
INTERPRETER
LESVOS
Do you have experience with interpreting and can you translate consultations between clients and professionals? Then this vacancy might be something for you. On Lesvos, Boat Refugee Foundation works with a team of local interpreters with a refugee background. The interpreters support both the medical and psychosocial programmes and interpret consultations and group sessions from their language, Arabic (Fosha, Sudanese, Yemeni, or the Levantine dialect is preferred) or Farsi, to English and vice versa. To lighten the workload on our interpreting team, we are looking for interpreters who can help to interpret MHPSS and medical consultations. Most of the people who live in the camp do not speak English. Therefore, our interpreting team is an essential part of our program.
Where will you work?
Boat Refugee Foundation provides medical and psychosocial (emergency) aid and stands up for the rights of people on the move. Where systems become inhumane and compassion is lost, we take action. Since 2015, we have been running operations in various locations at the borders of Europe. There our teams, which largely rely on volunteers, provide medical and psychosocial support.
What will you do?
As an interpreter you will translate the medical and/or psychological consultations that we provide seven days a week from our clinic in Mavrovouni camp on Lesvos. The most widely spoken languages in Mavrovouni are Farsi and Arabic.
As an interpreter, you’ll function as a bridge between the professional and the client. The psychological and medical consultations might cover difficult subjects and can be emotionally strenuous for you as an interpreter. Therefore, we ask for a high level of sensitivity, professionality, and stability from your side.
Topics that can be discussed can include:
- Suicidality
- SGBV (Sexual and Gender Based Violence), including rape and genital mutilation.
- Self-harm
- Witnessing violence
- Experiencing violence
Your working hours are flexible. Shifts may take place during office hours, in the evening from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM or until midnight, and twice a week in the morning from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Typically, you will work five shifts per week and have two days off.
What do we ask?
- You are available for at least 3 weeks;
- You are a native speaker of or fluent in Farsi or Arabic (Fosha, Sudanese, Yemeni, or the Levantine dialect is preferred);
- You will work with volunteers from different nationalities. Therefore, we ask that you speak English at least at the level of B1 or higher;
- You have experience with interpreting. It is a plus if you have experience with translation of medical or psychological consultations and/or if you have completed a relevant training course for interpretation or cultural mediation;
- You are able to work with people from different cultural backgrounds. Preferably you have experience in an international, humanitarian context;
- You are social and have good communication skills;
- You interpret accurately and professionally. Your interpretation is complete and exhaustive without leaving information out. You are aware that your job is to interpret the exact message and not alter it or reflect your own assessment of the message in any way;
- You are stable and balanced;
Costs and conditions
Boat Refugee Foundation’s existence depends on the many volunteers and donors, without which we’d not be able to do our job. Our financial means are mostly spent on medical and psychosocial care. That is why we ask all volunteers to pay for their own travel and stay. We have a volunteer house on Lesvos where you can stay for 10 euros a night. After one month you can stay here for free. A volunteer of Boat Refugee Foundation can, upon request, receive a contribution of € 210 per month, provided they have volunteered with the organisation for at least three consecutive months.
Are you interested?
Do you recognize yourself in the above profile and would you like to volunteer with us? Then sign up using the form below. We look forward to your response!
Apply now
Please sign up by using the form below. We look forward to hearing from you!
Other vacancies
Take a look at our other vacancies on Lesvos.