the linguist's story
Every month, we get to know a bit more about one of our linguists. This month, meet Shafiqa Shairshah, an interpreter working in Dari and Farsi.
Tell us about the work you do for TLS.
I have been working at TLS since 2016 as a community interpreter in education and health care, particularly on mental health and child/adult services. I mainly do telephone interpreting appointments and occasionally face to face. The majority of clients I interpret for struggle with mental health and housing issues as they are new to the country, fleeing from conflict in Afghanistan/Iran.
What has been your favourite project at TLS?
My favourite project has been dealing with mental health appointments and being available on demand when need be. It brings me a lot of joy knowing that I have helped refugees feel seen and heard during their appointments and therapy sessions.
What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge was interpreting for trauma therapy as the patients go in detail about explicit and troubling times during the Afghan war - it's unimaginable what some people go through, including in my own home country of Afghanistan, and then they are trying to make a living in a completely foreign country. But it is a necessity to survive.
Can you tell us about a time your work has made a difference to someone’s life?
There have been countless times when our patients have felt very appreciative of the interpreting and getting their thoughts and feelings across clearly. One of the patients I was interpreting for in their talking therapy has said that my interpreting has made a big difference to how they felt more seen and heard. Another patient I was interpreting for was in desperate need of housing aid, as they were going to be evicted and homeless in less than two weeks, but by the end of the appointment we managed to find some help for this issue and the client was beyond grateful. They mentioned that if they were to have ended up homeless that they would have gone into severe depression and thankfully we were able to get them out of that position.
Tell us something interesting about you.
I am interested in gardening and looking after different types of flowers. My husband and I are immensely fond of taking care of our indoor and outdoor plants and flowers in our back garden and I do take a lot of pride in how beautiful we make it. My favourite flower would be lilies and roses, although it is quite hard for me to choose out of the wide variety!
What are your ambitions for the next 12 months?
In the next 12 months I would like to travel to Turkey with my family and keep doing what I’m doing as an interpreter for TLS. I would also like to focus more on my healthy living and lifestyle as I find this very important, whatever age you're at!
TLS a registered supplier to the Language Services Framework
We are pleased to announce that TLS is now a registered supplier of language services to the Language Services Framework, through The North of England Procurement Collaborative. The framework was designed in 2007 by the NHS, for the NHS. This flexible framework can provide a complete solution for customers seeking language services to support delivery to service users who speak, communicate in, or read languages other than English, either individually or in groups. Customers can access all our language services through this and other frameworks. If you have any questions, please contact Samantha Oates at Samantha.oates@newham.gov.uk
your month ahead - Important upcoming dates for your calendar
Eid al-Fitr, on or around 9 April, depending on the first date of Ramadan
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan and, for many Muslims, a month-long fast during daylight hours. It is a joyous celebration, usually focused on food, especially desserts. However, with approximately 2 billion Muslims worldwide, celebrations vary from country to country.
One of the five pillars of Islam is zakat, which means giving to charity. At Eid al-Fitr, there is special charitable giving called Zakat al-Fitr. It is usually given in advance of Eid, so that those in need of it can use it to celebrate.
Wish your Muslim friends an Eid Mubarak, which means ‘blessed Eid’!
Good Friday, 29 March; Easter Sunday, 31 March; and Easter Monday, 1 April
Easter is the most important festival of the Christian calendar and commemorates Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. It lasts for the whole week from Palm Sunday, a week before Easter Day, but here we look at the three main celebrations: Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday. It commemorates Christ’s crucifixion. It is a sad day for Christians, which is honoured with a special service in church, where Christians remember Christ’s suffering, which they believe was to save us.
In some countries, there are special Good Friday processions, or re-enactments of the crucifixion.
Easter Sunday marks the occasion, two days later, when some of Christ’s disciples went to the cave where he had been buried, to find that the rock marking the entrance had been moved aside. Two men appeared and told them that Jesus had risen as he had said he would. Later, Jesus appeared to Mary and on another occasion to his followers. It was then that they believed he had been resurrected.
Easter is celebrated with symbols of new life, such as eggs, spring flowers and baby animals. It marks the end of Lent, a period of fasting and deprivation for Christians. Across the world, it is celebrated in many diverse ways, but these often focus on food.
Easter Monday itself is not an explicitly religious day, though it is marked by Christians celebrating Christ’s resurrection. It is the last day of a long weekend and the date of many traditions around the world, such as egg-rolling or parades.
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Join the Inclusive Employers Community! - Inclusive Employers, 18 April at 10:00
April’s dates at a glance
Religious and Cultural
1 – Easter Monday, Christian
6 – Laylat Al-Qadr, Islam
9 – Chaitra Navratri begins, Hindu
9 – Ugadi (New Year), Hindu
10 – Eid Al-Fitr, Islam
13 – Songkran (Thai New Year), Buddhist
13 – Vaisakhi, Hindu And Sikh
14 – Puthandu, Hindu
15 – Navpad Oli begins, Jain
17 – Rama Navami, Hindu
18 – Birthday Of Guru Angad Dev, Sikh
21 – First day of Ridvan, Baha’i
21 – Mahavir Janma Kalyanak, Jain
21 – Grounation Day, Rastafari
23 – Saint George’s Day, Christian
23 – Hanuman Jayanti, Hindu
23-30 – Passover, Judaism
24-26 – Theravada New Year, Buddhist
25 – Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Catholic Christian
27 – Lazarus Saturday, Orthodox Christian
28 – Palm Sunday, Orthodox Christian
29 – Ninth day of Ridvan, Baha’i
30 – Saint James The Great’s Day, Orthodox Christian
Awareness and Events
1 – Fools’ Day
2 – World Autism Awareness Day
6 – International Asexuality Day
7 – World Health Day
8 – International Romani Day
22 – Earth Day
22-28 – Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week
25 – World Malaria Day
26-28 – Tuc's Black Workers' Conference
26 – Lesbian Visibility Day
28 – World Day for Health and Safety at Work
in other news - stories from the language industry and beyond
UK Government press conferences will have ‘in situ’ BSL interpreting from spring 2024
A Deaf journalist named Liam O’Dell has been reporting on the UK government’s decision not to use a BSL interpreter at Coronavirus briefings back in 2020, and the subsequent campaign to introduce live interpreting at its press conferences. The campaign has achieved its goals and the government has agreed to have a live BSL interpreter from spring this year.
And finally… Welsh translation error directs drivers to 'town egg gas' - BBC News
A spelling mistake on a Welsh road sign is a reminder to us all not to cut corners and always invest in high quality linguistic support!
language fact file
Spoken in: Romania and Moldova.
Number of native speakers: 25 million.
Learn some: Greet people at any time of day with ‘bună!’ Another useful phrase in a shop or at the market is ‘cât costă?’, which means ‘how much does it cost?’.
Fast facts:
- Romanian is the only Romance language in Eastern Europe, meaning it derives from Latin. Speakers of other Romance languages can therefore pick it up relatively easily, compared to other Eastern European languages. It is also the only Romance language to retain the neuter gender of Latin (ie not masculine or feminine).
- However, as Romania is isolated from the block of Romance languages in Western Europe, it has influences from Slavic languages (20%) and others including Turkish, Hungarian and Greek (5%). This makes it a very rich and interesting language.
- Although Romanian has two main plural forms, the way you make a plural can change depending on the grammatical case you’re using, the declension of the word (ie how it changes according to its function in a sentence) or irregularities. There could be up to 30 different plural forms but the exact number is not on record!
the linguist's story
Tell us about the work you do for TLS.
I’m a Romanian interpreter working in medical and mental health bookings, and increasingly social work, housing and benefits. I also have a lot of telephone interpreting bookings from prisons, usually people who have come over without documents and are being held before deportation or a court case. Often I will be working with a charity to support these people, as they have absolutely nothing.
What's been your favourite project at TLS?
I can’t name one! I have worked as an interpreter for a long time and TLS has the most amazing team. Everyone is so helpful. People always respond to me immediately if I have questions; I feel really respected.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Working with children and families who are struggling to buy food and feed themselves. I am currently trying to start a family of my own, so it’s especially hard to see.
Can you tell us about a time your work has made a difference to someone’s life?
Not long ago I had a case with a mother and her daughter, who had muscular dystrophy. The mother had no income and no possibility of working, as she was a full-time carer. She was trying to apply for Universal Credit, which wasn’t the right benefit for her. The social worker couldn’t explain to her how to apply for different benefits. It was a very difficult situation.
I was able to communicate that she should apply for Carers Allowance. They called me again for an interpreting booking and I was so happy to hear that the mother got the benefit she needed and could look after her daughter without having to work.
Tell us something interesting about you
I like to create beautiful things from things that have been thrown away. For example, a neighbour had put out a wardrobe with the rubbish. I took it in and painted and decorated it. When it was finished, I took it back to them and asked if they wanted it back and they did – they said they had no idea it could be such a beautiful thing! They gave me some flowers as thanks.
What are your ambitions for the next 12 months?
I have started a Diploma in Public Service Interpreting and I love it. It’s encouraged me to aim higher and I want to work in the courts. I’m always trying to improve my skills and take all the courses that I can. I speak some Spanish and would also like to work on that.
Interpreting in social work settings
When a person or family is involved with social services, they are usually already facing some significant issues. Communication barriers between them and their social workers, such as lack of linguistic fluency or a hearing impairment, can mean they do not get adequate support. People who need communication support often face discrimination, which can be an additional obstacle.
It is the responsibility of the social worker to ensure that their clients receive access to the services they are entitled to; this is where interpreters become a crucial part of the relationship.
In the past, it has been common for informal interpreters, ie friends and family, to step in to bridge the gap. This may seem like a good approach: clients may trust family or friends more than they do external support, and these informal interpreters can be easier to access at short notice. However, research into their use (Lucas, 2015; Dorner and colleagues, 2010) and Serious Case Reviews have highlighted the importance of using professionals. Informal interpreters have on occasion been found to intentionally and unintentionally obscure meaning, collude with clients and prevent opportunities for intervention and support.
At TLS we have interpreters who are skilled and experienced in working in social work settings. We will always work with you to provide the best individual for your service users and will try to accommodate requests at short notice wherever possible.
Here are some tips to help you make the best use of our professional interpreters, to ensure the best support for you and your service users.
- Familiarise yourself with the logistics of booking and using interpreters before it becomes necessary, so that you can be responsive at short notice. Are you set up on and familiar with our bookings system? Do you know how to use telephone interpreting? Do you have access to a desktop computer for video interpreting?
- Consider whether your service user needs an interpreter, even if they have not requested one. Research has found that some women in maternity settings have not requested language support for fear of feeding into negative stereotypes about minority ethnic groups (Crowther and Lau 2019).
- Be prepared for your service user to have reservations about using a professional interpreter in place of family or friends, and be clear about why using professionals is usually best practice.
- If possible, factor in time with the interpreter before the booking begins, to discuss the issues at play, any sensitivities and, if relevant, seating arrangements (the Chartered Institute of Linguists advises that the interpreter should be able to see both parties; a triangular arrangement is usually best).
- Try to avoid using jargon and explain any terminology clearly; even if you think the interpreter will know what you are talking about, it is best for the service user to have this explained in your words.
- Keep your sentences short and clear, and leave time for the interpreter to translate.
- Reflect afterwards: could anything have gone better? Can you ask your service user for feedback?
If you want to learn more, Stirlingshire University have written a report available here: https://www.iriss.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-04/insights-52_1.pdf
Talk to us if you would like to know more about how we support social work settings, either by speaking to your account manager or calling 020 3373 4000.
TLS meets Customer Service Excellence Standard
This month, we were audited on how we support our customers as part of the Customer Service Excellence quality framework.
The Customer Service Excellence Standard focuses on what matters most to customers: delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude. The audit also scores us on how we manage customer insight, understand the user's experience and measure service satisfaction.
The assessor did not just rely on what we said, but also spoke to some of our customers. For us this is the true measure of our customer service quality.. These conversations confirmed that we strive to “engage and work closely with our customers, consulting with them in a meaningful way and efficiently measuring the outcomes of the services we provide”.
The customers that were interviewed valued the services we provide and the resulting outcomes for their service users, and how we manage any problems that arise.
We are delighted to report that we continue to meet the Customer Service Excellence Standard.
Zainub Patel, Customer Relationship and Account Manager, leads on complaints and feedback. She would love to hear from you regarding the service you receive. For linguist performance, customers can leave feedback in the timesheet, give us a call, email feedback@languageshop.org to discuss ideas that you may have to improve the service or to explore efficiency/improvement led projects, please email enquiries@languageshop.org and address to Zainub.
your month ahead - important upcoming dates for your calendar
Sundown 10 March to sundown 9 April (subject to moon sighting) – Ramadan Ramadan is one of the most important times of the Islamic year. It marks the revelation of the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an, to the Prophet Mohammed. Muslims celebrate the Holy Month in a number of ways, including giving to charity (zakat), increased prayer and giving up bad habits. Ramadan is perhaps best known for the fast, which takes place during daylight hours. Most observant Muslims will refrain from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset, for the entire month (elderly, menstruating and ill people, children and those travelling are exempt). Fasting can be very tiring and it’s a good idea to keep in mind that your Muslim friends and colleagues may be feeling the strain, especially as the month goes on. How to support fasting colleagues and linguists
- TLS will be supporting our staff to work flexibly during this time and have put in place processes to ensure the team are available to respond to your needs, However, please note there will be fewer interpreters available over this period so please try to book as far in advance as possible.
- If you are booking an appointment for a service user who may be fasting, consider whether the appointment need be face to face, or whether you could use a remote video or telephone option. These can also save you time and money. If the appointment is not time-sensitive, consider whether it could take place after Ramadan is over.
- If you have fasting colleagues, bear in mind that their energy levels and productivity may be better in the morning and wane towards the end of the day. Anything intensive is best scheduled for the morning hours.
- Be considerate about booking lunch meetings or any work events that have a focus on food. Think about whether these need to take place during Ramadan.
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Promoting diversity and cultural sensitivity in social work Tickets, Wed 20 Mar 2024 at 11:00 | Eventbrite FREE WEBINAR: Driving Diversity and Inclusion: The Next 10 Years! Tickets, Thu, Feb 22, 2024 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite February’s dates at a glance Religious/cultural 1 – St David’s Day, Christian1 – Nineteen-Day Fast begins, Baha’i3 – Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Orthodox Christian8 – Maha Shivratri, Hindu9 – Saturday of Souls, Orthodox Christian10 – Meatfare Sunday, Orthodox Christian10 – Ramadan begins, Islam14 – Nanakshahi (New Year), Sikh16 – Saturday of Souls, Orthodox Christian17 – Cheesefare Sunday, Orthodox Christian17 – St Patrick’s Day, Christian18 – Great Lent begins, Orthodox Christian19 – Feast of Saint Joseph, Christian20 – Ostara, Wicca and Pagan20 – Nowruz (New Year), Persian and Zoroastrian20 – Naw-Rúz, Bahá’í23 – Saturday of Souls, Orthodox Christian24 – Purim, Judaism24 – Holika Dahan, Hindu24 – Palm Sunday, Christian24 – Feast of Orthodoxy, Orthodox Christian25 – Annunciation to the Theotokos, Orthodox Christian25 – Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Christian25-27 – Hola Mohalla, Sikh26 – Holi, Hindu26 – Khordad Sal, Zoroastrian28 – Maundy Thursday, Christian29 – Good Friday, Christian31 – Easter Sunday, Christian Awareness and events 1 – Zero Discrimination Day1 – Self-injury Awareness Day (Siad)1 – International Wheelchair Day3 – World Hearing Day6-8 – TUC's Women's Conference8 – International Women’s Day10 – Mother’s Day18-24 – Neurodiversity Celebration Week20 – Spring Equinox20 – International Day of Happiness21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination21 – World Down Syndrome Day24 – World Tuberculosis (TB) Day25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade27 Mar - 2 Apr – World Autism Acceptance Week30 – World Bipolar Day31 – International Trans Day of Visibility
in other news: stories from the language industry and beyond
Reforms to encourage more students to take up language GCSEs
The government has introduced changes to modern language GCSEs, following consultation with a panel of experts. The new GCSEs will feature more commonly used vocabulary and be structured in a way that allows students and teachers to more easily track their progress.
Banks not legally required to provide Welsh-language services The Senedd, the Welsh Parliament, recently passed a controversial rule that banks would not be obliged to offer their services in the Welsh language. This followed HSBC axing its Welsh language phone service to customers. While the major parties agreed that Welsh language services were crucial, the ruling wasn’t passed as they felt other issues should take precedence.