Help The Deaf

Help the Deaf


Do you speak sign language? Are you itching to use your language skills more often so that you don't lose them? There are people out there who are looking for your help! You can start a business that will benefit persons in the deaf community. You could charge up to $40 an hour for sign language interpretation services.


There are many different situations where a non-hearing person would benefit by having an interpreter on hand. Simultaneous translation is sometimes referred to as "UN style interpreting" or "conference interpreting” . You could offer this style of interpreting for situations when a deaf person is interacting with businesses in the local community or trying to orchestrate travel accommodations.

Since very few people in the general population speak sign language, it can be challenging for a deaf person to communicate in situations that the average person would never think twice about. For instance, at the grocery store, if the average person needs additional customer service, they just ask to speak to a manager or go up to the customer service counter. This can be challenging for a non-hearing person if the person available at the customer service counter does not speak clearly enough to enable lip-reading.

Relocating to a new community can also be particularly challenging for a deaf person since most people are able to make phone calls to various utility companies to get their new home set up with gas, water, electricity, newspaper delivery, garbage pickup, and the like. Having an interpreter handy would save a deaf person a considerable amount of time and energy and allow them to accomplish these tasks in a much easier and less stressful manner.

Your services would also be very handy if a deaf person wants to take some sort of educational course. You could take notes and create a transcription of the class for them to refer to later when studying. You could also interpret phrases that they may have missed when the instructor of the course turned away from their general direction and they were unable to read their lips.

There are also legal situations when having an interpreter available would keep your client out of troubling situations. When a person's home has been vandalized or they are required to make a statement in court, having an exact translation of the words spoken could make a world of difference. This would also include situations when a deaf person would like to make a large purchase such as; a vehicle or a home that involve large financial obligations and that definitely would require clear communication by both parties signing the contracts involved.

Your services could also be employed by businesses that need to quickly communicate with people speaking a rainbow of languages such as hospitals, social services, vocational trainers, universities, health clinics, funeral homes, wedding planners, and other organizations that work with large cross sections of the public.

At some point, you may also want to pursue a degree or certification from the RID. RID stands for "Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.” This will aid you if you want to register with an agency who hires out interpreters for the deaf. Many universities and colleges also offer degrees or certifications in areas of language and translation.

Resources:

http://www.rid.org/

http://www.clarioncall.net/

http://www.deafservicebureau.org/

http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu

http://www.deaf-interpreter.com/