Mission Statement
To provide a comprehensive, professional, high quality and confidential language service which meets the needs of both the service providers (Statutory & Voluntary Services) and the service users (non-English speaking Communities).
Vision Statement
To empower the non-English speaking community to access services in the London Borough of Hounslow. We will strive to make meaningful partnerships with Health Agencies and other service providers to meet the language needs of the community.
Hounslow is a culturally diverse community with people from various racial, linguistic, religious, and national origins. Around 140 different languages are spoken within the diverse communities in the Borough. In addition to the settled and existing communities, global events such as the Afghan and Iraq situations have brought in newer communities, raising the demand for more languages such as Farsi, Dari, Pashto and Arabic. Language difficulty is a major barrier for people from ethnic minorities in accessing Council services and obtaining information about them. Access to appropriate services and the right to understand are basic human rights.
The Translation and Interpreting Unit (TIU) provides services which are flexible to the changing community needs and adjusst its provisions according to the changing communities and the resulting language needs of the Council and other local Service providers.
Activities
To fulfil its mission statement, and meet its strategic objectives, the TIU carries out a number of activities, including:
Recruitment of sessional / freelance interpreters and translators
Professional training for interpreters/translators
Training and support for interpreters/translators
Training for users of interpreters/translators
Advice and assistance to service providers on appropriate materials for translation
Consultation with users
Development of networking (ALG TIS Forum) with other translation services across London Boroughs to raise standards of service delivery
Develop and maintain links with internal Departments
Develop and maintain links with external Service Providers
The main objectives of the Translation & Interpretation Unit are:
To translate information in the form that is easily understood by the communities
To facilitate access through interpreting to direct communication between service users and providers
To adhere to the TIU Codes of Practice to ensure professional and quality service delivery
To provide expert advice and technology to support this service
To provide a direct and easy access to the Language Help-line for the community to use and to support a telephone conferencing facility.
To provide training to Community Interpreters on interpreting skills, codes of practice, their role, duties and responsibilities as professional interpreters
To provide employment opportunities for bilingual individuals
To provide training to professionals on how to work effectively with interpreters
To advise on religious and culturally appropriate communication in service planning and service delivery
To advise on appropriate and cost effective methods of communicating with people from minority ethnic communities
To promote the value of providing language support on all aspects of council and other public services
Contact us
Translation and Interpretation Unit
Civic Centre
Lampton Road
Hounslow
TW3 4DN
You can call us during office hours on our Language Helpline:
Tel: 020 8583 2299
E-mail: translations@hounslow.gov.uk