Language support underway

by Chetna Patel

New Deal has funded five workers to get Burngreave Language Support Agency underway. For the next three months they will be researching language support needs for the people of Burngreave.

The aim of the research is to gain a fuller understanding of the needs of local people and to identify when and where people need help with communication. 

Between them, the three researchers speak Punjabi, Urdu, Somali, and Arabic. From the beginning of March they will be going out into the community to talk to local residents and language support providers. If there are people who speak any other languages and would like to take part in the research we can make arrangements for this.

“The agency is a brilliant idea. It will not only help the Urdu, Somali and Arabic community but it will also benefit other language users and could provide better opportunities for all of us” said Farhan Javed, Punjabi/Urdu community researcher and Burngreave resident

The research will be used to develop the Language Support Agency. We hope to develop and deliver training and gain insight into how to provide culturally appropriate services.

Hinda Ismail, Somali community researcher and Burngreave resident said “I think this project is a great idea which would give the community the opportunity to use their own sources of knowledge and skills to help themselves. By providing trained translators in the community languages the project would help community members access health, education and other social benefits” 

If you are interested in being involved in the research or being part of the project contact Kate or Sally on Tel 275 1737. 

The next meeting is 14 March 2002 at 10am – 12pm at Cornerstones Building, Burngreave Road.