PARADIGM HOUSING ‘HAPPY TO TRANSLATE’
Paradigm Housing has become the first organisation in England to adopt the ‘Happy to Translate’ toolkit.
Nothing illustrates the phrase ‘language barrier’ more clearly than when a customer needs help, but cannot make themselves understood in English.
Paradigm staff have now been trained to use the Happy to Translate toolkit, which helps establish the language spoken by the resident and their question or problem.
The toolkit includes pages of phrases in English and one of 60 languages.
Pointing at flags to establish the language and then the appropriate phrases allows people to have a conversation. Where the person still cannot be understood, a member of staff can make an appointment with an interpreter and indicate the time and date of the appointment.
Picture: Rohini Joshi, of Happy to Translate, hands the toolkit to Jon Theobald, head of quality and communications at Paradigm Housing.
Happy to Translate is widely used in Scotland by housing associations, local councils, police, NHS trusts and emergency services.
Happy to Translate is part of Paradigm’s Equality and Diversity Strategy.
Paradigm chief executive officer, Alison Hadden said: “We want to provide good services to our customers whatever their language.”
Having taken up the scheme, Paradigm is now encouraging other agencies in England to use the system.
The group invited members of the council, police, voluntary associations and community agencies to demonstrate the toolkit for them.
Happy to Translate spokesman, Rohini Joshi added: “If we can grow to other organisations, so people in England can recognise the ‘Happy to Translate’ logo and know they can get immediate help, that would be my dream.”