communities you would be working with
sufficient time to commit to this course of study

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Accreditation

To achieve accreditation, you must attend for a minimum of 80% of the course.

You can achieve up to 3 Open College Credits at levels 2 or 3. You will need to complete a number of written and practical assignments.

There are currently no fees to be paid for participation in the course however those accepted onto the course will be required to pay a £20 registration cost which will be refunded subject to completing the required attendance.

If you are interested in undertaking this training contact Gabrielle Doherty at NICEM. We hope to offer a new round in Spring/Summer 2002.

Forms can be downloaded from this site and e-mailed to NICEM, sent by post or faxed. We will keep your application on record until the next round of training becomes available. (is this possible?)

The course will be held in the NICEM offices in Belfast.

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NICEM Register of Interpreters

Due to a continuing demand for interpreters in a variety of languages particular for individuals from the Asylum Seeker and Refugee communities, NICEM has developed a small register of interpreters, which public authorities can access if they have been unable to get interpreting services through the existing channels available from the ethnic minority community organisations (please see NICEM's members list). This limited service is available by contacting NICEM.

This register included individuals who have undertaken the training offered by NICEM for community interpreters and many are experienced interpreters who have been working within their communities for many years and continue to do so. The interpreters on this register undergo continual training and some may intend to specialise in particular areas.

For further information please contact Gabrielle Doherty at NICEM.

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