| Amanda Casson-Webb | Mark Cooke | Evelyn Davenport | Caron Hawkings | Zane Hema |
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| Linda Linnett | Karen Newby | Benjamin Phillips | Pádraigín Ní Rághillíg | Maureen Saville |
| Manda Steff | David Wolfenden |
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Biography:
A CODA, I ‘fell’ into interpreting during my gap year - after doing some travelling, I returned with the realisation that I didn’t want to do the law course I’d been accepted on but didn’t quite know what else I wanted to do. After hanging around the house for a few weeks too long and getting under my Mum’s feet, I agreed to do two weeks cover for a CSW in a local mainstream school. The two weeks turned into seven years employment. During this time I realised that I wanted to be an Interpreter and, in 2001, I qualified via the UCLan/SLI Post Graduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting.
I joined the RAD Interpreting team in the same year and became a member of the senior team in 2003. In addition to interpreting, I provided supervision & professional development, observational feedback and co-facilitated the in-house peer discussion groups. I left in January 2006 and worked as a freelance interpreter before returning as Head of Interpreting in February 2008.
I was involved with organisation of the ASLI 2005 London conference, was chair of the service group for the 2008 London conference and am a member of the mentoring task group.
When not at work, I can be found trying to master Spanish & yoga and deciding where to travel to next.
Expertise:
Passionate about standards in interpreting, I also have a keen interest and good working knowledge of interpreting within Safeguarding Children (Child Protection) & POVA. The majority of my interpreting practice is in two-way dialogue based settings and I feel that my strength lies in BSL to English interpreting.
As a mentor, I believe that my practice is reflective, supportive and honest.
I live in Romford and am able to travel anywhere within the M25 region with ease!
Biography:
I have been working as an Interpreter for 10 years. I completed the Post Graduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting at UCLAN in 2000 the same year I qualified. The early part of my career was in Education working as a CSW where after 4 years I made the transition to an Interpreter and have worked full-time freelance since 2000. I enjoy working across the entire spectrum of domains.
I am an active member of our Professional Body and am actively interested in the political development of our profession and served as National Chair of the Association from 2001 – 2005. My interest also extends to what is happening in our profession at the international level and I currently serve on the Board of the European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters (EFSLI) and on the Board of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI).
I am a qualified Trampoline Coach and also a qualified teacher in Adult Education and play piano.
Expertise:
My whole career spans over nearly 30 years and I have lived in 3 different countries. I am a pragmatist and so am resourceful and will work to support, impart knowledge and experience in ways that are relevant and beneficial to any interpreter wherever they are on their journey. I am deeply inquisitive and seek to continually understand the changing world about me - and how this impacts upon life both personally and professionally.
Biography:
Benjamin Phillips, currently works as a freelance interpreter and is based on the Essex / London M25 border.
He has had much and varied experience working for many agencies as a staff interpreter in the community as well as being a senior interpreter with management and supervisory responsibilities.
Expertise:
As a freelance interpreter he spends much of his time working across the country on community assignments as well as regularly working in legal and media domains. He is also a tutor on the Middlesex university / City Lit principles of interpreting programme in London.
Ben is able to offer mentees the opportunity to access mentoring via face to face meetings, telephone or on web cam if desired.
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I currently work part-time for an interpreting agency (NCA Ltd) and part-time freelance. Prior to this I worked at RAD for over nearly 8 years…for the last 4 years I was involved with supervising interpreters and providing some in-house mentoring and training, including the development of some partnership working to enhance interpreter skills e.g. the staff swap with National Deaf Services. I was part of the first groups of ASLI trained mentors in 2005 and have been practising as a mentor since then. I am the current Professional Development Secretary for ASLI and have co-chaired and been a rep for the LSE region in the past. I qualified in 2002 via the UCLAN Post Graduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting and prior to that spent 2 years at Bristol University, completing my Deaf Studies Diploma in 1996. Additional to interpreting qualifications, I have certificates in counselling and training practice. Aside from the professional - I live in South London with my partner and claim to be the best part-time wicked stepmother around with a flair for curtain-making!
Expertise:
My strengths very much lie in inter and intra personal dynamics of interpreting focussing on both professional and personal development areas for individuals – this is one reason why I am so keen on mentoring and see this as crucial for the development of individuals and the profession as a whole. I can also provide support in terms of management and organisational issues. My main interpreting work is in two-way, dialogue interpreting including meetings, counselling, home visits, training courses and so on, with some experience of conference settings. I am also registered with the Metropolitan Police Service so have some working knowledge of interpreting in police settings (though would not consider myself an expert!). My work for 15 years prior to interpreting was in stock broking and this has led me to have a sound knowledge of business relationships, based on my own personal experiences.
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I have been a freelance BSL interpreter since 1995 after completing my Diploma of Higher Education at the Centre for Deaf Studies, Bristol University under Clark Denmark, Edith Norrman et al. I qualified in the old examination system administered by the CACDP, gaining MRSLI status in 1996. Between 2000-2003, I was a full-time employee at Sign Solutions where I developed my skills in the legal domain. Since moving to south London in 2003, I have worked regularly in mental health and the media; two very different arenas that I find both challenging and stimulating. A member of ASLI since 1995, I served as Rep, then Chair to the Devon & Cornwall region between 1996-1999; and Rep to the London & SE region from 2003-2005, during which time I chaired the Scientific Committee as a member of our 2005 conference organising team. I then spent two years as subeditor of Newsli magazine prior to taking up my current post of National Vice Chair. When not interpreting, I am a keen scuba diver and enjoy most outdoor pursuits.
Expertise:
I can offer support and encouragement around domain specific topics including legal, mental health, media, linguistics, platform and community interpreting. In addition I can provide guidance around going freelance and offer positive comparisons between that and working in an agency.
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My career change came in 1997 when, after working for fifteen years as a laboratory manager in a Brewery, I achieved my Stage III BSL and began working as a Communication Support Worker in HE & FE. In July 2000, I made the transition into interpreting when I joined the Royal Association for Deaf People and began the final part of my training. I qualified in 2002 via the Post Graduate Diploma in BSL/English Interpreting, and in 2003 joined the senior interpreting team. During my time with RAD I gave and received mentoring support, co-facilitated the in house peer support groups, and collaborated with a colleague to structure and deliver training days. In July 2005 I made another transition when I became a freelance interpreter. I live in mid-Essex and am within easy reach of Suffolk or London.
Expertise:
My life experiences have enabled me to develop a broad range of interests and knowledge. As a manager my work allowed me to develop the skills to offer structured support and guidance. The transitions in my life have been learning processes that have made me realise the value of good foundations and the development of a solid support network. My academic studies evoked a keen interest in putting theory into practice which has been maintained by my continued involvement in programmes that teach, assess and support interpreters undergoing training.
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Owner/Director of Signing Point Ltd since 2004 but previously freelance since 1994. Qualified 1994. MA in BSL/English Interpreting from University of Durham. Former ASLI National Chair 1998-2000, NEC member from 1994-2000. Made honorary Fellow in 2003. Have supervised interpreters when consultant/manager of the CSU at the Gloucestershire Deaf Association and have offered informal mentoring to interpreters over the years. Aside from interpreting qualifications I also hold qualifications in Cobol programming, telegraphy, carpentry and joinery none of which I suspect is at all relevant but does atest to my broad range of life experience especially as I my first major career was in the Royal Air Force; theres not much that I haven’t experienced or seen. I live in north London with my partner, two teenagers, two pugs, two cats and lots of tropical fish. I am a committed biker and ride two machines (not at the same time); am saving for a mega expensive harley at the moment! For those of you who do not know, I was formerly known as Pat O’Reilly.
Expertise:
I would say that my main focus would be upon practice and how theory can support ones practice. I can offer support with regard to working conditions, contractual arrangements, ethics, interpersonal dynamics, assertiveness and any other items in the ‘interpreters toolkit’. I can also offer support around domain specific topics especially legal, mental health, the arts, conference/platform, politics, the trades union movement, the disability movement and lesbian and gay.
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I am in my 50’s; I grew up in North London and still live there. Interpreting was not my first career. Formerly, I was a teacher in mainstream education, teaching Science to GCSE and Chemistry to A level. Nine years ago I came out of teaching and began full time work as a freelance BSL/English Interpreter. I acquired stage 1, 2 & 3 and completed the RNID Interpreter Training Course in the 1980's. As CACDP was in the transition period between the interpreting exam and NVQ I remained registered with CACDP as an RTI. I took assignments, on an occasional basis in a freelance capacity, part time (evenings and weekends). I continued as an RTI full time after leaving teaching, then qualified as an MRSLI in 2003 after gaining the NVQ 4 language units and the UCLAN postgraduate interpreting course.
Expertise:
I would describe my professional expertise as broad and influenced by skills acquired in my previous career and by my experience growing up as a CODA. I would also say my interpreting practice is more value led than career oriented. As well as enjoying the work, I have enjoyed the various aspects of the studying I have done, recognising that theory and training informs practice. Although a professional framework is important I am conscious of the contribution that individuals make to the Sign Language Interpreting Profession. I work mostly in the community. My interpreting strengths are working from BSL to English and two-way dialogue. I am keen that opportunities for personal and professional development are available within the profession.
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I have been interpreting for 20 years having started my career as a Social Work Assistant with Deaf people. I learned BSL in Birmingham with Carl Channer, in Derby with Wendy Daunt and in Falkirk with Margo Curry (SLIC at that time). My interpreter training was informal and very much on-the-job for some years until I attended the RNID Professional Interpreter Development programme - the first of its kind. I obtained my Post Grad Diploma with SLI in 2001.
I have attended several ASLI training courses over the years including: International Sign; Trials and Tribulations; Interpreters and Interpreting:A Deaf Perspective; Deaf People and the Criminal Justice System II and Co-Interpreting. I also attended the International Workshop on Sign Language Interpreting in Mental Health and Deafness Settings in Madrid in 2001.
I have been to many conferences and taken an active role both at a national and international level. These include the inaugural Conference of the World Association (WASLI) in South Africa in 2005 and the second one in Spain 2007 plus efsli Conferences over the years (Finland and Czech Republic). I have been involved in the governance of ASLI since 2001 and have taken on roles including Regional Chair, Conference 2005 Organising Committee Chair, NEC member and I am currently Webmaster, National Secretary, Company Secretary and Director.
Expertise:
In terms of number of years spent interpreting in the area, I have most experience in the following domains: Conference interpreting; Television (studio and on-screen); Business meetings; international work; Access to Work regulars and
Mental Health.
I co-facilitate an ASLI PD workshop called “Voice-Over Techniques” with Dave Phippard (Mid South Coast) and Clare Seal (Devon & Cornwall).
I particularly enjoy using Pollard and Dean's Demand-Control schema to pull assignments apart and understand them more completely.
If you think you’d like to be mentored by me, please get in touch.