Over the last few years, an international small group of us who do similar work around the world have been meeting up virtually four times a year with the support of interpreters.
We’re the International Intermediary Forum.
I always look forward to these meetings as they are a chance to connect with the most amazing group of people, all working in wildly different contexts but with a shared goal - accessible communication for participants involved in the justice system. It’s been awesome to learn from one another and hear how developments have been progressing and give one another support, even if it does involve meeting at crazy times of the day and night.
We now have a website for the International Intermediary Forum - https://internationalintermediaryforum.org/
Once a year we have an Open Meeting for anyone doing these roles and this year’s one is coming up - 1 Dec (2 Dec in NZ).
In NZ, we’re known as Communication Assistants but the role has a range of names - Intermediary, Facilictadores, Communication Support Specialist etc. Last year we had over 50 of us from a wide range of countries attend the Open Meeting, and this year we hope for even more.
If you do this work and want to find out how it happens in other countries, or know someone doing these roles, please spread the word. Registration is essential and we also need to arrange interpreters in advance so let us know if that is needed.
Registration link - Open Meeting - International Intermediary Forum
You can find out more about the work happening in other places via another project our Talking Trouble team has been involved in creating - the Intermediary Around the World map - if a country summary needs updating or adding, let us know - we want this to be as complete as possible so people can find one another or find out what is happening.
Registration essential - click here to register https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/international-intermediary-forum-open-meeting-tickets-2003635531812