Providing accurate representation, equal access and cultural understanding between members of ethnic communities and statutory and voluntary organisations, community interpreting is a vital tool to assist in overcoming language and cultural issues for ethnic minority families and individuals when communicating with community groups such as:

  Police forces

  Hospitals and doctors' surgeries

  Crown and Magistrates courts

  Local councils and public organisations.

  Why a trained interpreter?

Services have a duty, often statutory, to communicate effectively with service-users.

Communications which rely on interpreting by family members or friends may not be accurate, reliable or unbiased. Clients may also be less willing to reveal confidential or sensitive information in these circumstances.

By contract, professionally-trained and qualified community interpreters are impartial, linguistically accurate and can be relied on to observe strict confidentiality at all times.

  Additional benefits of using a community interpreter

In addition to providing linguistic accuracy, a community interpreter will have the knowledge to explain potential cultural misunderstandings.