Going Pro!

GoingPro is back!

Our previously sold out, incredibly successful and well-received event for students and early career interpreters

Plenary sessions

Welcome from Dr Christopher Stone, Reader at University of Wolverhampton and current WASLI president 

IOCN presentation : Nikki Harris (IOCN elected board member, RSLI)

Our organisation exists to address the underrepresentation of ‘people of colour’ in the sign language interpreting and translation profession, and to offer a safe, nurturing and supportive environment for our colleagues of colour.

DIN (Deaf Interpreters Network) : Robert Adam

Deaf Interpreters Network is a network of interpreters and translators who are deaf and are ASLI members or supporters.

Robert Adam (deaf, he/him/his) is Assistant Professor in Languages and Intercultural Studies. He joined the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies at Heriot Watt University in 2020.
Research interests: sign language contact, minority sign languages, deaf interpreters and translators, sign language interpreting and translation

Breakout sessions (morning)

Introduction to Access to Work (ATW): Darren Townsend-Hanscomb

In the introduction we will look at the following:

What is ATW?
ATW customers – What should I charge?
ATW forms – Do I have to sign? What do I sign where?
ATW forms – Financial risks and avoiding fraud.
ATW finances – Invoicing & staying on top of payments

There will also be a short time for Q&A.

This short session is intended to help you think about some of the key issues, which we will continue to explore in a longer webinar TBC in 2022. You might find it very helpful to look at the DeafATW.comwebsite first, particularly the Updates page.

Biog:

Darren Townsend-Handscomb is an interpreter, trainer, psychologist and coach. Darren worked in the interpreting field for 30+ years, as staff and freelance, in every domain you can imagine (and some you probably can’t); and, amongst other things, runs DeafATW, an online and casework resource for Deaf people and interpreters. His interpreter training wbsite is www.moonpoppy.training

Situated Practice: Dr Christopher Stone and Thaïsa Hughes

Christopher Stone is a Reader in Interpreting and Translation at the University of Wolverhampton. He researches and teaches at BA and MA levels and supervises PhD students. He is well known for his research into media translation, news interpreting, and the work of deaf interpreters. He maintains an independent interpreting practice and serves as the current President of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters.

Thaïsa Hughes is a registered freelance British Sign Language/English interpreter, a senior lecturer in deaf studies and interpreting at the University of Wolverhampton, a QCF qualified assessor and internal verifier, an NRCPD supervisor and a PhD student researching the use of situated learning in the training of interpreters to work in the healthcare domain.
Thaisa has been working as an interpreter for several years and undertakes work across all community interpreting domains, as well as media (behind the scenes), legal and conference assignments. She also has a special interest and experience in working with deaf musicians.

‘Professional Supervision – your safe space – a route to resilience in your career’: Paula Cox and Paul Michaels

Paula Cox is a fully qualified registered British Sign Language Interpreter with a Postgraduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting from SLI/University of Central Lancashire. To complement her interpreting work she completed a Diploma in Professional Supervision from 360 Supervision and now offers supervision to fellow interpreters and allied professionals. When not working she can be found in a field with her campervan and dog Scout.

Paul Michaels started to learn Sign Language in 2001 after his niece was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. 4 years later he decided to focus on training to become a Sign Language Interpreter by first working as a Communicator in education and the workplace. During that time, he completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Interpreting with the Deaf Community at Durham University (2009), where he gained a distinction. He subsequently registered as a Junior Trainee Interpreter (JTI) with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD). He then completed the University of Central Lancashire Postgraduate Diploma in Interpreting and Translation at SLI (2011) and is now registered as a Member of the Register of Sign Language Interpreters (RSLI). Paul gained a Diploma in Supervision with 360Supervision (http://www.labyrinthsupervision.com/paul.html) and NRCPD Supervisor and is currently undertaking a PhD at Durham University.

Breakout sessions (Afternoon)

Agencies: Speaker Ryan Ball (Sandwell Deaf Community Association)

The session will cover basic questions around working for an agency (freelance/in-house), such as: ways of working, expectations for new trainees, areas of work often covered etc.

Ryan Ball is a recently qualified RSLI who graduated from the University of Wolverhampton’s BA (Hons) Interpreting (British Sign Language/English) program. He works full-time for Sandwell Deaf Community Association, a Midlands based Charity and Interpreting Agency, as an In-house RSLI and the Communication Service Assistant Team Leader. He also freelances outside of his full-time position, specialising in Social Care.

‘Setting up as a freelance interpreter and the taxation of a freelance business’ : Noel Guilford, ASLI accountant

Bio: Noel Guilford is a chartered accountant, business mentor and author who has acted as ASLI’s accountant for the past 4 years. After a career as a partner with Deloittes he set up Guilford Accounting in 2002 to work with owner-managed businesses for whom he provides a range of both compliance and advisory services. He is the author of two books: ‘How to Build a Successful Business’ and ‘The Entrepreneurs’ Marketing System’. He mentors start-up and early stage businesses and has created several online courses for entrepreneurs including his flagship programme ‘Business Maths Made Easy’.

Co-work-making the most of team-working: Jill Henshaw

Effective co-work/team-work is an important skill to provide the best we can for those we are working with.
This session will provide an opportunity to gain some useful strategies, hints and tips regarding co/team-working as well as ask questions.
If you would rather submit questions beforehand to be addressed anonymously then please do so and Jill will do her best to incorporate responses.

Jill Henshaw (Deaf Matters), Chair of the ASLI board, and a freelance interpreter and trainer from Derby.
Currently studying for a European Masters in Sign Language Interpreting (EUMASLI) and researching Imposter Syndrome in the Interpreting and Translation field. Qualified in 2009 and has worked in various domains including education, employment, health and mental health as well as providing training sessions for interpreters on a range of subjects.

Afternoon Panel

The afternoon panel will feature speakers from the breakout sessions as well as representatives from NUBSLI and from NRCPD. Questions can be submitted before the event or during the day to jenny.koehring@asli.org.uk.