Legal assistance for deaf community

Sign Solutions enhances interpreter training with help from top barristers.

West-Midlands based British Sign Language interpreter training company, Sign Solutions, is teaming up with top Birmingham barristers to offer a series of one-day workshops designed to improve the courtroom experiences of Deaf people.

Joined by legal experts from St Philip’s Chambers, Sign Solutions will look at how interpreters and barristers can work better together to ensure the best possible outcome for their Deaf clients.

Byron Campbell, Interpreter Trainer at Sign Solutions said, “It’s extremely important that deaf clients feel they have the same access to representation as those who are not deaf. Given the many language and cultural differences interpreters face every day, we thought it was important to offer sessions which don’t only focus on the basics but really concentrate on the language and terminology related to this area of interpreting, as well as the impacts of misunderstandings and misinterpretations in the courtroom, and whose responsibility it is to deal with these issues.

“Participants will have the chance to learn from barristers at the top of their field and will have the opportunity to put forward their views as to how best work in this challenging area.”

Interpreters who opt to take part in these sessions will learn from experienced practitioner Victoria Edmonds, who has specialised in family law, and Stefan Kolodynski, who will focus on criminal law.

As Britain’s first dedicated Sign Language interpreting agency, Sign Solutions has been providing interpreting services across the UK since 1998 and offers everything from Level 1 British Sign Language to deaf awareness and e-learning packages.

For more information about Sign Solutions please visit www.signsolutions.uk.com or for further details on any of the training courses available, please contact [email protected].