Announcement
The interpretation team at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City provides essential language services for the people that we serve. With 18 languages to offer, the team provides an integral service to ensure refugees and other new Americans receiving services from the IRC and its local partners are able to effectively communicate in their preferred language. These efforts have seen rapid growth over the past year, expanding from seven full & part-time staff members to 20.
Expansion of these efforts have bolstered other local resettlement programs and services offered by the IRC in Salt Lake City. The interpretation team provides support for every vital service offered by the IRC as refugees work to rebuild their lives: from medical appointments to bus orientations, cultural orientations, home visits, program assessments, job clubs, pre-driving classes, financial literacy classes, health intakes, immunization clinics, job interviews, and so much more.
Sharifullah Azizi, Dari & Pashto Interpreter, shared what a day in the life of an interpreter might look like! Originally from Afghanistan, Sharifullah was resettled to Utah by the IRC in Salt Lake City a year ago. “I got involved with the IRC because I was so happy with the work that was getting done here. It gives me the joy to help others experiencing the resettlement process,” said Sharifullah. He works with clients from the Middle East, understanding the culture shock they face and helping explain the differences in systems and daily life they will face in the United States.
Since October, Sharifullah has been working for the IRC as an interpreter, transporting individuals to appointments at hospitals and clinics, facilitating bus orientations, attending monthly cultural orientations, and working to help educate the newest arrivals about life in Utah. Each workday looks different for him. Sharifullah remains flexible, as he could spend time helping a family navigate a medical appointment, stop to offer assistance to a caseworker discussing questions from an individual waiting in the IRC’s lobby, and then work to translate program documents to ensure greater access to information for the communities served.
“I enjoy serving immigrants and guiding them through what they do not know. I work with them as they resettle, and can relate to the struggle that they can feel,” said Sharifullah. He shared that bus orientations have been especially rewarding because self-sufficiency focused on community navigation opens up many opportunities for newly arrived refugees. Bus orientations make the biggest difference for those who have recently arrived, as they are able to purchase groceries, travel to work and visit friends on their own.
Interpreters are essential as they provide language access to many resettlement programs. Pictured here: Gatete Ujifusa, refugee community liaison at the IRC, provides interpretation in Swahili at a cultural orientation.
Photo: James Roh
The interpretation team shares the responsibility of educating the newest arrivals about life in the United States. They must be knowledgeable about different systems within the community as well as the programs and services available at the IRC in Salt Lake City. These efforts ensure newly arriving refugees are able to communicate their needs and receive essential information in their preferred language, even as they work to learn English.
Community support ensures IRC’s interpretation program is sustained, with funds supporting interpreters’ time provided by individuals, corporate and foundation partners, and government agencies. You can offer support of these essential services by making a gift that will remain local in support of the IRC in Salt Lake City at Rescue.org/GiveSLC.
The IRC’s interpretation team is currently hiring! Learn more by visiting Rescue.org/Careers.