In June 2011, leaders from community, conference, legal, medical, military and signed language interpreting created a template for action for our profession during the Professional Identity Workgroup Sessions, held at the 2nd North American Summit on Interpreting in Washington, DC. The sessions sought areas of consensus and recommendations for key issues facing the entire profession: 1) Professional Associations, 2) Education/Training, 3) Legal/Advocacy, 4) Certification /Credentialing, and 5) Technology, which were subsequently published in a publicly-available White Paper. This session covers the highlights from this call to action as well as other key developments and next steps resulting from the Summit.

1. I AM AN INTERPRETER:
Forging A Nationally Recognized
Professional Identity
Barry
S.
Olsen
&
Katharine
Allen
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

2. Raising
the
profile
of
interpre?ng
Our
mission
is
to
provide
a
na0onal
forum
for
the
interpre0ng
profession.
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

3. ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

4. ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

5. Workgroups
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

6. Interpre.ng:
Full
Speed
Ahead
Interpreters
Propel
the
Profession
Towards
Na.onal
Unity
Summary
and
Snapshots
of
Five
Professional
Iden7ty
Workgroup
Sessions
Held
at
InterpretAmerica’s
2nd
North
American
Summit
on
Interpre7ng
June
17-­‐18,
2011
By
Marjory
BancroK,
MA
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

7. • The
Interpre?ng
Marketplace
• White
Paper
on
Interpre?ng
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

8. Verba volant,
Scripta manent.
Spoken words fly away.
Written words remain.
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

9. Professional
Iden?ty
Workgroups
Professional
Associa?ons
Technology
Cer?fica?on
Legal
&
Educa?on
&
Advocacy
Training
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

10. Loud and Clear
The
need
for
a
na0onal
umbrella
organiza0on
to
represent
interpreters
A
compelling
call
for
a
na0onal
generalist
interpreter
cer0fica0on
The
urgent
need
to
embrace
technology
and
support
interpreters
who
need
training
on
technology
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

11. Cer.fica.on
and
Creden.aling
Key
Findings
Consensus
Recommenda.ons
•
Cer.fica.on
should
• 1.
Establish
a
generalist
address
all
sectors.
exam
managed
by
a
na.onal
body
that
represents
only
interpreters.
•
Language
proficiency
tes.ng.
• 2.
Involve
all
sectors
in
should
be
required.
crea.ng
the
exam.
• 3.
Include
a
CEU
component.
• Generalist
cer.fica.on
would
• 4.
Address
ethics,
precede,
but
not
standards,
modes,
replace,
specialized
knowledge
of
the
field.
specializa.on.
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

12. Professional
Associa.ons
Key
Findings
Consensus
Recommenda?ons
•
Though
many
• 1.
Interpre.ng
associa.ons
exist,
needs
a
na.onal
none
represents
all
associa.on
interests.
represen.ng
the
en.re
profession.
• All
sectors
should
sit
at
the
planning
• 2.
Three
suggested
table.
courses
of
ac.on:
umbrella,
start
from
scratch,
or
morph
•
We
need
na.onal
exis.ng
associa.on.
ethics,
standards
and
resources.
• 3.
Create
an
online
directory
of
associa.ons.
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

13. Educa.on
and
Training
Key
Findings
Consensus
Recommenda?ons
• Program
quality
• 1.
Survey
educa.on/
varies
widely.
training
providers.
• A
na.onal
consor.um
is
needed
• 2.
Create
a
na.onal
to
oversee
program
consor.um
to
quality,
accredit
oversee
educa.on
programs
and
and
creden.aling.
establish
entry-­‐level
qualifica.ons,
skills,
• 3.
Build
an
online
and
educa.on.
training
directory.
• 4.
Explore
contents
of
a
common
base
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
curriculum.
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

14. Legal
and
Advocacy
Key
Findings
Consensus
Recommenda?ons
• The
various
sectors
• 1.
Coordinated
PR
need
to
coordinate.
messaging
for
the
profession
na.onally
•
The
profession
and
in
each
sector.
should
engage
in
ac.ve,
concrete
PR
• 2.
Support
a
na.onal
strategies.
group
that
advocates
for
interpreters,
and
•
The
profession
engages
regularly
should
proac.vely
with
media.
manage
“bad
news.”
• 3.
Reach
out
to
media,
gov’t,
the
public
and
employers.
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

15. Technology
Key
Findings
Consensus
Recommenda.ons
• Many
interpreters
• 1.
Have
interpreters
are
fearful
of
and
technology
technology.
developers
and
vendors
sit
at
the
•
Providers
need
same
table.
input
from
interpreters.
• 2.
Create
web
forums
for
• Interpreters
need
to
interpreters
to
give
communicate
with
feedback
to
technology
providers.
providers.
• 3.
Put
tutorials
on
tech
websites
and
solicit
user
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
feedback.
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

16. “Interpreters
will
not
be
replaced
by
technology.
Interpreters
will
be
replaced
by
other
interpreters
who
use
technology.”
Bill
Wood,
Design
Specialists
Interpreta0on
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

17. ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

18. ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

19. • Track
1-­‐
Is
It
Time
for
a
Generalist
Interpreter
Cer.fica.on?
Roundtable
for
Professional
Associa?ons
and
Interpreter
Cer?fica?on
Organiza?ons
• Track
2
-­‐
Contempla?ng
a
Na.onal
Consor.um
for
SHAPING
THE
Interpreter
Trainers
and
Educators
FUTURE
OF
• Track
3
-­‐
Towards
a
Working
INTERPRETING
Technology
Partnership
for
the
Interpre?ng
Profession
• Track
4
-­‐
Crea?ng
Connec?ons
with
End
Users
of
Interpre.ng
Services:
From
LEPs
to
LSPs
• Track
5
-­‐
One
Profession,
One
Voice:
Marke.ng
the
Interpre.ng
Profession
to
the
Public
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

20. INTERPRETING
Legal
Community
Conference
Medical
Military
Sign
Language
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

21. ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen

22. Raising
the
profile
of
interpre?ng
www.interpretamerica.net
info@interpretamerica.net
ATA
2011
Barry
S.
Olsen
Boston,
MA
Katharine
Allen