Skip to 0 minutes and 15 seconds SUBJECT 1: Armed conflicts, persecution, and man-made and natural disasters are pushing large number of people to flee from their countries to seek refuge elsewhere. The arrival of people seeking refuge who speak a wide range of different languages creates the need for interpreters who are called to work in fragile environments, in conflict zones, in refugee camps, and in other areas where international humanitarian law and refugee law applies. Interpreters have also become more widely recognised as important political players, with their involvement in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan in particular, receiving widespread media attention.
Skip to 0 minutes and 57 seconds SUBJECT 2: State systems such as courts, asylum systems, and medical institutions, as well as international organisations like the United Nations and the European Union also rely heavily on interpreters. Interpreters working in the asylum system play a crucial role, one that often exceeds their usual job description. They may be pressured to assume responsibilities that lie outside their role. For example, by being asked to assess an asylum seeker’s credibility. The growing prevalence of interpreting in all the means of private and public life has also heightened the need for a better understanding of their social relevance.
Skip to 1 minute and 34 seconds Due to the huge demand for interpreters speaking refugee languages, the service of the humanitarian interpreter in many refugee receiving countries is delivered by refugees and migrants without adequate training. The growing professional community of humanitarian interpreters are in need of adequate support.
Skip to 1 minute and 53 seconds SUBJECT 3: Humanitarian interpreters hold a central role in addressing the needs of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe and beyond. The context of their work is in constant change and calls for an up to date training. This course promotes the concept of humanitarian interpreter and touches upon different topics such as ethics, communication, cultural awareness, and emotional reflexivity. It provides an opportunity to meet online with other interpreters and tutors to share knowledge and experiences.
Skip to 2 minutes and 27 seconds SUBJECT 4: This course provides an interactive learning opportunity for humanitarian interpreters and also their trainers to support their work with refugees and asylum seekers. We believe that the course will also be of interest to learners outside of the professional community of interpreters, for example to humanitarian workers and intercultural mediators. Students interested in interpretation and mediation who aspire to work for organisation that support refugees will also find useful information and points for reflection. The course develops over three weeks and attendance is flexible, self paced, and free of charge. As a learner, you will undertake a series of online activities supported by multimedia teaching materials such as readings, videos, and podcasts.
Skip to 3 minutes and 19 seconds You will be given the opportunity to discuss the course’s topics with fellow learners and also with us, the tutors. We look forward to meeting you online.
