Re: [NIDG] Digest for NIDG@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 2 topics
Lianne Moccia
- Succession planning as a community interpreter - 1 Update
- Succession planning as a community interpreter - 1 Update
Brace Aaron <aaronb...@gmail.com>: May 10 02:46PM -0700
Thanks all who have responded, keep ‘em coming!
You’ve expanded my thinking beyond what I originally had in mind, which was getting newer interpreters into the small pool of people who work in a particular setting, which is on my mind as I contemplate what some form of semi-retirement might look like. Clearly, we have to increase the number and commitment of up-and-coming interpreters for that to happen.
Cheers,
Aaron
Richard Laurion <rlau...@gmail.com>: May 10 11:32AM -0500
Aaron,
Thank you! This is an important and timely question. As with you and
Lianne, this is also an issue to which my colleagues and I have been giving
a lot of attention.
You might be interested to know, in 2021 our state RID chapter conducted a
comprehensive census
<https://www.mrid.org/resources/Documents/Reports/2021%20MRID%20Interpreter%20Census%20Results-%20Version%2008.20.2022.pdf>
of
our membership. We received 590 validated responses, about an 80% response
rate. Included in the results was the fact that nearly 33% of
respondents planned to leave interpreting or dramatically reduce their work
through retirement or job changes,
Even before the census data was identified a group of us had been adding
transition planning and active mentoring to our work. A couple agencies in
our area (KIS <https://kisasl.com/services/training-workshops/win-program/>,
ASLIS <https://www.aslis.com/metro/#springboard>) had set aside funds and
created and launched programs supporting novice interpreters' development
and work. In addition, these same agencies have provided ongoing financial
support for mentors across our state and beyond.
The Census findings have spurred on additional actions from our state. The MN
Commission <https://mn.gov/deaf-commission/> launched the, Interpreting
Forward 2030
<https://mn.gov/deaf-commission/advocacy-issues/communication-access/interpreting-forward/>
study.
Together with key stakeholders and guidance from Dendros Group
<https://www.dendros.com/>, the Commission is studying the issue and trying
to identify what the state might do to prepare for the potential reduction
in interpreters.
Individually I believe there is a lot we can do in addition to mentoring.
Ideas we have used include: allocating a percentage of our charitable
contributions to our state <https://mrid.org/page-18343> or national
<https://rid.org/scholarships-and-awards/> scholarships for Deaf
Interpreters or interpreters of color. Financially supporting individual
novice interpreters attending key programs or conferences; reaching out and
supporting (with time and talent) novice interpreters; supporting
interpreters from under-represented groups and living in rural areas;
working with our job sites to identify those opportunities where we can
bring novice interpreters in; looking for pro-bono work opportunities,
creating mock work and other settings that might allow or be appropriate
for mentored work (this is an area we've had surprising success and support
from the Deaf Community).
We have also explored partnerships with large public events. In Minnesota,
these include the Renaissance Festival
<https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1647672748917802>, Duluth Pride
<https://www.duluthsuperiorpride.com/>, Twin Cities Pride
<https://tcpride.org/accessibility/> and the Minnesota State Fair
<https://www.mnstatefair.org/general-info/accessibility-guide/>. All have
had varied and slow success. The latter two have incrementally taken on
more of the paid responsibility and include a mix of pay and free giveaways
of food or products. All have allowed for extraordinary mentoring
opportunities for interpreters.
To expand on these illustrations, I'll use the Fair as an example. Over
several years and with varied success, the Fair has continued to expand
their on-demand interpreting program. It allows two teams (CHI and/or CDI,
novice and student) to roam the fairgrounds and cover pre-scheduled events
or last minute needs (e.g., lost & found, 4-H competitions, vendor
demonstrations, etc.). The on-demand interpreters are add-on services and
separate from the long-standing, ADA regulated headline stage acts. The
main stage is still managed by teams of CHI and CDIs.
None of these are perfect ideas and all require active work and support
from the Deaf Community. I think the greatest success has been from
stakeholders giving us the permission to try. Nothing happens overnight and
some programs take years to fully develop.
Too often our colleagues have been quick to criticize or try to shut down
what they might see as threatening or not immediately delivering results.
Clearly with demand increasing and our traditional supply lines unable to
keep up, we need to experiment, explore and try new things or ways of
doing our work.
In addition to working with the interpreters coming through traditional
interpreter education, I believe we need to identify and work to develop
possible future interpreters. We can support and work with Deaf and novice
hearing interpreters, look for future interpreters among high school
students, CODAs, Communities of Color or from New American Deaf Communities.
My own success and growth came from the support of my Deaf friends,
colleagues and community. I will always consider myself part of this larger
community and will try to honor the support and investment in me. The ideas
above are just a sampling. I hope each of us can find ways to repay the
years of investment and support from others and help find strategies to
share our time, talent and treasures with the interpreters to come.
Again, thank you for posting this important question. I look forward to
hearing the many ideas, examples and successful strategies used by others
in their succession planning.
Respectfully,
Richard Laurion
> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/NIDG/CAA3o%2BC_ON9fC0u3L1M04Mg%3DKiW07RGKG3C%3DPjzaYdU7j5POKAw%40mail.gmail.com
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> .
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Diana MacDougall
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theres...@comcast.net
Hello all,
Following up a bit on Lianne’s post:
I am now fully retired from interpreting (as of my 80th birthday). As Lianne said – many things have changed greatly since I [we?] entered the profession many years ago. For one thing, the ‘Deaf Community has changed due to changes in educational policies and practices as well as technological advances.
But focusing on interpreting itself -- ‘freelance work’ has mostly gone by the wayside, or at least, it is no longer the primary form of practice – yet ‘full-time’ work with benefits:
- medical benefits
- matched Social Security
- matched retirement plans,
- paid holidays, sick leave, vacation, and
- ‘in-service time [for advance prep, or continuing professional education])
is still not readily available. Nor do we charge enough to have good medical insurance etc..
In the early days, people spoke of ‘slash jobs’ which were jobs in which a skilled interpreter was hired in another position (e.g. administrative assistant) with part of the duties including interpreting as needed… in some cases this morphed into the Designated Interpreter position. Alternatively, some ‘coordinators of interpreting services’ still also “interpret when needed”. Of course, there are other strategies as well, but my point is that while we are figuring it out, and while recognition and respect for our work have improved, and the demand has increased greatly, attrition in our field begins significantly before retirement age.
Most people who graduate from an ITP/IEP – after taking multiple years of ASL classes, nevertheless soon choose to work in other positions. While this is often helpful for Deaf people (e.g. working as an attorney who is fluent in ASL) – it does not solve the issue of ‘not enough skilled interpreters’.
Many of us (including me) consider ourselves professionals, who are torn between the moral imperative to provide communication access, and the business imperative to earn an equitable income. The 1960s saw a surge of interest in the social welfare part of life, Civil Rights, the Women’s Movement, discovery of ASL and so on, but as this faded, and in the interest in profit (not a dirty word) often spurred by work in business or computer science – the ‘helping professions’ e.g. teaching, nursing -- and even their institutions of public schools and hospitals, find themselves sliding backwards in terms of financial sustainability, leading to burnout of the professionals, cuts in services and hospital closures due to “chronically low Medicaid reimbursement, high inflation and labor shortages” ( from the Seattle Times, July 21, 2022) https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/wa-hospitals-facing-unsustainable-financial-losses-in-danger-of-cutting-services/
The pandemic and now the aging out of those who entered the interpreting profession in the ‘golden years’ are bringing all this to a head. What to do about it? At least we must think and talk about it, then hopefully come up with collective approaches that go beyond recruiting and educating young interpreters. This structural aspect too must be a part of our succession planning.
Theresa
Theresa B. Smith, Ph.D., MCSC, SC:L
From:
ni...@googlegroups.com <ni...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Diana MacDougall <bigdma...@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024 at 10:51 AM
To: ni...@googlegroups.com <ni...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [NIDG] Digest for NI...@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 2 topics
This is been an interesting thread to follow and contemplate.
I will be retiring in December. Lots to consider for my program. I've created a 3-semester plan, so to speak. This past fall I announced my retirement. That was when I worked with the current faculty to collaborate on who would become the lead person to oversee/run the ASL/Interpreting program. One was agreed upon by the faculty. She has been shadowing me and co-teaching with me since.
This semester we interviewed for adjunct faculty positions, while present faculty learn the ins-and -outs of our community-based activities.
This coming fall we will do in-service trainings for new adjunct hires to be ready to take over my classes starting spring 2025. Our hope is that we interview for full time faculty in the fall, too.
Our greater Deaf/ASL community members are all aware of this transition. We have asked them to continue the partnerships we have forged throughout these past 29+ years without students.
I am hopeful the younger generation of community members will continue to raise future interpreters in our area.
Anyway, that's my process so far. I hope and pray for this transition. They will take what has been formed and change it to the current needs and trends. Whatever it becomes, however it morphs, I'm excited
for "their turn" as ASL and Interpreter Educators.
Diana MacDougall, MA, CI & CT, RID Certified Interpreter
PPA Certified, Professional Photographers of America
Fine Art and Sailboat Racing Photographer
951-452-8204 (cell/txt)
On Sun, May 12, 2024 at 3:58 AM Lianne Moccia <lianne...@gmail.com> wrote:
This discussion is sparking many thoughts. Thank you colleagues.
As I age, so too do the Deaf people who trusted me, encouraged me, steered me into this direction or that. Services, housing, options for older and aging Deaf people----all are scarce or non-existent in the rural areas where I have worked these last decades. How can I (we) partner with efforts in our regions to advocate for those services? As a young interpreter routine screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies were "interesting" but not part of my life experience. Certainly all that has changed. How can those of us who are old(er) bring that perspective to our younger colleagues?
Another thought: how do we support each other as aging practitioners, especially when physical or cognitive limitations arise? These are challenging questions in our society and in our field.
Lianne
On Sat, May 11, 2024 at 7:47 AM <NI...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
.
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Rayne Depukat (Coleman)
ASL/English Interpreter
Greater Providence Area
Nationally Certified
Rhode Island Licensed
MA Contracted
(603) 305-4187 voice/text
*I am usually mobile, please excuse any typos*
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Nicole Montagna
Dwight Godwin
I agree with you that we should have a way to support each other as we grow older.
One thing I would like to see is RID offering a Retired Certification that allows one to maintain their right to work. I had a colleague who dropped his RID Membership when he found out that the current Retired Certification just means you pay dues, but can not work.
I find that ridiculous. One would think that after 30, 40, 50 years in the field RID would offer a way to remain certified without CEU requirements at a deeply discounted rate. After all, those of us who have that much time in have given so much to the profession, it would seem like RID would be willing to give back to us.
I know there is a small Senior Citizen discount for Certified members, but RID needs to do more to make us want to continue our relationship with them.
Just my $0.02 cents
Dwight D. Godwin, NIC
