3.1 ACCREDITATION Accreditees are practitioners who possess the following: 3.1.1 ESSENTIAL SKILLS – Proficiency in International Sign (C1 CEFR) – Proficiency (C1 CEFR) in one of the testing languages (currently English) – Proficiency in a national sign language and national spoken and/or written language – Five years of experience (at least 150 days1) in interpreting for conferences2 or high-level meetings at national level in the national sign and spoken languages – Three years of experience (at least 50 days) in International Sign interpreting at international or regional events within conference or high-level meeting settings – Skills in co-working or team working with other practitioners 3.1.2 DESIRABLE SKILLS – Proficiency in a second national sign language – Proficiency in a second spoken/written language 3.1.3 KNOWLEDGE – Extensive knowledge on current affairs, e.g. international geography, history, cultures and social affairs – Familiarity with the history and international structure of deaf and sign language interpreter organisations, e.g. WFD, WFD Regional secretariats, Deaflympics, WASLI, AFSLI, EFSLI, etc. – Knowledge of the international institutions that cooperate with the international deaf and sign language interpreter organisations, e.g. UN, UN regional structures, International Disability Alliance, regional political organisations, etc. – Knowledge of national countries, their culture, politics and history 3.1.4 QUALIFICATIONS – Formal recognition with a professional registration body of sign language interpreters (if possible) – A university degree preferably in a relevant field, e.g. interpreting and/or translation studies, sign language interpreting – Membership of national and international professional interpreter organisations, e.g. the interpreter’s national sign language interpreter’s organisation, and WASLI, AFSLI, EFSLI, AIIC3. – Membership of regional, national and international deaf organisations, e.g. the interpreter’s
1 A day
is single interpreting assignment of at least 2 hours of interpreting work
2 A conference
setting is one where the interpreting is provided with the expectation the speaker will not be interrupted, e.g. Deaf Association business meeting, conference, meetings of officials, etc. 3Accreditees
may wish to apply for the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) membership as an additional way to have their skills and abilities recognised at the international conference level. While the AIIC membership is not a requirement for work, the AIIC does have the formal role of negotiating working conditions at the United Nations for all interpreters. The AIIC, through the Sign Language Coordinator, are promoting the use of the WFD-WASLI Accreditees and lobbying for working conditions that are consistent with the WFD-WASLI guidelines for international work.
4
WFD-WASLI INTERNATIONAL SIGN INTERPRETATION ACCREDITATION HANDBOOK
