It has been announced today – 14/09/2020 – that NHS England is writing to all G.P. Surgeries to make sure they are communicating the fact doctors can be seen in person if necessary, as well as virtually. In a BBC Headline News Article Nikki Kanani, Medical Director of primary care…

Imperial College London, in partnership with the BME Health Forum and the North West London Clinical Commissioning Groups have produced a series of videos aimed at encouraging people to continue to use health services if they are unwell. They are available in English, Arabic, Farsi, Kurdish and Sylheti. English Arabic…

Sussex Interpreting Services are fully resolved to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We believe strongly it is not acceptable that anyone should profit from the appalling abuse and exploitation of individuals. https://sussexinterpreting.org.uk/news/modern-slavery-act-2015-sis-position-statement/ Anti-Slavery UK Anti-Slavery UK has shared the information below to aid migrant workers in reporting concerns which may be…

Refugee week went by in such a blur of COVID crisis and Black Lives Matter protests that it proved challenging to fully appreciate the ingenuity and creativity of  organisers in transposing workshops, film discussions, concerts, art exhibitions and stand-up comedy into the online space so that people could continue to…

We recently read with great disappointment a Guardian article from 9th August 2020 about many BAMER women being turned away from domestic violence refuges because they do not speak English. We are so fortunate in Brighton and Hove that local commissioners recognise the needs of our diverse population.  SIS supports…

SIS has been commissioned by B&H NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to undertake some community research to try and understand the disproportionate impact of COVID 19 on Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) people. This work is in a partnership led by Trust for Developing Communities along with Hangelton…

Brighton & Hove City Council (BHCC) launched a fund for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community groups in Brighton & Hove on 13th July 2020. The fund will support projects that improve the well-being of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic residents and promote fairness. The fund is open to…

Doctors of the World have updated their translated guidance material to incorporate the latest government guidance.  Each translated document includes Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidance Who’s at high risk from Coronavirus How to protect yourself if you are at high risk Isolation guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection How long to…

Psychologytools.com has produced an amazing set of free resources translated into 40 language to help people who are feeling anxious and worried about their current circumstances. “Our world is changing rapidly at the moment. Given some of the news coverage it is difficult not to worry about what it all…

SIS is working in partnership with Together Co Befriending to upscale services to enable isolated and vulnerable people with language needs to benefit from this valuable service. We recognise that people with language needs can feel particularly isolated.  They often have few people they can connect with because of the…

SIS would like to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who have made such a massive contribution to our work. SIS works with a fabulous group of Volunteer Linguists who deliver Social Prescribing at our regular drop-in sessions as well as at appointments at Community Base and…

Brighton and Hove City Council have produced a series of posters in English and 6 Community Languages giving information about the COVID19 Community Hub.   The text was reviewed in consultation with migrant and refugee organisations to ensure it was as accessible and meaningful as possible. The Community Hub can support…

Public Health England’s Every Mind Matters service has launched a new suite of tips and advice, focussed on looking after people’s mental well-being during the coronavirus outbreak. The range of new resources include a tailored COVID-19 Mind Plan, content for individuals and their loved ones on managing their mental wellbeing…

Public Health England’s had sent out an 8 page leaflet to every household advising on COVID19.  This leaflet is now available in in several languages; Bengali / বোাংলো Gujarati /ગુજરાતી Polish / Polski  Punjabi / ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Romanian / Română Romani Russian / русский Somali / Soomaali Urdu / ارد و

SIS is working together with Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) and other local community organisations to ensure that people with language needs have access to accurate, up to date information. SIS has heard reports that some members of our communities have been too terrified to leave their house at…

Leeds City Council has produced a series of videos in their main community languages to promote essential information about Corona Virus.   The videos are available in Arabic, Bengali, Czech, Farsi, Hindi, Kurdish Sorani, Mandarin, Tigrinya, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Slovak, Urdu.   The videos cover Essential Information, Spotting the Signs…

Doctors of the World have provided translated guidance material in the following languages which you can download here: Albanian / Shqip Armenian / ՀԱՅԵՐԵՆ Arabic / اللغة العربية Amharic / አማርኛ Bengali / বোাংলো Bulgarian / Български Burmese  Cantonese /繁體中文 (Traditonal Chinese) Czech / Cesky Dari / زبان دري English Estonian…

HM Government and the NHS have produced some printable translated posters in some community languages.  These can be printed for display. Bengali Gujarati Pashto  Polish  Romanian Russian Urdu

Big Leaf Foundation who “help displaced young people belong and grow” has produced written translations of NHS and WHO advice surrounding COVID-19 in several languages spoken by their young people. These resources also have illustrations to make the information easier to understand and absorb.  You can download these resources below…

We are here to help! We have been busy giving this clear and straightforward message to those who need our essential services in this unprecedented crisis. Our vital 24 hour emergency interpreting service continues and we have bolstered our capacity to deliver – 07811 459 315. We are offering and…

Public Health England have published some translated guidance on 1.        Stay at Home; guidance for households with possible coronavirus infections Arabic / اللغة العربية Bengali / বোাংলো Cantonese / 繁體中文 French / Francais Gujarati /ગુજરાતી Mandarin / 简体中文 Polish / Polski  Portuguese /Português Punjabi / ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Urdu /…

Doctors of the World have provided translated guidance material in the following languages which you can download here: Albanian / Shqip Arabic / اللغة العربية Bengali / বোাংলো Czech / Cesky Dari / زبان دري English Farsi / فارسی French / Français Greek / EΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Hindi / ह िंदी Hungarian…

SIS was one of the first charities in England to apply for the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Award https://www.customerserviceexcellence.uk.com/ There is a rigorous external validation that looks at how we work with NHS and Local Authority customers, service users and staff. We use the criteria to sustain improvement and innovation. We…

We had a wonderful 25 year celebration and AGM on 28th February 2020! Central to our success is the dedication of SIS Linguists.  They were at the centre of our event. The Mayor, Councillor Alexandra Phillips, and Bert Williams MBE, President of Brighton & Hove Black History, and long-serving SIS…

NEVER AGAIN! SIS has a specific commitment to supporting Holocaust Memorial Day in our Equal Opportunity & Diversity Policy This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 25th Anniversary of the Bosnian Genocide. Last year, as Convener of Brighton & Hove Stand Up To Racism…

For 25 years SIS has provided language services at the heart of our BME communities. We are delighted to speak about this in our 2018-19 Annual Review. As our Chair Jen Henwood says – In this context , heart suggests the centre, the hub, the core, the nucleus and brings…

SIS is thrilled for our Social Prescribing Plus partner, Friends Families and Travellers (FFT) who’ve been announced as runners up in the Community Health Development category of the illustrious Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) Health and Wellbeing Awards.  The team attended a glamorous event at the East Wintergarden in…

Having the free flu jab could stop vulnerable people ending up in hospital, or even dying, this winter, the local NHS has warned.  It can also help ease pressures on the NHS. Last year’s flu season saw 72 people ending up in hospital in Brighton and Hove due to flu,…

Do you speak fluent Vietnamese and English? Are you a community interpreter? Sussex Interpreting Services is looking to enrol freelance self-employed interpreters living in or near Brighton. Freelance Community Interpreters work in health and social care settings to ensure access to services for people whose first language is other than…

Do you speak fluent Bulgarian and English? Are you a community interpreter? Sussex Interpreting Services is looking to enrol freelance self-employed interpreters living in or near Brighton. Freelance Community Interpreters work in health and social care settings to ensure access to services for people whose first language is other than…

SIS was delighted to support our local Black History Family Day.  This vibrant community event is part of Black History Month, founded to recognise the contributions that people of African and Caribbean backgrounds have made to this country over many generations. Black History Month has been celebrated for over 40…

I was very happy, last Sunday, to go along and celebrate in the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the Hangleton and Knoll-Multi Cultural Women’s Group. SIS have collaborated with the Hangleton and Knoll Project (HKP) over many years. The day showed how successful HKP’s strategy towards engagement with BME women has…

SIS co-hosted a Vigil for the 39 migrants who tragically died in the back of a refrigerated lorry in the early hours of Wednesday morning. We wanted to show our concern and express our solidarity with our beneficiaries, many of whom are Migrants and some of whom have undertaken perilous…

Today – 10th October 2019 – is World Mental Health Day.  The theme this year is suicide prevention.  The aim is to help break down stigma and encourage positive conversations around mental health.  It is a day for raising awareness and highlighting services offering support. SIS estimates that 25-30% of…

Net Promoter Scores (NPS) are a useful way of measuring customer and stakeholder experience. https://www.netpromoter.com/know/ In the last 15 months we have collected our NPS using 5 Surveys that asked people: `How likely is it that you would recommend SIS to a colleague, friend or family member?” We received 306…

The most recent unsolicited feedback report is now uploaded to the SIS website here on our Quality Assurance page under Positive Feedback. It’s great to hear how much our work is appreciated.  We were particularly moved by a Service Users comments “First of all, I am very grateful for your…

Refugee Week 2019 was a great success! There were many events and over 1,000 people attended the final Family Day in the Dome – 300 people more than last year. Refugee Week is a massive undertaking, unfunded and completely volunteer run.  In the remainder of Europe the focus is on…

Great news – SIS is once again providing Bilingual Advocacy services! Sussex Interpreting Services, along with POhWER, Mind in Brighton and Hove, MindOut, Brighton & Hove Speak Out and Impact Advocacy are now providing the Sussex Advocacy Partnership.  This is a new advocacy hub for the people of Brighton and…

The theme of Refugee Week this year is You, me and those who came before #Generations It is an invitation to explore the lives of refugees – and those who have welcomed them – throughout the generations.  People escaping war and persecution have been welcomed by communities in the UK for…

We have recently been made aware of concerns around the potential for recruitment of interpreters for the purpose of re-trafficking victims (modern slavery). We wish to provide a level of assurance to all SIS customers. Sussex Interpreting Services are fully resolved to comply with the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We…

This campaign from the NHS aims to: encourage and support more conversations between people who provide health and social care and the individuals, families and carers who receive that care shift the focus from ‘what is wrong with you’ to ‘what matters to you’ The campaign is encouraging people to…

SIS would like to give a big thank you to all the volunteers who have made such a massive contribution to the work which we do. SIS works with a fantastic group of 32 Volunteer Linguists who chiefly deliver Social prescribing at our regular drop-in sessions as well as at…

The NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations) published an important set of Charity Ethical Principles in January 2019. The SIS Management Committee discussed the 4 Principles and decided to adopt them at their meeting on Valentines Day 2019! Beneficiaries First Integrity Openness Right To Be Safe These principles aim to…

#SISAGM19 – The SIS AGM is a showcase for our services and values. It is a great opportunity to celebrate achievements and connect with each other across language and community. This year we also decided to arrange our Customer Service Excellence visit at our AGM.  This worked very well and…

Customers and stakeholders attending our AGM last week voted SIS WORLD CLASS! On the same day our Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Assessor confirmed Compliance Plus in an unprecedented 5 areas! What a day! Thank you to all our customers and stakeholders, especially those attending our wonderful AGM. World Class Net…

Ben Williams, SIS Projects Coordinator, was very kindly invited to the dinner on Tuesday 12th February held at the China Garden restaurant in central Brighton. The evening started with a very impressive lion dance to welcome guests to the occasion. This was followed by a variety of speeches, further performances…

The National Health Service, has for nearly 70 years provided a cost effective, universal health service, free at the point of need to all people irrespective of their background, circumstance or ability to pay. Over the history of SIS, we have worked similarly to our ‘rights’ and ‘inclusiveness’ value; SIS…

The latest SIS Annual Review is now available online. The review provides a summary of the organisation’s activity over a 12+ months time period as well as other information about SIS. We hope you enjoy reading about our services and welcome any feedback you would like to give. DOWNLOAD ANNUAL…

On Thursday 17th January, SIS was invited to meet Minister for Faith, Lord Nick Bourne at the Brighton and Hove Impetus offices. At the meeting Impetus staff and volunteers introduced two schemes for which SIS is a partner. The Neighbourhood Care Scheme encouraging and enabling people from language communities to become…

Important local research on the needs of LGBTQ Migrants, Refugees & Asylum Seekers was published in March 2018. The Report is called LGBTQ Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Seekers’ Pathways and Support in Brighton & Hove. The Report records the Background: “LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) organisations in Brighton…

Many thanks to everyone who attended our party on Monday, and best wishes from everyone at SIS for the festive season!  

SIS would like to thank David Hunt; Learning & Development Officer for the Brighton & Hove Local Safeguarding Board for delivering a thoroughly informative safeguarding session to a number of SIS interpreters’, and also staff from Brighton & Hove Council’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS).

We held a fantastic SIS Service User Day attended by 40 people speaking 7 languages. Lots of fun and laughter and a wonderful lunch from www.cardamompod.co.uk helping to make it a really social community event. Great, inclusive participation from attendees helping to design bespoke fliers for the The Neighbourhood Care Scheme…

Congratulations to all of our interpreters who have successfully passed the Ascentis qualification, and gained their certificates. Pictured are Haissam, Talin, and Rotna, with David Slade (SIS Learning & Development Manager). David would like to congratulate them on behalf of everyone at SIS, for successfully completing their qualifications, and also for…

Today SIS met with Jane Lodge, Head of Engagement for Brighton NHS Clinical Commissioning Group at the SIS offices in Brighton. It was an opportunity to show Jane what happens behind the scenes and how we manage the interpreter bookings from GP surgeries and other organisations. Jane spent time with Kate…

SIS took part in this year’s Brighton Pride community parade with staff, interpreters and volunteers representing the organisation to 300,000 people who lined the route from Hove Lawns to Preston Park. The theme was ‘Carnival Of Diversity’ and our team held workshops putting together our specially made speech bubble signs…

Albion in the Community has launched a “Check a Mate” mole check campaign this summer.  AITC teamed up with NHS staff to offer free mole checks at the Take Part Festival at the The Level in June and at a football tournament in Preston Park on 26th July. Over 100…

We’ve made a short film about our year at Sussex Interpreting Services, sharing some facts and figures as well as looking ahead to what’s to come.

Working in a busy service it is important for us to take time out of the office together to do something unrelated. It helps us bond with newer colleagues and refresh our relationships. We were all excited to have the opportunity to be with trustees and to make chocolates! People…

On Monday 25th June, 11 of our team of Volunteer Linguists attended a training session on Universal Credit. The session was led by an excellent trainer and benefits specialist, Jayne Knights. The aim of the training was for Volunteer Linguists to be able to help Service Users to prepare for…

Many congratulations to the SIS cohort of 11 interpreters who have successfully completed the 14 week Ascentis ‘Level 3  Certificate in Community Interpreting’ qualification, delivered in partnership with the Brighton & Hove Workers Education Association (WEA). The Ascentis qualification is the benchmark qualification in Community Interpreting, and will allow our interpreters to…

SIS is very proud of the contribution volunteers make to our organisation and would like to offer them a very big THANK YOU for all their hardwork. SIS now works with 32 formal volunteers in the Health Promotion Project, plus a further 12 volunteer linguists over the 3 years of…

Last Wednesday service users speaking Farsi, Portuguese, Spanish and Arabic meet with Commissioners to discuss their advocacy needs. The conversation was part of planning for advocacy services from April 2019. Following the Advocacy Needs Assessment Commissioners were keen to better understand the advocacy needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME)…

We see ourselves as Punks in the Community because we swim against many mainstream ideas that forget migrants are people. We help, whether people are part of an established community, an isolated individual or a member of a newly arrived group with little knowledge of UK systems and few resources….

“Being an interpreter is much more than being bilingual; you have to understand people`s emotions too”. Short piece on SIS in the fab Viva Magazine / Charity Box #24 page 21. Pick up your copy around town or read it online http://ow.ly/iDBs50h3kVg There is also an interesting feature on British Sign…

There was a fabulous turn out and atmosphere for A Way A Day – a multicultural health and well-being event – we were happy to support many of our service users to participate with Community Interpreters attending speaking Arabic, Bengali, Cantonese, Russian, Portuguese and Turkish.

SIS was one of the first charities to apply for the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Award.  We use the criteria to keep a focus on improvement and innovation.  We have done this every year since 2009.  This year we have achieved an unprecedented Compliance + in 4 areas: We use…

SIS have recently achieved the Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard, recognising the excellent work we do with volunteers. Arran Evans, SIS Director said “We are delighted to have achieved this important award and will use it to continue to improve our support for Volunteer Linguists and others.” Investing in Volunteers…

Brighton & Hove International Migrant Needs Assessment (IMNA) launched last night at Brighton Museum. We are pleased to be involved and attended with our Community Researchers. The language barrier and need for interpreting was central to the IMNA. We remain particularly concerned at barriers to accessing BHCC Housing Services for…

SIS is working with Brighton and Hove City Council Public Health Department on their “Help to quit smoking” campaign. Our website contains translated “Go Smokefree” leaflets on our language pages along with information supplied by BHCC about what local help is available. Translated Go Smokefree booklets العربية (Arabic) বাংলা (Bengali)…