Interpreters
The Federal government outlines in numerous documents options for interpreters – bilingual staff, contract interpreters, and telephone interpreter lines – and underscores that these interpreters must “be trained and must demonstrate competence as interpreters.” Federal guidelines also suggest community volunteers as an option and stress that they should be “competent as interpreters and understand their obligation to maintain client confidentiality.” To consult Federal guidelines on interpreters, visit Immigration Rights.
Below is a list of local resources. To add a resource, contact cj.cville@gmail.com
NON-PROFIT RESOURCES
International Rescue Committee Interpreter Service
Contact: Eugeniya Haas, Interpreter Services Program Manager
Email: Eugeniya.Haas@Rescue.org
Telephone: (434) 979-7772, x 112
Address: 609 East Market Street Suite 104, Charlottesville 22902
www.Rescue.org/cvilleinterpreters
Community Health Interpreter Service (CHIS)
Contact: Susannah Lepley
Telephone: (540) 568-3383
Email: lepleysm@jmu.edu
Description: Information about this service providing Arabic, Kurdish, Russian, Spanish, Farsi, Korean and Ukranian interpreters to Harrisonburg, Winchester, Rockingham and Charlottesville, can be found at: http://www.brahec.jmu.edu/interpreterservices.html
English for Speakers of Other Languages (or ESOL)
Email: esol@wlu.edu, mayocke@wlu.edu, dresdeng@wlu.edu
Telephone: (540) 460-6606
Webpage: http://esol.wlu.edu
Description: This Washington & Lee University project serves Latinos in Lexington, Virginia, and sometimes elsewhere, including Charlottesville. It operates a Hotline offering a free, 24-hour translation service for Latinos who need help facilitating communication with English speakers in medical facilities, schools, and businesses. To listen to a 2009 NPR report about the service, visit http://www.wlu.edu/x32151.xml
INTERPRETER TRAININGS
International Rescue Committee
Description: IRC trainings are for persons who want to be IRC interpreters.
Contact: Eugeniya Haas, Interpreter Services Program Manager
Email: Eugeniya.Haas@Rescue.org
Telephone: (434) 979-7772, x 112
Address: 609 East Market Street Suite 104, Charlottesville 22902
www.Rescue.org/cvilleinterpreters
Blue Ridge AHEC Interpreter Trainings (at JMU)
Description: the Blue Ridge Area Health Education Center at James Madison University provides a 20-Hour Introduction to Community Interpreting Training for persons who wish to be trained to interpret in community settings such as in schools and social service agencies. A separate, specialized 20-hour course has been developed to train volunteer UVA student interpreters at UVA Medical Center. There is also a 40-Hour Health Care Interpreter Training, “Bridging the Gap”. These trainings are held in Charlottesville, Harrisonburg and Winchester, on a rotating basis throughout the year. Those who are interested in taking the trainings must apply two to six months ahead of time and take a language proficiency test to qualify. Click here for a brochure about the “Bridging the Gap” and “Introduction to Community Interpreter” trainings. Both training certificate programs require a proficiency exam ($50); The Community Interpreting Certificate training component costs $170; the Medical Interpreting Certificate training cost is $320.
Contact: 540/568-3011(T) 540/568-3172 (Fax) or interpreter@jmu.edu
Virginia Medical Interpreter Training
This is a program for bilingual individuals who are eligible to work, who have taken and successfully passed the course prerequisite language proficiency test from an authorized Virginia course provider, and upon course completion, who are willing to commit 40 hours of community service and to respond to help in case of a public health emergency. The cost of training is covered by a related grants program. To find out about the courses, the grant program, and to view a directory of course providers, visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/healthpolicy/healthequity/medical-interpreter-training.htm
Court Interpreter Training
The demand for court interpreters has increased in Virginia and the Supreme Court began offering certification training in several localities in fall 2009. To inquire about future trainings, contact the Supreme Court’s interpreter coordinator, Charlene Lamb at (804) 371-9241. The process for becoming a certified Virginia Court interpreter is described at http://www.courts.state.va.us/courtadmin/aoc/djs/programs/interpreters
TRANSLATION SERVICES
Mildred Schoenfeld-Hoy
Description: Mildred, a Guatemalan native, is well known as one of the area’s few self-employed Spanish-language interpreters. She has interpreted for many Latinos in the Charlottesville General District Court, Albemarle County General District Court, Augusta, Waynesboro and Staunton General District Court and Circuit Courts as well as in hospitals in Charlottesville, and Augusta Health. Her services include in-person and over the phone interpretation as well as translations (written documents) like birth and marriage certificates etc. She also helps fill out applications and immigration forms. She has a Bachelors degree in Translation and Interpretation from Brigham Young University and has 20 years of experience.
Email: mmhoyfamily@aol.com
Telephone: (540) 256-2581
Martha Trujillo
Description: Martha, originally from Mexico, has translated numerous documents from flyers and important letters to lengthy reports.
Telephone: (434) 972-1703
Charlottesville Spanish Services
Description: Spanish language service for adults and children, delivering Spanish classes, translations, and bilingual training
Contact: Linette Molina
Telephone: (434) 962-4930, info@charlottesvillespanishservices.com or http://www.charlottesvillespanishservices.com
FORWARD/Adelante Spanish/English Translations
Description: Translations (English to Spanish or vice versa) of advertisements and marketing materials, legal documents, and of real estate provisions and laws. $15 per 200 characters (does not include spaces and does not apply to Market Place ads). Documents that are 5 pages in length or more will be priced separately.
Contact: Olga Morse
Telephone: (434) 960-4037 or info@forwardvirginia.com
Web: www.forwardvirginia.com
Spanish in Virginia
Description: Offers English to Spanish translation services for documents, letters, brochures, newspaper articles, fliers, user’s guides, websites, etc. Also proofreads all kind of documents written in Spanish: books, letters, signs, banners, documents, essays, brochures,etc
Contact: Antonio Diaz
Telephone: (434) 960-5185
Web: http://www.spanishinvirginia.com
English for Success/Inglés para el éxito
Description: English/Spanish Translation Services, from letters to policy handbooks
Contact: Hazael Garay
Telephone: (434) 989-2508