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TRAFUT Workshop Lessius University College Antwerpen, Belgium 20 October 2012. The Role of the Register and Regulator. 1. National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI). Jessica Myint Thinn Executive Director NRPSI. 2. Interpreting profession in the UK.
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TRAFUT Workshop Lessius University College Antwerpen, Belgium 20 October 2012 The Role of the Register and Regulator 1
National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) Jessica Myint Thinn Executive Director NRPSI 2
Interpreting profession in the UK • Constellation professional entities which are independent but interdependent of each other • Educational Bodies • Membership Organizations • Trades Unions • Service Providers • Practitioners • Regulator 3
Examples of interpreting organizations: 4 • Association of Police and Court Interpreters (APCI) • Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) • Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI ) • Society of Official Metropolitan Interpreters (SOMI) • Society for Public Service Interpreting (SPSI) • National Union of Professional Interpreters and Translators (NUPIT) • Professional Interpreters’ Alliance (PIA)
What is the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI)? • NRPSI is the UK’s independentvoluntary regulator for the interpreting profession • Protecting the public while promoting and maintaining best practice standards is at our core 5
NRPSI and Europe • NRPSI plays a key role in fulfilling the requirements of Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) - ‘the right to be informed in a language one understands of the reasons for arrest’ and ‘the right to a fair trial, incorporating the right to have the free assistance of an interpreter’ • NRPSI supports the implementation of European Commission Directive 2010/64/EU, on ‘the Right to Interpretation and Translation in Criminal Proceedings’ –To transpose by October 2013 ? 6
NRPSI was originally set up in 1994 in response to: • The multi-lingual nature of modern Britain • Public services’ need to provide access to all irrespective of language barriers • Risks arising to public services and their clients from employing unqualified and unaccountable interpreters 7
NRPSI further changed in 2011 • NRPSI became independent from the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) in April 2011 to fulfill its role as an independent voluntary regulator • A company limited by guarantee with a board of lay and interpreter members 8
NRPSI’s role as a regulator • Protect the consumer interest, the citizen interest, and the public interest • Ensure that good standards within the profession are consistently maintained for the benefit of the public and interpreters alike • Promote the use of only registered professional interpreters • Work with other interpreting organizations to ensure continual improvement and sustainability of the interpreting profession 9
NRPSI’s responsibilities as a regulator • Prescribe or ‘recognize’ the qualifications needed to become a professional interpreter • Maintain the UK Register of interpreters • Ensure that interpreters meet our standards for conduct and practice (Registrants are subject to a Code of Professional Conduct) • Investigate complaints about an interpreter’s conduct or competence 10
Interpreters on the Register • Number of Interpreters Registered: Over 2,200 • Number of Languages: 101 • Specialities: • Law • Health • Local Government • Three levels of admission: • Full Status • Interim Status • Rare Language Category 11
Who can Join the Register? • Minimum age of 18 years • No maximum age limit but must be physically able to do the work • Eligible to work in the UK • Must meet criteria for entry • Must provide a valid security clearance • Must abide by the Code of Professional Conduct 12
Code of Professional Conduct • NRPSI issues a code of conduct for professional interpreters and keeps it under review • The code is intended as guidance for interpreters to ensure best practice in their professional lives • NRPSI can and does take action through our disciplinary procedures against those who fall short of the code’s standards • This ensures that the integrity of the profession is maintained, and employers can be confident in hiring a registered interpreter 13
Who uses the National Register? The Register is available free online and can be accessed by anyone needing language support services. Examples: • Criminal Justice • Police Authorities • Local Government • Health Services • Solicitors • Charities • Public 14
Benefits of being on the Register • Demonstrated interpreter’s commitment to professional standards • Guarantee of quality assurance to clients • Guarantee of accountability to clients • Interpreter's details are available on the online Register for potential client contact or confirmation of registration • Over 30,000 searches for interpreters a month are made on our on-line Register 15
Using a Registered Interpreter can ensure: • Confidence in receiving high standard interpreting service from a qualified professional interpreter • Assurance of accountability if the interpreter’s conduct fall below standards • Peace of mind from working with an interpreter who is professionally competent • Protection against unqualified, incompetent and unreliable interpreters • Prevention from wastage of valuable time and additional costs 16
Future of NRPSI • To better perform its existing services and develop its scope to fulfill a regulatory role • To recognize continuing professional development (CPD) programmes e.g. video conference interpreting and etc. • To ensure appropriate professional indemnity insurance (PII) is in place • To monitor whole profession including activities of service providers • To collaborate and work with partner organizations • To share knowledge and lessons learnt e.g. harmonization and interlinking of standards 17
We are stronger together! • Only with the support and collaboration of our colleagues, can we work to establish and maintain sustainable development of the interpreting profession. • Interpreters • Clients of interpreting and language support services • Public services (police, courts, health services, local authorities & etc.) • National interpreting organizations • European and international interpreting organizations • Government (s) 18
Thank you National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) Further information: • Website: www.nrpsi.co.uk • Email: admin@nrpsi.co.uk • Tel: +44 (0) 20 7940 3166 Jessica Myint Thinn jessica@nrpsi.co.uk 19