Interpreting in Tribunals

• Programme
• Kings House Map and Directions

Kings House Conference Centre, Sidney Street, Manchester, M1 7HB

Thurs 26th 10.30am – 4.30pm
Fri 27th 9.30am – 4.30pm
Sat 28th 9.30am – 3.30pm
November 2009

A three-day training course for Registered, Qualified BSL/English Interpreters (and those about to qualify), Language Service Professionals and appropriately experienced relay/Deaf interpreters.

Trainers and facilitators include:

Steve Powell

Frank Essery

Joanne Harrison

Mike Unsworth

This training course will equip qualified BSL/English Interpreters (and those about to qualify), Language Service Professionals and experienced relay/Deaf interpreters with the skills necessary to work in Tribunals. The course will cover working within the English legal framework but should also have relevance to those working in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The primary focus of the training will be the Mental Health Tribunal. There will also be sessions on the specific issues related to interpreting in Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Tribunals, Employment Tribunals, Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals (SENDIST) and Asylum and Immigration Tribunals (AIT).

Day One, led by Steve Powell and Frank Essery, will look at what a Mental Health Tribunal does and how it operates covering; Whose involved and their respective roles; The statutory legal questions explaining the reasons for detention; Burden of Proof; Type of Sections; How evidence is taken and what that evidence is; Risks; How decisions are made; What are the options open to patients; The use of community treatment orders; Different types of mental Illness and treatments. For day One only we will be joined by a cohort of deaf Independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) trainees and it will be a unique opportunity to explore how the two roles of Interpreter and Advocate interplay with each other.

Day Two, led by Mike Unsworth, will start by looking at the dynamics of the Mental Health Tribunal from an Interpreter perspective covering; seating plans, who is who, possible contributors, who represents who, who is the interpreter interpreting for, who owns the interpreters for that day i.e. tribunal booked or booked directly for solicitor, deaf staff, etc. The second part of the day will focus on the challenges for the Interpreter such as jargon busting and will include an interactive demonstration. Throughout the day the dilemmas and tensions, the linguistic issues and the involvement of the Interpreter will be addressed.

Day Three, led by Mike Unsworth supported by external contributors, will focus on the specific issues related to interpreting in Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Tribunals, Employment Tribunals, Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals (SENDIST) and Asylum and Immigration Tribunals (AIT).