On Monday 26th June 2023 SIS welcomed 33 SIS Service Users in 6 languages (Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, Italian, Pashto, Portuguese) to a specially organised lunch time event to help us get to know them better, hear their opinions about SIS, understand their needs and share knowledge about communities and culture.
“We are grateful for having this service available and free of charge, and we have been pleased with the services provided by SIS community interpreters. We would have been lost and unable to access public services without help from community interpreters.” Portuguese speaker
The Service Users were supported by 7 linguists who, having received Community Researcher training, facilitated activities and discussions and provided written feedback.
“I enjoyed talking about ideas and the services. I learned a lot about services I didn’t know. I enjoyed meeting other SUs. Some of us have a lot of things in common.” Farsi speaker
Evaluation of this feedback has allowed us to consider some key recommendations for developments within SIS whether that is to deliver something new and different, or to continue doing more of what is working well.
“We had never used the website before and found it very useful. Being able to choose our language right from the beginning was very well received.” Italian speaker
Main outcomes;
- 80% of Service Users had self-referred to SIS, mainly by phone.
- Service Users requested a receipt for their self-referral.
- There was quite poor knowledge of SIS’s other, additional services.
- The translated pages of the SIS website were very well received.
- There was a wide spectrum of IT literacy.
- Surveys aimed at Service Users should be “short, to the point, in my language and relevant to my needs”.
- There is high satisfaction of SIS service delivery particularly the staff.
- Service Users would like SIS to deliver services interpreting for a wider range of services.
- SIS could improve and develop the promotion of our services.
Key recommendations;
- Continue developing our promotional strategy for Service Users
- Build confidence for Service Users making self-referrals
- Explore the viability of resuming the Drop-In service at the BMECP
- Seek out and secure more funding for Social Prescribing
- Develop additional satisfaction feedback mechanisms for Service Users
- Create better collaborative understanding between SIS service delivery teams
Summary feedback has been translated and sent to all SIS Service Users who were invited to the event
Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, Italian, Pashto, Portuguese
