Sussex Interpreting Services Annual General Meeting 2014

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AGM 25/09/2014
THANK YOU ALL for coming along to make this event a vibrant gathering.
Our AGM is a precious example of the support and TRUST that you give us.

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AGM Attendance
Service Users
Staff: Employees, Community Interpreters, Translators, Bilingual Advocates
Partners & Funders
Trustees & Members
33%
28%
23%
16%
Languages interpreted today:
Arabic
Cantonese
Farsi
Mandarin
Oromifa
Polish
Portuguese
Russian
Turkish

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AGM Attendance
So - Who is here today?
104 people attending AGM
1/3 attending are SIS Service Users – supported by
10 Community Interpreters working in 9 languages
(listed)
Our AGM requires a lot of work. Thank you to
Angela and Manu, the principal organisers, and to all
the Community Interpreters working here today,
helping to make our AGM a success!
Whilst we celebrate the year together our work
continues – with 60 Interpreting sessions in 20
languages across Sussex and a 24 hour emergency
service.

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SIS is 20!
This is our 20th year of delivering services.
These 2 photographs are from 1998 and picture accredited
training for Community Interpreters
I like these photographs, because they show an early
commitment to our values.
There is a sense of excitement as we set up a new service.
This feeling of excitement was recently echoed by interpreters
who kindly shared their experiences with SIS over the 20 years.
Thank you: Jamila, Imam Sajid, Samila, Mustafa, Nina, Cira,
Misfa and Mohamad for your recollections.
It is also important to acknowledge the central role played by
Jamila and Imam Sajid in founding the original service

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SIS is 20!
Laying strong foundations has anchored us to face
the many challenges over the 20 years.
We have remained optimist, CONSISTENT and built
our resilience - in the words of Maya Angelou:
“You may not control all the events that happen to
you but you can decide not to be reduced by them”
We have started a Family Album to record memories
and comments.
Please to time to write a message today, or pop into
our office to share.

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SIS is 20!
In 1995 the original funding supported 50 monthly interpreting sessions.
By 2001 this had jumped to 200 sessions.
Last year we delivered 1000 interpreting sessions a month!
Here is a chart that shows this.
The blue line is 2000-2001 / The red line is 2013-2014
Comparing the years there are three significant `spikes`.
• Arabic interpreting sessions increased four times to 4,000 last year
• Polish increased from 20 to 900, and if we add Russian, Lithuanian and
Hungarian, the increase is from 40 to 1,800
• Cantonese and Mandarin together increased from 70 to 1,300

10. 4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2013-2014
2000-2001

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SIS is 20!
A comment on the growth in Mandarin and Cantonese interpreting;
I recall the observation of Ping Cheung Tang – one of our busiest community
interpreters – in the 2000 Annual Report:
“Many social service providers have remarked that the Chinese are self-sufficient
and seldom use public services.
This is a myth about one of the most long-established communities in the
city”.
This is ONE example of how the TRUST we enjoy has helped us to challenge
cultural stereotypes AND ensure people have rights, choice and respect.
There is not time here to properly tell the many stories behind these figures.
We are looking for a funding partner to help us do this.

13. SIS is 20!
One suggestion is to celebrate our 20th year with a community picnic next summer. We are interested
to know what you think of this idea?
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We do have CAKE to celebrate together today – thanks to Sandra for our magnificent cake!
Before moving on, a special thank you to EVERYONE who has supported SIS over many of the 20 years.
Your commitment ensures we remain CONSISTENT in what we do. Thank you to our Trustees:
To Jen, our Chair, who gives so much time to SIS, and who first appeared in the 2001 Annual Review as
an Immigration Solicitor.
To Julia, who we saw in the earlier photographs from 1998, who we can hear working today and who
volunteers as a SIS Trustee.
To Farah, our longest serving Trustee – where does she get her energy?
To Lucy and Althea for their wisdom and guidance.
To Phyllis – a former Trustee, who we see training community interpreters in the second photograph -
for your dedication to professionalising community interpreting and for showing us the way.

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SIS is 20!
At this point I want to record a heartfelt thank you to
Shahreen, my colleague of 20 years and one week!
We have shared an enormously rewarding journey.
Your commitment, hard work and compassion have
inspired me.
At the training I showed pictures of earlier, I
remember you described yourself as having the
tenacity of a tiger - a Bengal Tiger!
You have proved this repeatedly over the years and
always for the benefit of all our communities.
The Chair would like to present some flowers as a
small token of appreciation.

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2013-14
So onto 2013-14. The year has 2 stories …
We started the year with significantly reduced income due to:
• the end of our contract with an NHS Foundation Trust
• a budget cap with a local NHS Hospital Trust
• a reduction in Legal Aid funded work
…AND facing the prospect of our main contract being lost through competition

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2013-14
We ended the year:
• securing our main contract in a tough competition
• winning back our contract with Sussex Partnership Trust
• gaining another Quality Mark
• being shortlisted for the Guardian Charity Award
• developing a volunteer project around health promotion
A Roller Coaster year!

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2013-14
Having funding contracts with a range of health and
social care services helps us meet needs more
CONSISTENTLY.
You can read all about this and more in our Annual
Review.
Translated copies are available here and on our
website.
A special thanks to Manu for designing a document
we are all very proud of and one that we hope you
will enjoy reading.

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2013-14
WOW! - I now want to report something incredible!
In the tough competition for our main contract SIS scored 100% for Quality
and 100% for how we report the difference we make.
This level of recognition is not possible without a fantastic team effort.
We HAVE a FANTASTIC TEAM! – The best in the country for what we do.
Please join me in thanking: Kate, Monika, Ceilidh, Kevin, Zina, Rachel,
Angela, Vikki, Manu, Shahreen and Keith.
Sadly, after 6 years, Ceilidh is leaving us. Her humour, compassion,
dedication and efficiency will be greatly missed. Her sense of style is
irreplaceable!
We wish you well Ceilidh.
We have some flowers to give you at the end of the AGM.

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2013-14
EVERY YEAR my personal admiration for our;
interpreters, translators and advocates, increases
Interpreting is an honourable profession, with the
first quality standards dating back nearly 500 years.
To operate calmly, professionally and
compassionately in complex and challenging
situations is a great achievement.
YOU are the service – Thank you
A few words about Future Plans …

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Future Plans
• We have some funding to develop Bilingual Advocacy in Brighton & Hove
• Our partnerships will give a stronger voice to Service Users
• We will have a new website with resources for Service Users
• We will develop stronger links with community groups
• We want sustainable interpreting services for those with mental health needs

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Partners
We are delighted to introduce a number of partners who are helping us with our plans.
Firstly we welcome back Jane from Healthwatch who will give us an idea of what happened as
a result of the consultation at our last AGM.
John and Nicky will then explain about a project that is helping public services to understand
the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
Adam then has a quiz about mental well-being and will say a few words about our new
contract.

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Partners
Lastly we have 7 partners who will introduce their services.
When they have finished you will have an opportunity to speak with them directly with an interpreter.
• Helen Jones – Mindout
• Tony Wright - Health Checks Services (BHCC)
• Gill Reynolds – ICAS (Independent Complaints Advocacy Service)
• David Pinder – BME Communities Development Worker (TDC)
• Hanno Koppel – BME Counsellor - Health & Wellbeing Service (SPT)
• Azmin Rehemutlla – Refugee Radio
• Fabia Bates - Survivors Network

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Arran Evans – Director
E: arran@sussexinterpreting.org.uk
T: 01273 234027
M: 07765315822
#SISAGM14