SPEAKERS

Dr Shani Tobias, Dr Lola Sundin & Dr Jim Hlavac (Translation & Interpreting Studies, Monash University)

Topic

The area of mental health is a growth area of work for interpreters. This is due to increases in (self-)reporting of mental health issues, an ageing population with age-related cognitive issues, and most recently with the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on people’s mental health. 

Since the mid-2010s, professional development (PD) has been phased in as a requirement for recently certified interpreters, and from 2019 onwards, it became compulsory for all interpreters to renew certification. This presentation features two parts. The first focuses on the needs and gaps in the provision of PD opportunities for interpreters, and presents data on interpreters’ prioritisation of PD for interpreting in mental health settings. The second part focuses on key sections of the Mental Health Interpreting Guidelines for Interpreters released at the end of 2017 by Monash University, and re-contextualises these in light of areas of reported need for PD in mental health settings for interpreters. 

About the speakers

• Dr Shani Tobias — is Acting Director of the Master of Interpreting and Translation Studies, Monash University, and is a NAATI-certified translator. Her research focuses on literary and cultural translation between Japanese and English.
• Dr Lola Sundin — is a lecturer in Translation and Interpreting Studies, Monash University, and is a NAATI-certified interpreter and translator in Japanese and English. Her research focuses on how societies are, and can be, represented to new audiences through translation of literary works. 
• Dr Jim Hlavac — is a senior lecturer in Translation and Interpreting Studies, Monash University, and is a NAATI-certified and practising interpreter and translator. He has researched in the areas of healthcare interpreting, and interpreting in mental health as well as family violence settings. He has published widely in the field of Translation and Interpreting Studies and in related disciplines.