News
Wonderful AGM!#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... Read More
World Class!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... Read More
Brighton & Hove Chinese Society New Year Dinner BanquetBen 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... Read More
Defending the NHSThe 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... Read More
Multicultural Events during Spring 2019There are a number of multi-cultural events coming up during the Spring of 2019 that SIS is involved with and promoting to our Service Users in core community languages Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Hungarian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish. Everyone is welcome at these events. 28th February SIS 16th Annual General... Read More
SIS Annual Review 2017/18The 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... Read More
SIS meets Minister for Faith, Lord BourneOn 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... Read More
Research on the needs of LGBTQ Migrants, Refugees & Asylum SeekersImportant 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... Read More
Winter CelebrationMany thanks to everyone who attended our party on Monday, and best wishes from everyone at SIS for the festive season! Read More
Safeguarding training courseSIS 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).Read More
Service User Day 2018We 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... Read More
Ascentis Level 3 Community Interpreting qualification passes!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... Read More
Meeting with Head of engagement of Brighton & Hove CCGToday 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... Read More
Brighton Pride 2018SIS 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... Read More
Mole Check “Check a Mate” campaignAlbion 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... Read More
SIS video – A few headlines from our yearWe’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.Read More
Chocoholly Team Building!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... Read More
Universal Credit Training for Volunteer LinguistsOn 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... Read More
2018 Ascentis Level 3 in Community Interpreting qualification cohortMany 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... Read More
Volunteering Week “Thank you”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... Read More
Advocacy VoicesLast 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)... Read More
Punks In The Community!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.... Read More
VIVA SIS!“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... Read More
A Way A DayThere 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.Read More
Customer Service Excellence Award 2018SIS 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... Read More
SIS achieves Investing in Volunteers standardSIS 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... Read More
Launch of Brighton & Hove International Migrant Needs AssessmentBrighton & 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... Read More
Help to quit smoking campaignSIS 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)... Read More