CONTEXT & BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT The dramatic rise in the number of refugees arriving in Europe produced a soaring demand for humanitarian professionals, including interpreters, ready to respond to the emerging needs of refugees in the EU today. Within this context, interpreters play a crucial role that exceeds their usual job profile; they are called to work in fragile environments, refugee camps, and urban refugee settings. Due to the huge demand for interpreters speaking the beneficiaries' languages, the role of the humanitarian interpreter, especially in the Mediterranean EU countries like Greece, Italy and Spain, is delivered by refugees and migrants without adequate training & accreditation to support their professional needs. Furthermore, their growing professional community is not institutionalized, there is no occupational profile, targeted VET, and established code of professional ethics for them. In this context, there is a need a) to redefine their role in a way that will help them pursue the missions of humanitarian organizations working in the field with refugees, and b) to develop up-to-date VET curricula to up-skill humanitarian interpreters on emerging skills requirements as regards: a) inter-cultural communication & mediation, b) emotional challenges, d) conflict & risk management, d) ethics and the interpreter’s role, e) medical, legal & EU regulation terminology. AIM The project aims to support the continuous VET and accreditation of humanitarian interpreters, developing a modular course by: a) identifying emerging training & skills needs, b) producing OERs and VOOC that ensure free access to on-line training resources, and c) developing a framework for the integration of the humanitarian interpreting learning outcomes into the national & EU qualification schemes. OBJECTIVES 1. Develop up-to-date cVET curricula for interpreters & for their trainers, grounded on original learning outcomes, to respond to work challenges related to the provision of humanitarian aid for refugees in Europe today. 2. Support interpreters & their trainers to address their self-training requirements as regards their flexible respond to their humanitarian work, enhancing access to original OERs. 3. Facilitate recognition of the occupational profile of the humanitarian interpreter leading to EU & national accreditation based on EQF & ECVET standards. THE ReCULM PARTNERSHIP The National Center for Social Research – EKKE (EL), the National Organisation for Qualification & Vocational Guidance – EOPPEP (EL), the University of Modena - UNIMORE (IT), the University of Almeria – UAL (ES), and the University of Glasgow – UGLA (UK) form a Strategic Partnership comprising academic, research and accreditation expertise from 4 European countries in current issues related to migration, multiculturalism, and the needs of vulnerable groups, as well as the training of humanitarian workers, including interpreters. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY 1. Development of up-to-date learning outcomes & assessment criteria, based on needs research & analysis on the emerging skills requirements in humanitarian interpreting. 2. Development of an open modular course & trainer’s guide in humanitarian interpreting. 3. Involvement of social partners, accreditation bodies and field experts to lead the certification & accreditation of the developed learning outcomes on humanitarian interpreting, through a pubic consultation process and the promotion of a support statement & a strategic plan. 5. Sharing and evaluation of the course with multiplier events, inviting target groups to test and uptake Inter4Ref results acting as impact multipliers. 6. Training & accreditation of 30 trainers based in the developed learning outcomes in humanitarian interpreting. RESULTS 1. Up-to-date, evidence-based learning outcomes to support VET in humanitarian interpreting 2. VET learning units & OERs 3. A Vocational Open Online Course 4. A Support Statement and a Strategic Plan for the valorisation of the Inter4Ref learning outcomes on an EU level 5. Four national workshops to promote results and evaluate learning materials 6. One Train the Trainer seminar in Athens IMPACT AND POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY The Inter4Ref project is expected to have the following impact and longer term benefits: 1. Promoting participation of a growing number of VET learners using the Inter4Ref OERs/VOOC via dissemination, exploitation and maintenance activities for three years after the project’s completion based on the partners own effort. 2. Supporting at least 40 VET providers, NGOs and academic institutes across the EU on enhancing VET provision for humanitarian interpreters by integrating the Inter4Ref learning outputs. 3. Developing a European “yeast” of humanitarian interpreters’ trainers trained & accredited by EOPPEP. 3. Integrating the Inter4Ref learning outcomes and occupational profile into the EU and national certification & accreditation schemes.
CONTEXT & BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT The dramatic rise in the number of refugees arriving in Europe produced a soaring demand for humanitarian professionals, including interpreters, needed to respond to the emerging needs. Interpreters play a crucial role that exceeds their usual job profile; they are called to work in fragile environments, refugee camps, and urban refugee settings. Due to the huge demand for interpreters speaking the beneficiaries' languages, the role of the humanitarian interpreter is often delivered by refugees without adequate training & accreditation. Furthermore, their growing professional community is not institutionalized, there is no occupational profile, targeted VET, and established code of professional ethics for interpreters working in humanitarian settings. In this context, there is a need a) to redefine their role in a way that will help them pursue the missions of humanitarian organizations, and b) to develop up-to-date VET to up-skill them on emerging skills requirements as regards: a) inter-cultural communication, b) vulnerable groups e.g. unaccompanied minors, victims of violance, traumatised individuals, c) ethics & the interpreter’s role, d) interpreting in specific settings such as reception & law, health & psychological care, and e) selfcare & dealling with emotional challenges. OBJECTIVES 1. Develop up-to-date VET curricula for interpreters & for their trainers, grounded on original learning outcomes, to respond to work challenges related to the provision of humanitarian aid for refugees in Europe today. 2. Support interpreters & their trainers to address their self-training requirements as regards their flexible respond to their humanitarian work, enhancing access to original OERs. 3. Facilitate recognition of the occupational profile of the humanitarian interpreter within the EU. THE INTER4REF PARTNERSHIP The National Center for Social Research – EKKE (EL), the National Organisation for Qualification & Vocational Guidance – EOPPEP (EL), the University of Modena - UNIMORE (IT), the University of Almeria – UAL (ES), and the University of Glasgow – UGLA (UK) formed a Strategic Partnership comprising academic, research & accreditation expertise from 4 EU countries. ACTIVITIES, METHODOLOGY & INVOLVED PARTICIPANTS 1. Identification of emerging skills needs in humanitarian interpretation, in the context of in-depth interviews with professionals, trainers & experts representing 48 national stakeholders/organisations in the 4 partnership countries. 2. Development of up-to-date learning outcomes based on the abovementioned skills' needs analysis. 3. Development of OERs in humanitarian interpretation. 4. Development of a VOOC openly available to a wide international audience of more than 5.500 interpretation professionals to gather course evaluation feedback and achieve the highest impact possible. 5. Sharing & evaluation of the course with multiplier events, inviting more than 350 trainers, experts and professionals in humanitarian interpretation to try and uptake Inter4Ref results acting as impact multipliers. 6. Development of a "pool" of 134 trained & accredited trainers based on the projects learning outcomes and materials. 7. Involvement of more than 20 social partners, accreditation bodies and field experts to support the certification & accreditation process in humanitarian interpreting, through a pubic consultation process, a support statement & a strategic plan. RESULTS, IMPACT ATTAINED 1. Up-to-date (based on needs analysisi) original learning outcomes in humanitarian interpretation. 2. An open modular VET course consisted of six (6) learning units, each completed by a full set of OERs including slides, case studies, exercises, and audiovisual material, translated in the four (4) partnership languages, as well as in Arabic. 3. A Trainer's Handook in English. 4. A Vocational Open Online Course (VOOC) based on the Inter4Ref learning outcomes, attended for free by 5.639 international learners in the context of three (3) pilot runs. 5. Four national workshops to promote results and evaluate learning materials attended by 353 professionals, trainers and experts. 6. One virtual 5 days Trainers' Seminar (LTT) attended by 134 learners who received certification by EOPPEP developing an EU “yeast” of trainers in Humanitarian Interpretation. 7. Course evaluation by the VOOC, LTT & Multiplier Events participants, as well as by an External Expert. 7. A Strategic Plan & a Support Statement for the valorisation of the Inter4Ref course on an EU level signed by more than 20 national stakeholders. LONG TERM IMPACT - Development of a European “yeast” of humanitarian interpreters’ trainers trained & accredited by EOPPEP. - Establishment of the Inter4Ref Trainers' Seminar as one of the main educational "paths" leading to future official recognition as described in the Occupational Profile of the "Intercultural Mediator" developed by EOPPEP.