There are those who go into caring professions because they really like the power and they do think their power is the central purpose of the caring relationship. I have seen this in nursing. Thankfully, these folks are in the minority.

The problem is that it often presents as a subtle undercurrent that is difficult to quantify or recognize from the outside (or even from the inside at times), which is why you didn’t see it with your friend. This makes it really hard to make a credible complaint about it and get action.

I am glad you and your friends are all reporting (or reported, by this time!) I think she needs a different career.

I’d like to hear some discussion from the “other end”… like, what about being put in the position of caregiving and you know the person is borderline-harming themselves? Example: I once witnessed someone habitually insist that his aide facilitate his drinking/drugging himself into oblivion. The aide (actually several of them), ended up quitting because they just couldn’t deal.

Yes, I suppose we could say it was his “choice”–but really, as an ex-addict, I recognized it more as his simple inability to stop. I tried to haphazardly intervene, but you know how that goes.

Discussions of these types of knotty caregiving issues are necessary to facilitate full social inclusion for disabled people, IMHO.

Also, CripChick: YES, to this:

AND something i’ve noticed about my blog is how many times i’ve said stupid shit and looking back, want to erase it or hide my face. but blogging is a great way to learn about communities we aren’t involved with and how our oppressions are linked. i’m glad to have space to say stupid shit, be called out on it, and continue life at a new place.

(Though, as someone who occasionally gets pulled in to interpret but is most emphatically not an interpreter, I will say that deviousdiva is right on the money. It’s pretty darn obvious - even without an ITP, even without certification - that interpreting should not be about pleasing the interpreter. Providing what the interpreter needs to do a good job and be treated fairly as a worker and a person, yes - but providing gratification for the interpreter’s ego, not so much.)

That just annoys the piss out of me that she could be like that!!!

For sign language interpreters, however, it is a completely different situation. They do have certification processes and are required to maintain a minimum certification level and are required to have gone through extensive training to obtain that certification. They are also required, in order to maintain certification, to show a good amount of annual continuing education. There is a very clear Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice that they do not have the luxury of ignoring. In short, the interpreter in this case should be reported because there are definite repercussions for such behavior. Certifications for ASL come in different levels, and people should ask what level an ASL interpreter currently holds and if it has been maintained, then you can decide if they even have the level of skills you require. For example, my agency will not work with anyone under a QA3 certification. Other agencies will accept lower levels, we do not. Which means that our interpreters have tougher standards and a greater degree of training. But even a QA2 certification IS a certification and required a great deal of training. So there is no excuse for such unprofessional behavior as Crip Chick’s friend dealt with.

I am interested to know what training people get for becoming interpreters and do they have regular follow-up training ?

Aaminah said
“The role of the interpreter is to be a tool and nothing more. The person they are interpreting for has their own voice and should be using it and the interpreter is just there to help facilitate the conversation AS IF THERE WERE NO BARRIER…

the interpreter is NEVER the center of the action”

This seems very obvious to me. Like rule number one. How is it possible for someone to become an interpretor without even this basic understanding of the work. Is it because there is no value put on the position because people with disabilities are considered less important?

I worked as a “caregiver” for Elaine, a severely disabled woman, when I was just 17 years old. I was given no training at all. I had just left home, had no experience of the world. I could barely look after myself, let alone a grown woman who needed round the clock care. Looking back I am appalled that I was given the job (even though we became great friends). Perhaps nowadays I would not have been given the job, I’m not sure.

I am really glad that I had the opportunity to meet Elaine but I really have to question the ethics of my getting that job. Well, just to say I am appalled that you have to put up with this level of incompetence and stupidity. It’s just wrong and I wonder what the agencies who are (supposedly) in control, are doing about it?

This may top your story: we had a Russian/English interpreter a few years ago when the company I worked for was exploring a collaboration with a company in Russia. Instead of translatring, the interpreter spent most of her time trying to get somebody in the room to give her a job and ended up alienating everybody. We kicked her out and the Russian engineer and a couple of us ended up drawing graphs and equations and scoped out the requirements The interpretrer solved a major problem for us: we neded to do some relationship building, since were about to trade some proprietary technologies. And we all agreed on one thing: we all hated her.

Maybe you and your colleagues can use this terp from hell to aid some relationship building of your own.