Public service interpreting in Norway - The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters

1. Public service interpreting in Norway- The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters Leonardo Doria de SouzaNorwegian Directorate of Integration and Diversity (IMDi) 25.11.2011 – TRAFUT, Ljubljana

2. Norwegian authority for interpreting services in the public sector • Interpreter users training • Vocational studies • Workplaces • Lectures • Workplaces • Sectorallevel • Surveys • Health - Primarydoctors (2006) • Child care - Child welfare service (2007) • Justice - Criminalproceedings chain (2008) • Education - Oslo’sprimary and secondaryschools (2009) • Social services - Labour and welfare services (2010) • Availability of qualified interpreters • recruitment • High capacity in interpreter’s education • language and students • Awareness, knowledge and guidelines • training • local guidelines • Regulation and development • sectoral and national level

3. Norwegian or universal challenges? • Bilingualism = interpreting • Lackofawarenessregardingtheroleof interpreters • Lackofprocedures/guidelines for booking and useof interpreters • Lackofrecruitmentcriteria • Lackoforganisation and professionalism

4. Interpreter training at the Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences • Selection criteria: higher education entrance qualifications and an oral admission test • Training curriculum: • THE CODE OF ETHICS • THE INSTITUTIONAL DIALOGUE • THE INTERPRETER’S TOOL • SPECIFIC CONTEXTUAL KNOWLEDGE • Examination: • Written home exam (code of ethics) • Oral exam; interpreting in an institutional dialogue • Grading: A - F

5. Interpreter training at the Oslo andAkershus University College of Applied Sciences

6. National Certificationof Interpreters • University of Oslo, 1997 • Exam (no training) • 181 certified in 22 languages • Selection criteria: higher education entrance qualifications, 20 years of age • Aim: to secure/guarantee that the [interpreter] service is of good quality • The written exam (elimination) • General language and terminology • Realia • Cut off score: 75 % • The oral exam: • Dialogue • Monologue • Ethics • Cut off score: 85 %

7. 3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) • Code of ethics • Presentation of the field of public service interpreting • What is an interpreter? • The institutional meeting • Interpreting a meeting • Language and terminology • Note-taking and memory basics • The National Register of Interpreters • Further qualification • Professionalism • Practical training

8. The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2005) “create a systematic nationwide overview of interpreters apt for practicing in the public services” • Encourage interpreters to document and improve their skills and competences • Increase the availability of qualified interpreters • Provide an overview of interpreters’ skills • Increase interpreters’ assignments • Keep “good interpreters” in the profession

9. The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters • Publicly financed and administrated by IMDi • Primary target groups are public servants and professionals in need of interpreters • recruitment tool • check interpreter’s qualification • requirement in tender for interpreting services • “call an interpreter” • Transparent, publicly accessible and free of charge through www.tolkeportalen.no • There is no online booking function on the web site

10. The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters • Applicants must fill out and send an application form which is available through www.tolkeportalen.no • All accepted applications are classified into five categories according to their documented qualifications • Recruitment • Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences • Interpreting agencies • University of Oslo • Contact networks • IMDis regional offices • IMDis partners (municipalities and public sector authorities) • www.tolkeportalen.no

14. 5 categories: • 1: Certified interpreters with a 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training • 2: Certifiedinterpreters • 3: 30 ECTS university-level interpreter training • 4: Certifiedtranslatorswith3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) • 5: Interpreter candidateswithbilingual vocabulary test with3 day intensive course on interpreting ethics and techniques (TAO) Availableinformation: Full name Contactaddress Sex Language(s) Interpretinghours (last 3 years) Interpretingtechniques and modes Field ofcompetencies Educationallevel Not available: Private address ID-number

16. The Norwegian National Register of Interpreters (2011) • 1180 registered interpreters • 65 languages • 58% high qualified Evaluation (2010) • 59 percent of the interpreters, and 55 percent of interpreting users who have used the National Register, said they were pleased with the register • A majority of 64 percent of interpreting users report that they do not know the register • A majority of both interpreters and interpreting users would rather have a booking function available • More interaction with target groups • Better use of available technology

17. Public service interpreting in Norway www.tolkeportalen.no Awareness, knowledge and guidelines Norwegian National register National certification University-levelinterpreting training ToSPoT - bilingualvocabulary test TAO - 3 day intensive course Leonardo Doria de Souza – lds@imdi.no