Building Relationships Using Interpreting Services

Published on April 22, 2021

This image shows a woman dressed in a white long sleeve t-shirt sitting in a coffee shop with coffee on the table. She appears to be showing or gesturing with her hands to someone.
 
[video:https://youtu.be/qOXK7ZH3evU]
 

Read the full video description.

Communication is key to building and sustaining relationships. Whether hearing or deaf, people must be able to understand each other before they can work together. Communicating effectively can lead to big things — new partnerships, collaboration, and deaf-led systems change.

We at NDC recognize the value of high quality access, including sign language interpreting. We also recognize that it is not as easy as it appears. There are many factors that can impede high quality access, including availability of interpreters, funding for services, technology resources, or perceptions towards deaf people.

Interpreting requires a range of knowledge and skills, lots of practice, and years of experience to be effective. Matching an interpreter to the people and the situation, in addition to input from the deaf person, is an important component to clear communication.

NDC aims to model high quality access with our talented access team who knows our community, understands our work, and is committed to our mission. But, we know not every situation has that luxury.

We have compiled a bevy of resources to help you increase knowledge and awareness of the variety of interpreting services available, standard practices in the field, and strategies for coordinating interpreting services. Our goal is to help you provide the highest quality access services possible.

We hope this information will help you build and strengthen relationships when using interpreting services.

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