Listserv Transcript

The listserv is an integral part of the Cultures of New York project. For a fuller description of its objectives in the pilot see About Cultures of New York. Following is a transcript, with the names removed, of the discussion that took place from mid-January 2002 to early May 2002.

2) The three things I would do to make New York a better place are:

1. Plant trees along every street in New York so that every street is a tree-lined one
2. Provide funding to support extensive after school programs for children in the public schools. I would definitely include money for arts projects, especially plays and musical performances, as well as sports and community service activities.
3. I would establish funding for an "I Love New York Day" where community groups would be encouraged to do community service and neighborhood cleanup projects, set up block parties on every street in all five boroughs, and end with a fireworks display and concert at sunset. Anyhow, what do you think of that?

3) the three things I would do if I won the lottery and wanted to make NYC a better place would be to build affordable housing, establish a forum to help teenagers with the issues that they are facing, and rebuild the world trade center,...this time with anti-aircraft missiles on the roof!

4) I’ll take a guess and say we are talking about a good sum of money?

1. I would get out of debt.
2. I would supplement the bills of my immediate family and a few good friends.
3. I would fund college scholarships and non-traditional education programs for young people.

5) in the first place, I would get the homeless off the streets, by building low income housing for them. Secondly, I would build better schools in the poor communities, and equip it with the best teachers. Then I would open up job centers in poor communities to help the uneducated adults, and youths to elevate themselves in life through the power of knowledge.

6)

1. I will give a portion to help the homeless find permanent housing.
2. I will donate another portion to my church towards the senior citizen and youth ministries
3. give to the college of my choice.

7) hi there! The three things I would do:

1. Assist low-income families obtain affordable housing by supplementing their initial down payments,
2. Implement a neighborhood clean up program that would involve adults and children,
3. Establish a neighborhood garden, which welcomes both old and young.

8) I don't think the lottery would be enough for me to make the changes I would like. I would like to see greener parks, homes that are affordable for families that are having a difficult time in meeting their expenses, and an increase in the exchange of cultural experience that is not limited to once a year, or just to a specific area.

9) first you will have to state the amount of money I won, before I could address helping New York city. Depending on the amount received

1. I would first improve my personal life in many areas, as an individual of the city.
2. start a program for the people who are financially deprived, and is willing to work hard for a better life(helping the welfare department).
3. helping working families with day care for their children.

10) if I won the lottery the three things I would do is to:

1. fix up some of the old buildings in each borough for housing for the homeless with a certain criteria they would have to agree to.
2. open a center in each borough for the youth and have the youth to plan for the activities they would like to have.
3. upgrade all schools with adequate learning materials and equipment.

11)

1. I would provide better shelters for the homeless by trying to make them safer.
2. I would provide funding for programs for children in foster care such as; special education needs children, sports programs where children have the opportunity to travel to various countries and scholarship programs to help with college.
3. I would provide a service to teenage mothers and their children; housing, education and financial assistance.

12)

1. - I would help new York ' s homeless by providing them with housing as long as they participate in job skill programs. This would help increase their motivation and self esteem. I would also have the program include job placement within the homeless shelters after graduation in order for the graduates to help other homeless. This way they could share their stories and let them know there is hope.
2. - I would open more parks for recreational use among our city’s children. Also fund Saturday projects within the parks to educate the children about the environment and how important it is to keep our streets clean and graffiti off the walls.
3. - I also would fund a project which has strict criteria regarding teenage children who miss numerous amounts of school per year. If a child misses a certain amount of school days they should be mandated to attend a certain program which enforces them to receive an education.

13) If I were to win the lottery, I would build more affordable housing designated for single parent households. I would also open free to low-cost day care services, also available to single-parents. Lastly, I would build a number of housing facilities for runaway teens

14) I would use the money to open a quality day care for children. I will also give a portion of it away to a to help fund a domestic violence program.

15) I would take my time with this new found fortune; you see I have not ever had such funds therefore I would not know what to do with it; but I can say a large part would be to benefit those who are less fortunate than myself

16) If I won the lottery I would try to set up a trust or some financial arrangement where the money could generate more money in the future so that any ongoing charitable donations I would want to provide for could sustain itself in the future. I would set up a program to help adults help their children as I believe better equipped adults will in turn help their children. I believe children are resilient and parents are the ones who set up the generation to generation dysfunction, so helping them overcome their problems will better serve everyone, including the children. Besides any humanitarian aid I would offer I would try travel to other cultures to better understand them and how they live.

17) I would give money to a children’s fund, senior citizen and to the families who lost love ones in the world trade center disaster.

18) if I won a million. I would donate to some and pay my bill (which is not much. The rest I would use to travel.

20) First of all, the parents smiling in agreement does not mean that they understood what was being said. The involvement of a Korean translator is necessary at this time to ensure that the parents clearly understand the laws and acs involvement. It's also an opportunity for the family to be linked to a Korean preventive service agency, which can provide supportive services to the family. The child's attendance has been good up until this incident, so the act was not intentional. They probably saw this as the only option available to them, and did not know the consequences.

21) in response to the case study. The reason the sup directed the worker to refer the family to prs is because they can benefit from an agency that might speak the language and help the family in finding health care services for the sick grandparent. The need for further investigation is to make sure that the parents are following through and sending the child to school. It is clear that prior to the sick grandparent the child was going to school.

22) the supervisor directed the worker to provide services because the family would benefit from homemaking or home attendant services for the grandmother. Also the caseworker needs to go back to the home with an interpreter and address the issues so that the family fully understands the allegations of the case and the law.

23) I think the supervisor took this position, because of the child's prior school attendance. It is clear that the family need help. Preventive services is one of the ways that the worker can help the family. The worker should have also taken an interpreter with them, as soon as they realized or had an incline that the mother was not understanding what they were saying.

24) I think the action of the worker is appropriate, however, services should be looked into for the grandmother because she is in need of help. The grandmother could benefit from home attendant services in which someone could care for her adequately. The little girl could then continue to go to school and keep up her good attendance record. Thus, the family situation remains intact.

25) the caseworker appears to be following the law in this case and is considering the welfare of the child and her future. Family considerations do not play a part in her decision.

26) cpssii needs to instruct cps to call our contracted translating services. A home visit is needs when the parents are home ( with translator). Grandmother is in need of home care services. The ten yrs. Old needs an after-school program.

27) I think the supervisor took this position because the family has no previous involvement with acs. Also, the supervisor sees that there is a language barrier. It is somewhat clear that the family does not understand the severity of what they have done. Leaving the child at home with an elderly relative is probably common practice in the family's country. Also, preventive services may be necessary in order to facilitate a suitable living arrangement for the grandmother.

29) this question is directed to the Russian community representative. Do you know of any examples that you can use to indicate how a non - Russian caseworker was able to establish trust and successfully work with the client, regardless of any preconceived notion that the client might have about that ethnicity? Though these might not work in every situation, it would work as a means of heightening the workers awareness of possible techniques.

31) In regards to the Russian case study:

I would continue trying to contact the Russian worker on the phone. If he is not available then we would try to get a translator. There is a need for clarification for their behavior. Alina the child is still walking around in the house, we would try to speak to Alina. We would also try to speak to the older lady maybe we could make sense of her broken English. If we just can't get any answers. We would proceed with a translator at a later time. It appears Alina is not presently at risk.

32) I believe that this man and woman does not understand the reason for the caseworker's visit. There appears to be conflict between the man and woman, she wants the caseworker to help, while the man wants him to leave. As the caseworker I would attempt to request the use of their telephone to contact my Russian co-worker. If that can be accomplish the reason for the visit will be briefly explain and if the child is not in immediate danger a follow-up visit will be schedule with my Russian co-worker or a translator.

33) it would be nice to develop a rapport with the client and understand the Russian culture, but our job is to ensure the safety of the child or children in that home. Trust is valuable, but that takes time and in the many situations that caseworkers encounter there is limited time to make decisions. A professional attitude and sensitivity to the culture is what is most often needed.

34) I agree. Often times it is difficult to develop a rapport with a client, especially when you believe that the child may be in imminent danger. I think a caseworker who approaches this client with a sensitive, positive attitude, free of defensiveness, is on her/his way to build a good working relationship, and more importantly getting her/his goal accomplished. Sometimes all it takes is a smile and a pleasant greeting.

35) You need to develop a rapport with the client and then slowly get to understand the Russian’s culture. By understanding their culture, you begin to develop that trust. Providing that you give the necessary documents for the caseworker, there would be no trust. Coming from a communist country, no one cannot trust the other. I am from there, I know what I am saying.

36) There are various degrees of imminent risk. Some might require that the child, or children be immediately removed from the home, while others might be resolved by providing intensive preventive services(ex. Fpp). To successfully work with families with children, considered to be in imminent risk, the caseworker/social worker must be skilled at developing a positive rapport with the family. An overall negative feeling toward the family, by the caseworker, could cause a disruption in the service plan.

37) With a Russian family, or any family it is important to obtain the necessary information to determine the condition of the children. After establishing your credibility, it is important to develop a rapport with the family if your casework will be successful. Also, the caseworker/social worker must show respect, and genuine concern for the client's problem. Only after this can you move forward toward a successful resolution of the risk factors.

38) I agree with you both. You cannot jump to any conclusions based on your own cultural notions; you have to make sure that you perceive the situation correctly. Reassuring the client that you are friendly and fair is the first thing; showing them that you are willing to learn about their culture is a very positive move (simply by saying hello in the language). Of course, most important is obtaining help from someone who can interpret (both the language and the cultural dynamic of the situation). For example, it's not at all strange for grandparents to take care of children if the parents have to work. Some people on the list reacted to the story negatively precisely because they did not have enough knowledge of the daily culture.

39) Dear participants, people are going to be people. We are not looking for love here. We have a job to do. We are trying to make a pleasant approach to the caretaker of the child, to investigate a case here in the u.s.. We are trying to make it less dramatic as possible. If the client in the Russian case chose to be uncooperative we will then proceed with a professional translator, that all depends on the condition the child is in. We are not going to get a strait answer here.

40) There seems to be no co-operation from this family. The family think that whatever they do, should be their business and no one should tell them what to do. If I was the caseworker, I would have to report them for child neglect and maybe removal of the child from home, if a younger family member could not care for child. I would also find out what happens to the mother, because it seems as if the elderly family might be the grandparents.( I hope that I made a good judgement).

41) there is a definite communication problem here. In addition, the older people appear possibly frightened of authority. ( the box of chocolates would seem to indicate that having lived under communism, the thing to do was to offer a "mini bribe" to resolve the problem.) As the child does not appear to be at risk, if the worker cannot contact his Russian coworker, he should leave some written communication, with his phone #, what agency he represents and stating that he will return with an interpreter. This way, if the client has someone they know who does speak English, they will not be so upset when the worker returns.

43) First of all, you should not bide a client to develop some sort of communication. If you are unable to communicate in that person's language, most of the time some one around that particular surrounding would be able to assists you. From thereafter, you can contemplate on allocating an interpreter on follow up visit. The key thing here is to assert the safety of the child and to make sure that the caretaker understands the severity of the investigation.

44) It sounds to me that the family is completely oblivious to what the caseworker is talking about. If the caseworker could not get his colleague who speaks Russian, he should have contacted his supervisor for advise as to how to proceed. Being that they come from a climate /culture where it is very cold and snowy a lot, and the child was in their backyard, this could be their custom to allow their children to play in the snow. The scenario does not indicate whether the child was adequately dressed or not. Rather than err in judgment it would be prudent to get a Russian interpreter who is familiar with the culture to interpret to foster communication between the caseworker and the family for a clearer understanding of the nature of the problem that conflicts with their way of life.

In the section of the course material called "language expressions to be recorded" there are a few phrases and words in russian cited as

"I'm here to investigate a report on..."

My Russian supervisor suggested a more appropriate the Russian phrase

"Ya khotel by uznat' o khode moego dela", which would read :

"I would like to verify information about.."

The Russian translation for this sentence should be:

"Ya khotel by proverit' informatziyu o...."

Would you make this known to the students of the cultures of New York? I think it is important that caseworkers approach our clients with an open mind on childwelfare work.

47) in regard to the west indian case study:

There is a problem. First of all, the caseworker needs to speak with all the people involved separately. Then there should be a group session to resolve all issues gather. As the case is written, the child seems to have the problem, but the real issue is the whole family, probably because of the boyfriend moving into the home. I think the caseworker needs to help and assure the child, and understand why the changes have taken place.

48) It seems to me that the case study could be interpreted in a few different ways. For example, we could look at the situation of all the children in the home. Or, the points we could focus on are: the sleeping arrangements; and the mother's boyfriend's efforts to convince the caseworker (you) that nothing is wrong. considering these elements, we should ask ourselves, what may be due to cultural difference? What may require further investigation into the possibility of child abuse?

50) It is highly possible that this is a custom in their culture, I would just need to confirm it. I will then discuss with the mother the concerns other people would have observing this type of behavior in relation to sexual abuse. If the mother does not speak English, I would obtain the services of a translator to explain this to both the mother and grandmother.

51) Hello participants,

There is a lot to be learnt and we need to have a open mind doing our work. We also have to listen to what is been stated to us during our Investigation. Sometimes honesty can be seen while speaking to others.

52) As in other cases, language barrier is the main issue here. First it seems to be a custom of their culture. The caseworker will need to find out why the mother was doing so. Then she can explain to the family that in our society, this type of behavior can be classified as sexual abuse and that she should try to restrain from this custom.

53) Dear participants,

The fondling, admiring and even photographing the genitals of male nfants and toddlers is very much a part of the latino culture. This is seen as very natural and it is in no way sexual. The fact that the womanin the case study fondled the boy's genitals in front of the case worker is a testament to how perfectly normal and comfortable she felt about what she was doing. As you know, sexual abuse with children takes place under a mantle of secrecy and intimidation. Fondly in the latino culture is usually done in the presence of others ( usually family and close friends)so that they too can participate in admiring and commenting on the beauty of the child's genitalia. (the family jewels). This is done only with males and stops when the child is about three years of age. This is never a case of sexual abuse.

54) I strongly agree with your comments. I am Puerto Rican and yes! admiring, fondling and photographing the male genitals is a common practice. It is not sex abuse. It is a source of pride for the beautiful healthy baby boy god has blessed the family with. It is not usually done to girls.

56) Reading the case study, I, myself, felt that from the point of view of a very "traditional" mother perhaps burning *once* the lips of the child could be an acceptable disciplining practice. what do you think? Once again, it seems to me that in this case study it is difficult to decide whether a tradition or cultural practice can be a child safety risk. How do you feel about this?

57) Hello, my response to l's question is: absolutely not! (it can not be an acceptable disciplining practice). Discipline comes from the latin word disciplina which means to teach. It is also where the word disciple comes from and the disciples were told to "go and teach". A child is an inexperienced little person and it is our job to teach them, not hurt them. The only things ever taught by negative discipline are fear and deceit. Healthy fear is born of knowledge gained through respect, and respect is taught by modeling, not by physical harm.

58) People from foreign countries had special ways of discipling their kids. Harm was never an issue in dealing with punishment. Growing up as kids, we were warn about the danger of doing wrong and the consequent of the punisment we would received. Any grown up (strangers or other family members) could have punished us and then they would be another punishment by our parents. No law was involved, because that was an OK thing in the country. Maybe that is the reason for little crimes and violent and most of all, no foster or adoption home in the foreign countries, back in the days.

59) Burning a child's lip as a form of punishment is inappropriate and harmful...and should not be justified based on tradition or culture. Certainly the CPS worker should explore alternative methods of discipline with the mother...discuss with her the life time scar that the child may have, educated her on the laws within the us, if needed-identify supportive parenting program/services.

61) You raised some rather interesting as well as important questions regarding 'cultural translation'. I am particularly interested in the one that asks: "where and when [and how, I might add] do you draw the line that determines whether a tradition or cultural practice can be a child safety risk?" we have to guard against the tendencies of "ethnic communities" to use culture as a way of justifying certain practices which may or may not be acceptable to their own people back home. So, it seems to me that the caseworkers should be exposed to various segments of the population within a particular ethnic community in order to get a more balanced portrait of the community. Most non-western/third world people are either familiar with or in the process of being introduced to modern political, social, cultural and legal institutions. Schools, colleges, media, community activists and workers as well as family members acquainted with ways of the "modern" have always played and continue to play significant roles in exposing the larger community to modern institutions in their respective countries. I am not suggesting that the entire globe is in the process of becoming Americanized. People in the third world as well in other non-western countries have often creatively forged western and local traditions to construct a culture that helps to make their own lives much more liveable. It is not the particular cultural practice that is at issue here but its potential to become harmful to individuals as well as to the larger community. Figuring this out is not going to be easy. It will require skills in cultural translation and I believe projects such as the "Cultures of New York" project can be of great help in this direction. As regards the case study involving the mother who burnt her son's lips as a way to punish him for his misdeeds cannot be condoned or excused for reasons of culture. I doubt she would have been permitted to do this back home surrounded as we are by extended family members and nosy neighbors. She would have been either prevented from doing this or reprimanded for this. But again, family members often do help perpetrators to cover up such crimes in the name of preserving family honor and respectability. So, it's tricky and I wish the caseworkers all the best in their work, fathoming such difficult situations.

62) I have been reading the responses in understanding cultural differences and behaviors. Sometimes workers do have a sense of what the possibilities may be culturally doing their investigation, and would give the preference to the client. At ACS the CPS don't have the last word in the last decision process. An interviewer at times is able to see reaction, body language etc. and these all goes together. You are only the information gatherer, and regardless how the CPS views the case situation supervisors, managers give the last word.

63) General question on the ACS workers 's effectiveness

I want to focus on one response, especially the last few sentences, which triggered a general question for me. I would like to know your opinion on it: What do you think is the ACS worker's ability to influence possible child abuse situations?

64) I agree, but it is the worker's job to gather as much information as possible and bring it back to the sup or the CPM. The caseworker is the eyes and ears of the case. How they present the information of what they saw and heard will have a great bearing on how the information is viewed by others. One thing I can say from this case scenario, there was a lot of discussion and knowledge gained. I know I learned. Workers will know if they are presented this allegations what is possible.

65) A child did not ask to come into this world. If a parent has to discipline a child by burning his/her lip, then she does not need to have that child in her care. In almost every culture, there has to be a humane side of the individual. If for any reason, that humane side of the individual is not triggered conscientiously, then something is wrong with that individual. It is also true that in some society, the law of the land believes in horrendous punishment towards a crime that was committed. These punishments seem to play an important role in the minds of these parents. The CPS worker will need to let the parents understand the law of the land. Also, when parents are threaten that their child could be taken away from their custody, if they are right in their mind, they will avoid any further abuse. Also, regular contacts from CPS worker could deteriorate the situation.

66) I simply would like to add that parents generally think they know and want what is right for their child(ren). A good number of parents or perhaps too many parents, however, do not have the tools to materialize their good intents towards their child(ren). ACS workers might want to consider that abusive parents need as much help as they children they harm or abuse do Understanding the assumptions, mores, customs and principles that all parties (i.e., Parents and ACS workers) are operating from, might yield greater benefits to children.

67) To answer your question in depth, in my opinion, requires preventive knowledge and skills. However, in general, most parents love their children and abuse often is the result of a lack of knowledge, either of how to raise children, or of how a child learns and grows. Many parents, because of their own background, are unable to parent effectively and can benefit from proper intervention. Threatening them will only make them angry, as in, "who are you to tell me what I can do with my child". If the ACS worker uses an understanding approach, often times they are able to defuse a potential threat of harm, and can work with the parent. However, there are the times when forceful removal of the children is necessary, usually because of drug/alcohol related events that are taking place, placing the children and, often, the worker in danger.

69) First, I want to know how much English this family understands. If there is an understanding between worker and client, then the necessary steps can be taken. Referral to a Haitian speaking agency should be taken so that the client could be comfortable.

70) Follow-up information on the Haitian family had revealed that they were newly arrived in New York from Haiti. Anticipating a language barrier and the potential for cultural misunderstandings, the Child Protective Services supervisor assisted the field worker in preparing for the intervention by arranging for the services of an interpreter. Further assessment of the family revealed that the mother had taken the child regularly to the community faith healer for medical care as she and other neighbors did for all medical services. The faith healer had cared for her and her other children successfully and the mother had complete trust in the healer and the advice given. The mother spoke and understood very little English and was also afraid to seek traditional services due to her immigration status. She very rarely went outside her neighborhood and was unfamiliar with the subway system, making access to the clinic extremely difficult. New appointments were scheduled at the clinic for the baby, the siblings, and the mother. The mother was told that the faith healer would be welcomed to accompany the family to the clinic, and assured that her immigration status would not lead to deportation and removal of the children (as her neighbors had warned). Plans were made to help the mother complete immigration paperwork and attend English classes. Throughout the process, the family remained together in their community and within their own cultural environment. Would you have guessed that this would be the resolution of the situation I posted for discussion last week? Or, do you think there might have been other possible interpretations? LF.

71) Interpreters and Translations

Hello,

I’ve been asked to join the "Cultures of New York " listserv to provide you some information about the services we provide to ACS caseworkers, as well as the "art" of interpretation in general. In this message, I'll provide you a brief overview of the services we provide to ACS caseworkers and how you can access them. In subsequent postings to the listserv, I'll be sharing some of the most commonly asked questions regarding interpretation services, and providing you some tips to maximize your success when using an in interpreter. You should feel free to reply to this, or any of my future postings, with your questions and comments - I look forward to them!

****Here's a brief overview of what we do:

Geneva has been providing the Administration for Children Services with interpretation services since 1998; face-to-face interpretation, document translation, and telephonic interpretation. We are currently assisting caseworkers 24 hours a day 7 days a week and provide services in all 5 boroughs in most languages and dialects. All caseworkers are allowed to use interpretation services. All caseworkers’ need is a voucher number for each separate service you need, which can be obtained from your supervisor.

We recognize that many clients are non-native English speakers, which is why case families may be more comfortable conducting interviews in their native language. For this reason, Geneva has and will continue to provide ACS caseworkers with on call face to face interpreters to help assist in the sensitive case material. Our goal is accuracy and professionalism in creating a comfortable interview environment for the caseworker and the family.

***These are the specific services we can provide:

Face-to-face interpreters (with 4 hours minimum notice) any time, any day: interpreters meet caseworkers' outside the case location and enter the location together. Caseworkers can also request interpreters to meet at ACS offices to provide interviews. Lastly, caseworkers can request to meet at remote locations and the two can travel together to case location together.

Immediate telephonic interpretation (usually in less than an hour) in any language. Caseworkers are responsible to set up a three-way conference call to address any question that the case families may have. Telephonic interpretation is useful in setting up face to face Appointments with families, ensuring that a family speaks a particular dialect, and conducting pressing interviews when time is an issue.

Document translation (usually 5-7 business days depending on type of document, number of pages and language) - we can translate any document in any language for ACS workers. Geneva can translate documents into English or into a family's native language.

***Here's how you can access our services:

On call interpreters are available to you 24 hours a day - 7 days a week to assist in conducting family visits and interviews all you need is a voucher and a telephone.

72) Hello again,

Did you know more than 42 million people in the United States speak a language other than English at home???.

As promised I'm pleased to provide you with the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions regarding interpretation and translation services at ACS.

Commonly asked questions:

***If a client speaks broken English, can I still order an interpreter?

Yes!! Many families who are not 100% fluent in English are more comfortable speaking their native languages during interviews. In order to create a comfortable information exchange, it is in a caseworker's interest to bring an interpreter to the interview when a family is not fluent in English.

***If I have to cancel an interpreter can I reschedule the case?

Yes! We can reschedule a case whenever possible, however case workers must give us a minimum of 2 hours notice in order to reuse the voucher. If an interpreter is already en-route to the location or cannot be reached than a voucher may not be reused and the subsequent case will require a new voucher number.

***What languages do you provide for ACS?

We can provide 50 + dialects for ACS including all Asian, Indian African, South American, Caribbean and European languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, Creole, Cantonese, Mandarin, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Mandingo etc.). However we are not contracted to provide Russian and sign language. If you have any questions about our service please feel free to call.

***What do I do if I do not know the language that a family speaks?

We recommend a telephone interpretation case whenever a caseworker is unsure of a family's native dialect. Our interpreter is available to be placed in a three-way call through your agency and

1) schedule an appointment

2) verify dialect

3) conduct phone interview. Each telephone case requires a voucher number separate from the actual face to face interpretation.

***How do I order an interpreter?

Call us any time to order an interpreter. You must have a voucher number to place an order, as our systems require it. Have the voucher number, case address, case name, and directions (nearest subway stop is fine) available. We will need a date and an exact time that you want to schedule interpretation. We ask for cell phone and or pager so we can reach you when you are in the field.

***How do I set up a conference call from the office?

All ACS offices have three way calling capabilities. If you are unsure as to how a particular phone system works please contact your supervisor.

***How do I send over document translation?

First, call and inform our dispatch team that they should expect a translation along with any pertinent information about the documents. Please tell the dispatcher the source language, the target language, how many pages to expect and fax over all of the relevant documents. We will confirm receipt and set up a translation time schedule for you (as to when and how to expect the finished translation).

***Where should I meet the interpreter?

Dispatchers will always tell you to meet the interpreter outside of the location. Our interpreters are not allowed to enter a family’s household without the caseworker. We usually ask the caseworker to choose a meeting place and if convenient, meet the caseworker at their respective office and travel to the case together. When weather conditions are a factor, we suggest an indoor meeting place in and around the location, but not inside the case family's home.

***What do I do if I get to the case family’s home and the interpreter is not there?

Caseworkers are required to wait at least 30 minutes for the interpreter at a given location. While tardiness is not usual, there are instances of public transportation delays and other instances which can affect the caseworker and the interpreter arriving to a case on time. Also, interpreters are required to wait at the location in the events that the caseworker is late to a given case. We recommend calling Geneva if your interpreter is not at the case so we can locate and help for the meeting. Caseworkers should leave Geneva a working cell phone or pager if available so we can contact you while you are in the field to answer any questions you may have and keep you informed of any schedule changes.

These are the most commonly asked questions, but feel free to post your own questions regarding our services and interpretation in general, I look forward to responding to them!

73) annyong ha sey yo!

zdravstvuite!

(Hello! - Remember our first videoconferences?) In my previous translation and interpretation postings to the "Cultures of New York " listserv, I provided specific information on the services available to ACS caseworkers and employees, as well as a list of the most frequently asked questions. Today, I'd like to provide you with some tips on using an interpreter.

Here goes:

*** Speak to the client, not the interpreter.

*** Face the client.

*** Use courtesy greetings in the client's language (many of these are available on the "Cultures" web site)

*** Allow sufficient time for the interpretation

*** Do not expect the interpreter's timing to match your. It might take more or less time to explain what you said.

*** Do not interrupt the interpreter. Let him/her finish before adding more or asking for clarification.

*** Speak slowly, clearly and in short sentences.

*** Use layman terms as much as possible.

*** Help the interpreter prepare by providing appropriate information in advance (when possible and practical).

I hope you find these tips useful. And remember on call interpreters are available to you 24 hours a day -7 days a week to assist in conducting family visits and interviews all you need is a voucher and a telephone. I look forward to your questions, comments and discussion! cb

74) Thanks some of the services you describe in your message were new to me.

75) Dear participants,

Just to let you know that we at the family preservation programs, I am assigned to the Central Harlem site, have found the interpreting services to be very beneficial. Because of the intense work we do with our families to prevent children from going into foster care, we have used the services on a daily basis to work with our families for periods of up to eight weeks. We have had the need for a Spanish, French and for a Senegalese dialect (Woloff) interpreter. It was also helpful because on occasion they were able to give us awareness of the cultural and religious aspects of the family. Also, I can't forget that we have used a sign language interpreter during one of our interventions. Using this service could also be cost effective, by preventing placements.

76) Dear Cultures of New York project participants,

77) First I must say, thanks to you and all others who have make this training such a great success. The lunch was great. The folks were very friendly and made the afternoon a warm and pleasant day. I am very happy that I took the time to attend this course.

78) I found the training to be very interesting and enlightening. It seems to me that we are all more alike, in many ways, than different. Coming from an older generation, I related to all of the various child-rearing practices because my generation employed pretty much the same practices. I think, given the sensitivity of so many peoples today, that an approach that displays cultural awareness and respect for the individual would be more beneficial than an intimidating one.

79) I enjoyed the sessions. I was fascinated by the new technology and feel it’s an excellent asset to future trainings. I enjoyed the speakers and felt that some shared some interesting information. And I too felt that there were many similarities between the different cultures. In particular in my own upbringing I could relate to some child rearing practices. I think the training has been helpful in exposing me to different cultures and hopefully I will be more sensitive to issues should they arise if and when I am dealing with clients.

80) I think your position is correct, in that you advocate for understanding and sensitivity towards your clients, rather than fostering a climate of intimidation between service providers and their clients. It seems to me that some people forget that they are civil servants, and thus failed to treat their clients with civility

81)I truly enjoyed this training. It was well prepared and organized. Many of us, especially from the islands, share the same concepts that were discussed. I am very happy that I was a part of this class. Looking forward to another session, with American, Barbadian, Canadian and any other cultures any one suggests, as soon as possible. Keep up the good works!

83) It was indeed a pleasure participating in this project with you, and I also learned a great deal from our discussions and the resources on the project's website. In fact, I highly recommend the website to my students at the City College--for research on New York’s immigrant families. Moreover, I feel a project like this should be on-going, should be articulated with other agencies and supported by CUNY and all parties involved so that we can begin to create a climate of understanding and trust among all the professionals and agencies that serve immigrant communities. We have begun something worth pursuing. Even though we have successfully met the project objectives in a timely fashion, the challenges facing us still remain in great part. The difference is that we are better equipped to do something to improve the quality of services we used to provide before this training took place. In closing, I should let you know that I am still available to support you and the valuable work that you do. You can continue to e-mail me with your questions and exchange information whenever you feel it is necessary.

84) Cultures of New York teleconference was a fountain of new information for me. Although I am aware of the feelings of others, each session helped me understand that every country has more similarities than difference. I think that it was a great training that showed that everyone should be treated with respect no matter what. I thank all of you for this project.