terptree

Want to become a British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreter? Read on......

2012-02-20T09:45:00.002Z

Have you ever considering training to become a British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreter? If that is you, this blog will answer all of those questions.....

Working as a BSL/English Interpreter

British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreters facilitate communication between Deaf and hearing people in a variety of settings such as health and social services, religious services, legal, police and court (criminal & civil), employment, further and higher education, arts, theatre and television.

BSL/English interpreters have high-level skills in two languages, English and BSL, which is now recognised as a language in its own right. Interpreters are trained in theoretical knowledge, language and practical interpreting. Interpreting involves listening carefully to, or watching the message, extracting the meaning and finding an appropriate way to express the message in the second language.

Interpreters may have to prepare any papers relevant to an assignment in advance. This allows them to search for specialist vocabulary and to familiarise themselves with the subject and the people involved, including, for example, minutes, agendas and summaries of speeches.

They must maintain confidentiality and impartiality, interpret everything that is said or signed, and will only give advice if it specifically relates to improving the communication process.

Working Environment

Hours are not fixed, but employed interpreters normally work a 35-hour week. However, due to the varied nature of the work, interpreters may be expected to work at night and at weekends.

Places of work vary greatly and interpreters work with a variety of people in many different situations. Locations may include schools, colleges or universities, health centres, residential homes, housing associations and voluntary organisations. Public service interpreting may also involve working in local government offices, hospitals, immigration centres, law courts, and prisons. Some posts may involve travelling and require a driving licence.

Advances in technology and the increasing use of video-telephony mean that Deaf people may be able to contact a BSL/English interpreter and access their services online, and at much shorter notice. Such advancements enable the interpreter to cover more assignments each day: for example, they can be booked for short meetings or consultations. Travelling is considerably reduced and interpreters may work from home or an office.

BSL/English Interpreter Related Skills

To be a BSL/English interpreter you should:

- have a good knowledge of the Deaf community

- Enjoy working with a range of clients

- Enjoy working as a part of a multidisciplinary team

- Have excellent spoken communication skills

- Have excellent BSL skills

- Have confidence when speaking in public

- Have integrity and a sense of responsibility

- Be able to maintain intense concentration and think rapidly

BSL/English Interpreter Career Opportunities

There is an increasing demand for BSL/English interpreters, particularly in such areas as further and higher education, employment, health and law.

People with relevant qualifications might work in organisations for Deaf people, or within social services departments, or they may be self-employed or work through an agency. Some interpreters enter careers in research.

The government has taken action to improve access to BSL, for example, by identifying and funding situations where it might be reasonable for employers and service providers to engage the services of a BSL/English interpreter.

terptree are run regular training events called 'How to be an interpreter' - the next date is April 2012, to find out more email training@terptree.co.uk

What is British Sign Language (BSL)?

2012-02-13T09:45:00.000Z

We thought that a blog explaining exactly what British Sign Language is would be useful for those if you who are thinking about learning BSL.

Enjoy......

British Sign Language is a visual, spatial language that uses key features such as movement of the hands, body, face and head. It is estimated that over 70,000 Deaf people in the UK use British Sign Language as their first or preferred language. BSL was as an official language in 2003.

The difference between BSL and English

Contrary to belief, BSL is a completely different language from English. It has its own grammatical rules and structure and has the full ability to convey any concept or thought.

Example:

English - What is your name?
BSL - YOUR NAME WHAT

Due to the differences between the two languages, it is sometimes difficult for a Deaf person to understand written English, particularly if the document is lengthy, complex or full of jargon.

It is important when writing Policies, documents and even letters - that you use Plain English, so that it is easily accessible for Deaf people.

Sign Languages

Each country uses its own sign language that is based upon the cultures and traditions of that particular country. Australian Sign Language (Auslan) is estimated to be around 80% similar to BSL, but no two sign languages throughout the world are identical.

In the UK, there are many dialects used within Sign Language depending on which part of the country you are from. This is similar to regional dialects within spoken languages.

Changes in categories of Communication Professional with NRCPD

2012-02-06T09:45:00.001Z

The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD) have announced that they are changing the structure of the registration categories for Communication Professionals that work with Deaf people, as a result of the Setting the Standard consultation.

NRCPD said "Our goal is to provide an easy to understand category structure with consistent standards and policies, so we will provide:

- One Registered category for individuals who have met the agreed safe to practice standards and in each of the six professions we regulate; and

- One Trainee category in each of these professions"

This is a positive decision and will hopefully de-mystify the registration categories for the Deaf community.

terptree recommend that Deaf people and interpreter service users ask to see the Communication Professional's ID (yellow card) to ensure that the individual is registered with NRCPD.

These ID cards will be replaced when the Communication Professional renews their registration with NRCPD, so until this time, you will see the following current categories:

Junior Trainee Interpreter

Trainee Interpreter (TI)

Member of the Register of Sign Language Interpreters (MRSLI)

Click here for some more detailed information and if you have any questions, get in touch with terptree at interpreting@terptree.co.uk

Pippa Middleton visits Mary Hare School for deaf children

2012-01-30T09:45:00.000Z

Kate Middleton's 28 year old sister - Pippa visited Mary Hare school for deaf children in Newbury, Berkshire close to her home.

It has been confirmed that Pippa did not visit on behalf of her sister, but she was embracing her new role in the public eye.

"Pippa is very keen to give something back and she's open to charity work."

Princess Diana took a keen interest in charity work, one of them being the British Deaf Association, the oldest Deaf organisation in the UK, becoming a patron in 1983.

Diana showed her abilities and skills learnt by signing at the BDA Congress in 1992 - click here to watch the clip

Watch this space to see how Pippa gets on - lets hope that she follows in the footstep of the Princess of Wales, signing in the public domain and making the public aware of Deaf people and the use of British Sign Language.

The interpreting agency has asked for 'preparation' for the interpreter, what does this mean?

2012-01-23T09:45:00.001Z

When you book an interpreter with an interpreting agency, they will ask you for preparation for the interpreter - here is some guidance as to what this means....

What is preparation?

Preparation can be anything that helps the Interpreter to understand what will happen. For example, Interpreters may want:

· To contact you before the event so they can ask for anything they need or want to know

· To know the aims or reasons for the booking, for example what the booking is. E.g.:

o A training course

o A lecture

o A meeting

o An appraisal

· Further information such as documents or papers:

o Minutes of previous meetings

o The agenda of a meeting

o Handouts or PowerPoint presentations

o Reports that will be discussed

o Transcripts of videos or DVDs that will be used

o If the booking is an interview; provide names of interview panel, add whether they are deaf or hearing. Provide names of candidate/s, add if deaf or hearing. Ask for list of questions in advance to prepare.

· To meet quickly before the booking so they can discuss anything else they need

Why do Interpreters need preparation?

Interpreters don’t know about everything! They may not understand technical jargon or special words used in your work. Preparing before a booking means an Interpreter is more likely to:

· Feel ready before the booking starts

· Be more accurate

· Be able to work more effectively

· Be more comfortable

This will also make the booking more comfortable for you too!

If you are unsure about what you might need to provide talk to terptree for further advice at interpreting@terptree.co.uk.

Where, when and how can I practice BSL?

2012-01-16T09:45:00.000Z

When do I need to practice?

BSL (British Sign Language) is just like any other language. You will learn more quickly and progress faster if you practice often. This is ideally half an hour a day but as much time as you can spare is good.

What resources can I use to practice?

There are a wide variety of resources you can use and the lists below cover most of them. Some resources are more suited to beginners and other are more advanced. Have a go and don’t give up

Books and DVDs:

Books and DVDs – check out Forest Books. Your local library may also have some resources you can borrow.

Television and the Internet:

Watch See Hear, the TV programme for the Deaf community. The signing will be fast and different from what you are used to but the programme will help you learn about Deaf culture and the community which is essential for learning more about BSL and Deaf people.

Interpreted TV programmes are useful for learning new vocabulary and becoming more fluent. Watching with the sound off will help your receptive skills. Often the interpreters on Sign Zone are Deaf and therefore native users of BSL. Live programmes like the news have hearing interpreters. This is useful for learning country signs and signs for topical subjects.

Use the internet. There are a lot of resources such as:

o www.signstation.org

o www.british-sign.co.uk/fingerspelling.php

o www.britishsignlanguage.com

o www.terptree.co.uk

Where to practice:

With other people:

· Practice with your classmates.

· Or get your friends and family interested and practice finger spelling games with them.

Events:

Ask your tutor if there are any opportunities to practice BSL locally. Some Deaf clubs have nights where learners of BSL are welcome. This might not always be the case so check before you go.

Find out about events by joining the Deaf UK Events email list

There are also listing for events such as pub nights and Deaf clubs, interpreted theatre shows and gallery tours on terptree's public events calendar

City Lit, a college with a department for Deaf people, holds an event called Deaf Day every April. Look out for news on their website

If you want to work in the Deaf community and you have a level of fluency, now is the time to start thinking about doing some voluntary work. By working with a wider range of Deaf people your skills will improve.

So there are a wide range of opportunities and some may suit you more than others. And remember it’s important to keep on learning and have fun!

If you would like to attend a bsl bitesize course or arrange some one-to-one training get in touch! - training@terptree.co.uk

Want to work with Deaf people? New year - new career....

2012-01-09T09:45:00.000Z

There are many different careers that you can choose if you want to work with Deaf people and use sign language. Gaining a BSL/ Interpreting/Communication qualification can open up a whole world of opportunities. These skills are in great demand and there are many flexible career opportunities available. Visit Signature for training information.

There are nine million deaf people in the UK, 70,000 of whom use BSL for participation in everyday life. There are plenty of career opportunities available on a permanent or freelance basis and a qualified communication professional can earn in excess of £35,000 a year.

It is worth remembering that statistically one in seven people have some form hearing loss so completing a Deaf awareness or sign language course will always be useful. This is especially true for those that do jobs in customer service or have a lot of contact with the general public.

What careers are available with Deaf people and how can I find out more?

British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreters, Deafblind communicator guides, Speech to text reporters, Note takers The NRCPD (National Registers for Communication Professionals with Deaf and Deafblind People) covers information on these careers.

British Sign Language (BSL)/English Interpreters The Association of Sign Language Interpreters has more information on BSL/English Interpreting

Lip speakers The Association of Lipspeakers has some additional information on lipspeaking.

Audiologists Please visit ( http://www.baaudiology.org/Careers/What-is-Audiology.aspx) for further information on Audiology.

Speech and Language Therapists In order to find out more about training to be a speech and language therapist you can contact the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists or the NHS website (http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=288)

Teacher of the Deaf In order to become a teacher of the Deaf, you need to first train as a teacher then do further training. It is useful to gain experience of working with Deaf children previous or alongside your training, see The British Association of Teachers of the Deaf.

Social Workers If you are interested in becoming a social worker with Deaf people you first have to train as a social worker in the same way as you do if you want to be a teacher. You have to do a degree first and more information can be found from the Department of Health

Various work within a Deaf organisation such as Action on Hearing Loss, British Deaf Association (BDA) or the National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS).

General jobs within Deaf companies or organisations are quite often advertised on Deaf UK jobs, which is a mailing list you can subscribe to online. If this is the route that interests you it may be worth contacting the human resources departments within various organisations to see how you can work for

British Sign Language IS a language.....

2012-01-02T09:45:00.000Z

Happy new year to you all and we felt the right way to start a new year was to talk about the wonderful language that is BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE!

There are many people out there that want to learn more about sign language, whether you have a deaf member of the family, deaf friends, an interest in learning or are a BSL student, here is some fun information about Sign Language!

Is there only one Sign Language?

There are many Sign Languages throughout the world. Most countries have their own Sign Language. Some of these have been influenced by other Sign Languages and this depends on the historical links between those Deaf communities.

One example of this is an ex-pupil of the first school for the Deaf in Paris, Laurent Clerc. In 1817, he co-founded the first Deaf school in America. There are clear links between French Sign Language and American Sign Language as a result. British Sign Language (BSL) has links with Australian and New Zealand Sign Languages.

Where did Sign Languages come from?

Historically, wherever there has been a community of Deaf people, a Sign Language has usually naturally evolved as the way of communicating.

Until relatively recently Nicaragua did not have a Sign Language. Around 30 years ago, a special education centre and then a vocational centre was built. Once the community could meet regularly, a language developed and within 30 years a full Sign Language was evident.

In some places, such as Martha’s Vineyard in America in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, Sign Language was used all the time, as there were such a high number of Deaf people.

When was it recognised?

From the 1960’s, Sign Languages were studied by linguists and proven to be full languages in their own right. They were found to have the full grammatical features of other languages such as a certain order of signs and the ability to constantly evolve and change with time.

In the UK in March 2003, BSL was officially recognised by the British government as a language in its own right. Some local councils around the UK have adopted a BSL Charter showing their commitment to BSL and the Deaf community. The Deaf community in the UK still campaigns for further legal recognition of BSL in the UK and for councils to strengthen their policies on BSL in order to further the rights of Deaf people to their natural language in their everyday lives.

Further Information

Nicaraguan Sign Language

http://www.columbia.edu/~as1038/L02-sign-language.html

Martha’s Vineyard

http://deafness.about.com/cs/featurearticles/a/marthasvineyard.htm

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language

Make your new years resolution to learn BSL today! Contact terptree to book yourself on a British Sign Language course on training@terptree.co.uk

How do I become a BSL/English Interpreter

2011-12-19T09:45:00.000Z

One of the questions that we are asked most here at terptree - is how do I become a BSL/English Interpreter? How long does it take? Which course should I go on......

We have put this blog together for you! Here are all the questions answered for you.

How long does it take to become a Sign Language interpreter?

To be a BSL (British Sign Language)/English Interpreter takes a minimum of 5 years but in practice people often take longer to gain experience and finish their training. It is important to have a good fluency in both languages so a good level of English is essential. Currently A-level English is recommended as the minimum. Should you decide to become an interpreter you will be rewarded with a challenging and interesting career as it is one that continues to evolve and develop.

What types of qualifications are there?

There are generally two types of qualifications you can study to train as a BSL/English Interpreter. You can either study for an Undergraduate qualification at University or take the vocational (NVQ) route. You can start at BSL Levels 1 and 2 then progress to NVQ BSL Levels 3 and 6. There are also postgraduate courses you can do to complete your formal training and this may enable you to register as a Registered Sign Language Interpreter (RSLI) with the NRCPD (see further information below)

Undergraduate degrees or certificates

· University of Bristol BSc Deaf Studies (Interpreting)

· University of Wolverhampton BA Interpreting (BSL/English)

· City Lit, London BA Deaf Studies (Interpreting option)

· UCLAN BA Deaf Studies (with graduate diploma)

· Heriot-Watt University Certificate in Interpreting Studies

· Belfast Metropolitan Introduction to BSL/English Interpreting

Vocational qualifications

There are a number of approved centres around the country – please visit www.signature.org.uk for more information and to find your local centre.

Postgraduate degrees

· UCLAN/SLI PG Diploma BSL/English Interpreting

· University of Durham PG Diploma BSL/English Interpreting

· Leeds MA/PG Diploma Interpreting (BSL/English)

Further information

www.asli.org.uk

www.signature.org.uk

www.nrcpd.org.uk

http://www.nrcpd.org.uk/documents/reg_docs/bsl_english_interpreters/FINAL%20SLI%20Routes%20to%20Registration%202010.pdf

Or to find out more, contact terptree at interpreting@terptree.co.uk

Want to work as a Communication Support Worker?

2011-12-12T09:45:00.001Z

So last week we de-mystified the differences between Communication Support Workers and Interpreters, now - what if you are considering this as a possible career path?

Read on.....

What does a CSW do?
CSWs mainly work within the education sector supporting deaf learners to communicate with their teachers and other students. CSWs are multi-skilled and flexible, using a variety of methods to suit each individual, whether it’s interpreting between spoken English and BSL, notetaking and/or lipspeaking. They work as part of the education team alongside the teacher and other professionals.

Training and Development

To work as a CSW you will need at least Level 2 BSL. You may also require other qualifications in notetaking, lipspeaking or BSL/English Interpreting. If you will be working with someone who uses BSL or Sign Supported English, you will need to have a minimum of Signature Level 3 NVQ in BSL or Level 3 Certificate in BSL

Ideally you will also have experience of working or volunteering with deaf or hearing impaired people. In certain circumstances, specialist subject specific knowledge and/or further qualifications may be required.

Signature (formerly CACDP) offers the Level 3 Certificate in Learning Support (Communication Support Worker). See the Signature website for details.

Once you start work as a communication support worker, you would usually be expected to upgrade your BSL qualifications to Level 6 and beyond, and improve your sign language interpreting skills.

Further Desirable Skills and Knowledge

· excellent communication skills in English (spoken and written), ideally A-Level standard.

· be flexible and adaptable

· be able to build good working relationships with learners, tutors, lecturers and other professionals

· be willing to carry out research, for example, in order to familiarise yourself with specialised vocabulary

· have an awareness and understanding of deaf culture and issues in the education of deaf people

· be impartial, able to respect learners’ confidentiality and be committed to equal opportunities

· be computer literate.

If you would like any further information on how to become a CSW, or if you are interested in applying for work with terptree, please do not hesitate to contact us!
interpreting@terptree.co.uk

I have heard of a Communication Support Worker or 'CSW', but what is it

2011-12-05T09:45:00.001Z

There are many different roles that play a part in the life of a deaf person, one of these roles is a Communication Support (CSW) - here we explain what a CSW does and when booking an Interpreter would be more suitable.

CSWs mainly work within the education sector supporting deaf learners to communicate with their teachers and other students. CSWs are multi-skilled and flexible, using a variety of methods to suit each individual, whether it’s interpreting between spoken English and BSL, notetaking and/or lipspeaking. They work as part of the education team alongside the teacher and other professionals.

Typical duties of a CSW may include

- Applying appropriate communication methods, suitable to the needs and preferences of the student, to enable access to information and to facilitate two way communication.

- Helping students understand and produce written material in class, reinforcing course content where appropriate.

- Adapting learning materials to make language clearer for students.

- Suggesting ways that the learning environment can be improved to make it easier for students to communicate.

- Offering brief deaf awareness training to the teacher and other learners to facilitate the inclusion of the deaf student and ensure specific needs are met.

Qualified CSWs will hold Level 2 BSL at a minimum. If the student uses BSL or Signed English, you should use a CSW who has a minimum of CACDP Level 3 NVQ in BSL or Level 3 Certificate in BSL; ideally they should also be working towards Signature Level 6 NVQ Diploma in Sign Language Interpreting.

When not to use a CSW

Do not ask a CSW to act as a tutor, create handouts/information sheets or to discuss course content and projects outside of class.

If you are looking to use a CSW outside of the education sector, please bear in mind that they are not qualified interpreters. Qualified BSL/English Interpreters are highly skilled and experienced in BSL translation throughout a variety of settings such as Health, Employment, Training, Legal, Financial, Theatre, etc. In these circumstances a CSW may be unable to cope with the setting, speed or type of terminology being used. This may result in communication being inaccurately conveyed.

Tips for working with a CSW

- In some situations CSWs may support students at break times with social communication, but it is important to remember that CSWs need regular breaks and should not be expected to work through breaks unless this is pre-arranged.

- Send the CSW advance copies of any teaching materials in order for them to thoroughly prepare.

- If you are talking to a student who is deaf, do it in your usual way – do not direct your question/comment to the CSW.

- The CSW may ask you for clarification if they do not understand or, occasionally, if they cannot keep up with you.

- The student may benefit if the same CSW is employed on a regular basis to enable consistency.

If you would like to book a CSW or another communication professional

you are a Communication Support worker who would like to register with terptree

Email us at interpreting@terptree.co.uk

Does baby signing with your children further their development?

2011-11-28T09:45:00.000Z

What is baby signing?

Baby signing is a different way of communicating with your baby that is especially useful before babies have learnt how to speak.

There are about 30 signs that can be learnt and taught to your baby. You can start with the basics such as ‘milk’, ‘more’, ‘eat’, ‘drink’ and ‘no’. There is no grammar to learn like you would need to use British Sign Language, which is a full language. The signs are all easy and have been adapted from true sign languages for use by babies who have not yet got full motor control.

How did it start?

Baby signs started in America and the signs are derived from American Sign Language (ASL). Research in the 1980’s proved that babies could learn a few simple signs long before they could learn to speak. Parents often start classes at around 6 months whereas a child wouldn’t start to speak until they were about 12 to 18 months old. It was thought that it would be useful to apply this to new born babies so they could communicate before they had learnt how to speak.

What are the advantages?

You can communicate with your baby at a much earlier age. This creates a better bond with your baby and lessens the chance of your baby being frustrated because you do not understand them or what they want. This can obviously make parents’ lives easier!

Baby signing is incredibly popular now and parents who have tried this with their first baby usually find they use it with their later babies as it is so useful. Parents often report that their babies are calmer as a result. At what is often a difficult time for parents this can lessen the burden of parenting for new mothers and fathers.

Where can I learn?

There should be classes held in your local area. Information should be available from your midwife or local library. They are also books where you can teach yourself but it may be easier to go to a class.

So baby signing is a useful communication tool for you and your baby. It can create a stronger bond between you and it is also a lot of fun!

More information

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/features/2299895.stm

www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/signing.html

www.britishsignlanguage.com

terptree provide a whole range of training sessions - look out for sign language in the sun : our summer family sign language sessions! To find out more contact training@terptree.co.uk

Sing and sign Christmas carol concert Newbury 1 December 6 - 7pm

2011-11-22T13:21:00.002Z

terptree's FREE event for all to come along and sing and sign Christmas Carols!

Perfect for all - bring the family!!!

At Newbury Market Place outside the Corn Exchange 1 December from 6-7pm, collecting money for the fabulous Hearing Dogs for deaf people http://www.heari...ngdogs.org.uk/

You can practice the four carols that we will be sing-signing on our youtube channel www.youtube.com/terptree

We wish you a Merry Christmas http://www.youtube.com/terptree#p/u/16/2yGBacIVKMc

Silent Night
http://www.youtube.com/terptree#p/u/17/0UAd79ToTxU

Jingle Bells
http://www.youtube.com/terptree#p/u/18/Bdyy9yrJUoM

Away in a Manger
http://www.youtube.com/terptree#p/u/19/StChS2LHzrk

What do you need to do now:

- Add the date to your diary!

- Watch the videos and pratice

- Tell your friends on your status and invite others to the event

- Come along, show your support and help us raise heaps of money for Hearing Dogs for deaf people

New BSL courses: level 1, NVQ Level 3 coming to terptree!

2011-10-17T09:45:00.002+01:00

Yes, more courses are to start within the next year that will place terptree as a specialist training centre for British Sign Language (BSL) in the South of England.

We have started by running our first Level 2 Signature BSL course last month - September 2011, set up from all of the requests that we received from BSL students. After the start of a very successful course, the terptree team have been thinking....we are running a fantastic and fun Level 2 course already - why not add a Level 1 course and NVQ Level 3 course as well to boot!

The plan is to start both of these courses in September 2012 - but we need your interest NOW so that we know how many people are interested. Tell us if you are interested in Level 1, Level 2 or NVQ Level 3.

What do people way about training with terptree:

"i loved meeting like minded people and use BSL"
"Information, experience and knowledge provided was brilliant"
"Well structured, flexible with enthusiastic trainers"
"Lovely people"
"Ability to interact with everyone in a relaxed environment"

What more is there to say - you know that you want to learn British Sign Language......learn with terptree!!!

These courses will be run in Berkshire and at a cost that is value for money

Contact us at training@terptree.co.uk to tell us that you want to learn Level 1, Level 2 or NVQ Level 3. Please do pass this to other BSL students that you know are looking for courses.

BSL Interpreting: is there really work out there for BSL Interpreters??

2011-10-10T09:45:00.003+01:00

This is the first in our series if blogs that are talking about considering a career as a BSL/English Interpreter.

There are many people out there who consider a career change; maybe fed up with current position, organisation or just want to do something completely different.

There are others who learn the basics of sign language and then wonder whether they could turn this into a career.

Well, you can! What are the things that people consider when looking at a career change?

Will it bring in a good wage?
Will it cost a lot to train?
Are there training courses out there?
Will I enjoy it?

All of the above questions we will cover in later blogs - but for the moment we are looking at the age old question "Is there enough work out there?"

At terptree we have run a number of events called 'how to be an interpreter' and this is a common question we are asked. It is clear that people do not want to leave consistent, regular employment on a whim of a better, more fulfilling and fun career.

Well, we can reassure you that there are plenty of opportunities for people wanting to train as BSL interpreters for the future. You only need to look at the statistics alone and you will see that from the 70,000 deaf people in the UK, there are just under 1,000 BSL interpreters around the country - seven times more deaf people than interpreters..

The deaf community is always changing and becoming more integrated into the hearing world. This means that deaf people require more and more interpreting services at work, at university and accessing local services. Since the Disability Discriminations Act (DDA) has become more robust and deaf people are more aware of their rights - the need for interpreting services has grown.

terptree are always looking for new professionals to register with us - whether you are a BSL Interpreter, Communication Support Worker (CSW), or Notetaker, we would love to hear from you. To register, please email interpreting@terptree.co.uk or call 01635 886 264.

terptree also have a huge range of up and coming training events that will kick start your new career as an interpreter - please see or email us at training@terptree.co.uk.

terptree becomes a member of the FSB - Federation of small businesses

2011-10-03T09:45:00.001+01:00

terptree are now members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the UK's leading business organisation.

The FSB is the largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small firms. Formed in 1974, it now has 200,000 members across 33 regions and 194 branches http://www.fsb.org.uk/default.aspx

This is an exciting move for terptree as we grow as this offers the opportunity to meet with likeminded business people and grow our network further. This also allows terptree to bring the message of deaf awareness and teach other service providers how to provide accessible services for the deaf community.

Get in touch with us so that we can help you get your message across to the FSB; email us at news@terptree.co.uk

A fun and successful BSL learners workshop on 5 August!

2011-08-12T00:18:00.001+01:00

I am pleased to share with you lovely people that terptree have run yet another successful training event which was our BSL learners workshop.

This was attended by a group of 8 BSL students, only charged £15 each for a whole afternoon of learning.These workshops are aimed at students studying BSL at levels 1, 2 and NVQ level 3 and are to give essential information and skills to put people on the right path for practice and learning of BSL as a language.

There were 4 sessions: what to do with your BSL qualifications, fingerspelling workshop, careers with deaf people and receptive skills masterclass.

The sessions were run by a hearing person (terptree's own Director - Victoria Williams) and Lyndsey Cunningham terptree's deaf trainer.

Students themselves said that the strengths of the course were; brilliant information, experience and knowledge, informality, approachable and knowledgable tutors, friendly, open and cheap!

All students said that they would highly recommend this workshop to other learners.

terptree are keen to run more of these sessions - to show interest and become a happy terptree customer please email training@terptree.co.uk

Few places left on BSL Level 2 course at terptree

2011-08-04T09:45:00.003+01:00

terptree are running a Level 2 Certificate in BSL course in Newbury and have A FEW MORE PLACES AVAILABLE!!!

There has not been a Level 2 course in the area for many news, so terptree have done something about that!

•Did you enjoy your Level 1 in BSL?
•Would you like to learn more BSL vocabulary?
•Are you considering a career with Deaf people?

This qualification is designed to enable learners to develop an ability to communicate with Deaf people using BSL in a range of familiar contexts, participating in longer and more open-ended exchanges than at Level 1. The course will develop functional communication in BSL about a range of real life, routine and daily experiences. The learner will be able to deal with most routine language tasks and have sufficient grasp of grammar to cope with some non-routine tasks.

Contact terptree today at training@terptree.co.uk to enquire about the Level 2 Certificate in BSL starting in September!

BOOK NOW TO AVOID DISSAPOINTMENT!

Please pass this information on to anyone that is interested in BSL Training.

Email: training@terptree.co.uk
Call: 01635 886 264

Please see http://www.terptree.co.uk/training.aspx for a range of all our sign language training services

Sara Cox insults Deaf fans

2011-07-25T09:45:00.001+01:00

Sara Cox was caught moaning on her Radio 1 show about subtitles at the cinema to make films accessible for Deaf People.

She explained that when she went to see the film Bridesmaid with her boyfriend she was "annoyed" at finding that it was a captioned showing.

Sara Cox made her opinions known on twitter calling Deaf people who disagreed with her "gobs**ts!"

Her tweet actually said "How daft is this? I'm at flicks and bridesmaids is gonna have subtitles. I morphed into my dad and asked if we got any money off. If I was wearing my specs I could've put a strip of black gaffer tape across the bottom to block them out."

Her comments have angered Deaf people across the country and twitter is buzzing with comments from people who think that she should no longer have a job.

terptree is a business that campaigns for access to services for Deaf people and it is appalling that someone in such a privileged position can make such comments.

Whilst presenting on her Radio 1 show, she should be taking the opportunity to reflect the BBC's support of Deaf people in the media and making comments like this should be dealt with seriously.

Many people have said that she should have simply checked the listings before she went, or checked the programme when she arrived at the cinema. It will be interesting to see what comes of these tweets and how many more people are silly enough to post such discriminatory tweets.

Buguruni School for the Deaf, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

2011-07-20T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

This summer my good friend Charlie Hadley very kindly took me along on her adventure to Tanzania to volunteer at a school for the Deaf.

I've had an absolutely fantastic time meeting all the wonderful children and learning about how they communicate and access education.

Buguruni School for the Deaf is the only free school in Tanzania for deaf children and caters for around 240 students (boys and girls), including approximately 150 boarders.

Ages range from 5 to 20 as some children start school later in their lives. This may be due to their parents being unaware of the school or that the children had to stay at home and work to help support their family.

All the children are deaf and use sign language as their main method of communication. However, late last year the majority of children got fitted with hearing aids. One of the matrons is on the committee for the charity Tanzanear, and is at the school to help embed the use of hearings aids for both the students and teachers. They are slowly getting used to them and most seem to be very happy with wearing them.

Every Monday the International School of Tanzania (IST) open their door to 15 Buguruni students so that each child can take advantage of the school's facilities and has the opportunity to mix with hearing children.

At the school the children learn sign language together and more often than not, debate about which football team is best - football seems to be a universal language!

The sign language that is used is mainly American Sign Language but across the region there are huge variations of Tanzanian Sign Language.

If you would like to learn more about my adventure, please visit Charlie's blog at www.checkoncharlie.blogspot.com.

I would like to say a huge thank you to Charlie for allowing me to join her on her big adventure!! If you have any comments about my trip, please email me fred@terptree.co.uk

Have fun out there!!!

Fred x

Another successful BSL Bitesize course!

2011-07-20T09:45:00.001+01:00

For those of you who aren't familiar with British Sign Language, BSL is a unique and exciting way of communicating!

It is very different from English, and relies completely on gestures, facial expressions and body language.

Have you ever tried to communicate with someone without speaking?

It's easier than you think!

terptree's BSL Bitesize sessions makes learning sign language fun, easy and enjoyable.

Our interactive, informal teaching style, run by our specialist Deaf tutor, immerses students in the language and enables them to learn interesting and relevant signs with ease.

After one session, you will have learnt to fingerspell, introduce yourself and talk about where you live. You'll be enthusiastic and eager to learn more and will want show off your unique and specialist skills to your friends.

BSL Bitesize runs for a total of 5 weeks and by the end of the course you will have learnt a variety of signs including introductions, emotions, social life, family life, animals, colours, hobbies, food and drink and more using a variety of fun techniques.

Each session costs just £15 per person but if you book all 5 together you will receive a 10% discount!! So what are you waiting for?

Contact terptree today to find out how BSL Bitesize can enrich your life on 01635 886 264 or training@terptree.co.uk

Still not convinced?

Here is some feedback from some happy terptree students:

"The trainer, resources and opportunity to participate was excellent. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to others."

"I enjoyed learning about how the language works and how easy it is to communicate, it's not scary!"

"The overall quality of this course was high. The content and structure was clear and easy to understand. I would be delighted to attend further training with terptree."

"Really interactive and enjoyable session. Very valuable"

NDCS Challenge Events

2011-07-18T09:45:00.001+01:00

One of the newest NDCS challenges for 2012 is 'Cycle Tanzania'! Situated on the eastern coast of Africa, Tanzania looks out across the stunning Indian Ocean and offers a multitude of attractions from the imposing Mount Kilimanjaro to the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater. As well as its natural beauties and abundant wildlife, Tanzania has approximately 120 ethnic groups, the best known of which are the Masai.

This undulating route covers a mixture of tar and relatively good dirt roads through the heart of rural Africa giving you a taste of real local life. One of the highlights will be cycling directly through the Saadani National Park, where you'll be accompanied by rangers and hopefully have the opportunity to spot wild animals such as lions and leopards roaming free. There will also be a chance for an optional game drive here.

Cycle Tanzania takes place between 6 - 14 October 2012 and you can register your place right now for £299. We ask that participants raise a minimum of £2800.

As with all NDCS challenges, when you register you'll be given a dedicated contact within our experienced fundraising team to help you reach and smash your fundraising target!

For more information or to sign up today and make a difference to the lives of deaf children visit www.ndcschallenges.org.uk/tanzania or call Laura on 020 7014 1165

Spotlight on: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

2011-07-13T09:45:00.000+01:00

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People has been a very valued client of ours over the past few years. We would like to take this opportunity to raise a little bit of awareness about their fantastic programme.

Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a national charity and centre of excellence in training hearing dogs to alert deaf people to everyday household sounds and danger signals in the home, work place and in public buildings.

Hearing Dogs was launched at the world famous Crufts dog show in 1982. Since then they have created over 1,600 life-changing partnerships between deaf people and hearing dogs in the UK.

Five key points about Hearing Dogs for Deaf People:

1. Hearing dogs are provided to deaf people at no charge

2. The Charity receives no government funding. They rely on the generosity of individuals, groups, companies and other organisations

3. Each dog is trained to the specific needs of the deaf individual they have been matched to, creating a life-changing partnership.

4. It costs around £45,000 to support a hearing dog through all of its training and final placement with a deaf person

5. It takes 12-14 months for a puppy to complete its socialising training and a further 16-18 weeks for a dog to complete soundwork training.

Hearing dogs alert their deaf recipients to household sounds by touching them with a paw or nudging with a nose to gain attention. The recipient then asks the dog 'what is it?' by voice and/or hand command and then the hearing dog leads the recipient to the source of the sound. For danger signals such as the smoke alarm, the hearing dog will alert the recipient in the same way, but when asked 'what is it?' the dog will lie down to indicate danger.

We hope you will agree that Hearing Dogs for Deaf People provides a vital service which offers greater independence, confidence and security to deaf people. They aim to help as many deaf people as possible by creating life-changing partnerships between deaf people and specially trained hearing dogs.

As we mentioned, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People receives no government funding and rely on the generosity of people like you to help them create more life-changing partnerships.

We think Hearing Dogs for Deaf People is a fantastic cause and deserves your all important donations. There's plenty of ways for you to show your support, from running a marathon to hosting a coffee morning and for the more daring among you there's even parachuting and treking to the base camp on Everest!

terptree have been working with Hearing Dogs for Deaf People for a number of years, providing vital communication support during Applicant Assessments for those who have applied for a hearing dog. We're proud to say that our support helps Hearing Dogs to efficiently and confidently conduct their assessments across the country.

We have a lovely relationship with the team at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and our interpreters love working with them too. The feedback we have received from staff is excellent: "It's great to be able to book interpreters quickly and efficiently through terptree. The interpreters are always friendly and helpful as are the staff in the office. We are confident that our needs for interpreters will always be met through teprtree."

Please take the time to look at Hearing Dogs for Deaf People's website www.hearingdogs.org.uk to see how you can help make a difference.

Content taken from Hearing Dogs for Deaf People's website www.hearingdogs.org.uk

Fingerspellathon challenge

2011-07-12T09:45:00.000+01:00

The National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) is launching its third Fingerspellathon challenge later this year in October, a sponsored spelling event for schools in aid of NDCS.

The event is a great way for hearing and deaf pupils to interact, providing opportunities for hearing pupils to communicate with Deaf pupils through fingerspelling, as well as raising awareness amongst parents.

Service boost for Deaf and Hard of Hearing jobseekers

2011-07-11T09:45:00.001+01:00

Deaf-led organisaton Action Deafness aims to boost employment prospects for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people by offering a dedicated service as part of the Government’s Work Programme throughout the UK.

The charity is set to provide tailored services in partnership with the main providers already named under the Government initiative designed to help people into sustainable work by offering them the skills and support they need.

Action Deafness believes it is uniquely placed to offer expertise in a way which best engages with the D/deaf community – by widely using D/deaf people already highly skilled and trained who have empathy, firsthand experience and appropriate communication expertise.

For further information, please call Russell James on 0844 593 8440 or email russelljames@actiondeafness.org.uk

From Doncaster to Europe

2011-07-10T09:45:00.001+01:00

Students from Doncaster College for the Deaf, run by the Doncaster Deaf Trust, will soon be able to gain work experience in Sweden, Germany and the Czech Republic over the next two years, thanks to the £60,000 grant the college was recently awarded.

This unique scheme will allow Deaf students to build employment experience and confidence studying and working abroad.

The Spread the Sign initiative is another European project the college is also involved in. It aims to improve communication between deaf people across Europe by creating a comprehensive online dictionary of sign language. The programme was launched four years ago and nine countries are involved.

No Athens 2013 Deaflympics

2011-07-09T09:45:00.001+01:00

The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is looking for a new host city to stage the 2013 Deaflympics after the Greek government confirmed they will not be able to provide financial support for the Games due to the economic crisis.

Commenting on the news, ICSD President Craig Crowley said: "Today's decision is deeply disappointing, but the decision is also not a complete surprise, especially given the economic crisis in Greece at the moment.

“On becoming President, I was deeply concerned about the hosting arrangements for Slovakia, Athens and Vancouver. Our athletes deserve to be able to train with certainty about their future competitions. ICSD is already working on possible alternatives to Athens 2013.”

ICSD hope to make an announcement about alternative plans by the end of July.

Deal for Deaf student

2011-07-08T09:45:00.001+01:00

Doncaster College for the Deaf student Micole Boyce, aged 21, from Essex won £71,000 in one of the most popular TV game show, Deal or No Deal.

Accompanied by her friend and interpreter Vic, Micole wowed Noel Edmonds and her fellow contestants with her brave risk-taking decisions.

Many of the contestants learnt BSL to wish her good luck, even the bad Banker made an effort to communicate in BSL!

When asked by Noel what Micole would spend the money on, she replied that it would be shared with her family, before a trip around the world with her friend visiting Deaf communities.

Congratulations Micole! Will you take Fred the Deaf Suitcase on your travels?!

Website - and subtitled screenings for Deaf people - under threat

2011-06-23T09:45:00.001+01:00

At just 15 years old, Dean Rhodes Brandon founded the website YourLocalCinema.com, which provides details of subtitled screenings for Deaf cinema-goers.

The website, which has played a key role in increasing the number of subtitled screenings for deaf people, will soon be forced to close after losing its main source of funding from the UK Film Council.

Dean Rhodes Brandon, said: “If we ceased to exist…the deaf community would lose a site that has been successful in fighting their corner to making improvements in cinema access.”

This year, YourLocalCinema.com won the Innovation in Cinema Award, and we will be very sad to see it close.

Yet another successful How to be an Interpreter event!

2011-06-09T09:45:00.001+01:00

terptree ran another exciting and informative session on how to be an interpreter. The session was well attended and covered issues such as the variety of work that is involved in interpreting, how to prepare for bookings to areas such as suitable clothing for working with Deaf people.

Victoria Williams, Director of terptree said "It is such a pleasure to run these sessions and see the enthusiasm that BSL students have for the interpreting profession. Based on the interest that we have at these events, the numbers of interpreters will steadily increase for many years to come!".

Attendees enjoyed listening to the first hand experience of an interpreter, interacting with everyone in a relaxed environment and found it useful in clarifying their direction.

terptree decided to run these sessions after many enquiries from BSL students - asking What would I need to do to become an interpreter. Come to one of our sessions and see what all the fuss is about! Sign up to our newsletter to get news of the next date which will be later on this year.

terptree is an innovative business that makes things happen. If you have an idea that you would like to see come to life, contact terptree at training@terptree.co.uk or 01635 886 264. Also take a look at our training services to see what exciting events are happening over the summer with Sign Language in the Sun.

GaGa learning sign language for deaf fans of her new album

2011-06-07T09:45:00.000+01:00

"Lady Gaga is to learn sign language so she can communicate with her deaf fans.

The wacky singer whose Born This Way album is No1 in Britain and across the globe - plans to take lessons with a private tutor.

She has been inspired to take up ASL - Amercian Sign Language - after watching YouTube clips of her deaf devotees signing along to her songs."

You only need to take a look at YouTube to see the mass of signed videos available. Deaf people have as much enjoyment in music as hearing people, it is just the way that it is experienced that is different.

YouTube has given sign language a musical focal point and enabled hearing people to understand how Deaf people can access music.

"Once Gaga has mastered sign language she'll be able to respond to the videos that are online, and future live tours."

Lady Gaga has is taking the lead in making music directly acccessible to Deaf fans - lets hope that other stars follow her lead!

Quotes taken from The Sun Newspaper, Monday 6 June 2011

Mental Health and Deafness

2011-05-20T09:45:00.001+01:00

Deaf people experience mental health problems in exactly the same way that hearing people do, but research into the area is limited.

However, there is a link between mental health and deafness. Estimates in children suggest prevalence in mental health problems of 40% in Deaf children compared to 25% in hearing children. In adults, a number of studies from different countries have indicated a significantly higher level of mental ill health.

Starting in October 2011, The University of Birmingham will be running their innovative and successful course 'The (Advanced) Certificate in Mental Health and Deafness". The course will offer the opportunity to build understanding, skills, and confidence in working with mental health and deafness.

Please contact g.d.wishart.1@bham.ac.uk for further information and your application form.

FREE BSL Bitesize session!

2010-12-14T14:48:00.000Z

FREE BSL Bitesize session!

Fancy learning British Sign Language (BSL) for free?

We're holding a free session on the 4th January where you can learn basic fingerspelling and signs - all you need to do is turn up!

Date: Tuesday 4 January 2011

Time: 18.00 - 19.00

Place: Thatcham House, Turners Drive, Thatcham, RG19 4QD

Cost: FREE!

If you'd like to come please confirm by emailing training@terptree.co.uk

BSL Bitesize course

If on attending our free session, you've been inspired to learn more BSL why not sign up for our full BSL Bitesize course!

If you book all sessions in advance, we'll give you a fantastic 10% off the whole cost!

BSL Bitesize is a fantastic 5-week course that covers the basics of British Sign Language (BSL). This course is ideal for those who have little or no knowledge of BSL. Each week our Deaf tutor covers topics such as introductions, emotions, family, hobbies and social life. This enables participants to gain a basic conversational level of BSL in a fun and informal environment and can also help people decide whether they would like to enrol on a Signature Level 1 course.

Times: 7pm - 8.30pm

Dates: 11 January, 18 January, 25 January, 1 February and 8 February 2011

Venue: terptree training room, office 5 - Thatcham House, Turners Drive, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 4QD

The cost of attending is £15.00 per session. Get 10% off the whole cost if you pay for a course in advance!

Email training@terptree.co.uk if you'd like to get involved.

terptree is branching out!

2010-04-16T12:19:00.003+01:00

We're really excited to announce that terptree is expanding and opening an office in the north of England!

We've been planning for some time and are pleased to be able to offer our excellent services and highly qualified interpreters across England from our Head Office in Berkshire and our new office in Sheffield.

If you're based in the north and have any interpreting needs then text us on 07944 655810 or ring our Sheffield office on 0114 321 6268.

We're holding a big launch event on May 4th in Sheffield city centre so if you're free then come along to meet the team, some of our interpreters and members of the local Deaf community. See the poster for all the details!

Glee Sing and Sign Choir

2010-03-24T13:42:00.001Z

Anyone else loving Glee? We're big fans in the terptree office - check out their sing and sign version of Imagine!

terptree Sing and Sign Christmas Carol Concert - We Wish You a Merry Christmas Signed Video

2009-11-23T12:46:00.003Z

BSL Signed video of We Wish You a Merry Christmas - learn as much as you can and come along to terptree's Sing and Sign Carol concert in Newbury!

terptree Sing and Sign Christmas Carol Concert - Silent Night Signed Video

2009-11-23T12:44:00.003Z

BSL Signed video of Silent Night - learn as much as you can and come along to terptree's Sing and Sign Carol concert in Newbury!

terptree Sing and Sign Christmas Carol Concert - Jingle Bells Signed Video

2009-11-23T12:42:00.004Z

BSL Signed video of Jingle Bells - learn as much as you can and come along to terptree's Sing and Sign Carol concert in Newbury!

terptree Sing and Sign Carol Concert - Away in a Manger Signed Video

2009-11-23T12:40:00.004Z

BSL Signed video of Away in a Manger - learn as much as you can and come along to terptree's Sing and Sign Carol concert in Newbury!

terptree Christmas Carol Concert

2009-11-18T16:30:00.006Z

Come along to terptree's Christmas Carol Concert in Newbury Market Place! We'll be collecting for Reading Deaf Childrens' Society and it all kicks off at 5.30pm on Wednesday 2nd December. We'll have song sheets for anyone who wants to join in or you can just come along and have a listen. We've teamed up with the Corn Exchange Newbury cafe Seasons and there'll be mince pies and hot chocolate on sale to warm those vocal chords! We've also got local choral societies and community groups involved - it promises to be a great community event for Newbury.

Directions here for anyone who wants to come along - http://maps.google.com/maps?q=market%20place%20newbury&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&oe=utf8&rlz=1I7DLUK_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

And if you come back to the blog on Monday we'll have signed clips of each carol so you can learn them before you come along!

Online interpreting featured on BBC See Hear

2009-10-21T14:51:00.005+01:00

The latest episode of BBC2 programme See Hear has an interesting feature on online interpreting over webcam; a service terptree now provides in partnership with SignTranslate.

We're really proud to be able to offer the service and hope it can make a real difference to how deaf people access medical services in the UK. We're also currently trialling a version which works in the workplace - if you need a quick chat with a colleague you can use online interpreting.

Click the link to go directly to the right point in the programme http://bbc.co.uk/i/nhqf6/

You can also find out more about the service at www.terptree.co.uk/online.aspx

Deaflympics 2009 - GB Badminton

2009-09-02T14:43:00.003+01:00

We've got exclusive videos from the GB Badminton team ahead of their Deaflympics 2009 campaign in Taipei. Above Caroline Bird (British Number 3) talks about the games, which kick off on Friday with a huge opening ceremony.

You can get daily updates from Caroline at http://carolinebird.wordpress.com/, where she'll be blogging about her time in Taipei.

Below British Number 2 Carl Sadler has a chat with terptree about his chances at the event.

Deaflympics 2009

2009-09-02T14:33:00.006+01:00

On Friday more than 4000 deaf athletes from across the world will come together to celebrate the opening ceremony of the 2009 Deaflympics in Taipei.

A record 85 countries will be represented at the games which is often overlooked by much of the sporting world.

The Deaflympics are as much about celebrating the achievments of deaf people around the world as they are about the competition and sporting events. Visit the official website of the 2009 Deaflympics for a history of the games and a list of events taking place.

Keep an eye on terptree.blogspot.com for news of how Team GB are getting on, including exclusive video updates from the GB Badminton team!

Good luck to everyone taking part!

Healthcare for Deaf People - Your Experiences

2009-08-25T14:47:00.004+01:00

As a sign language interpreting agency we've heard all the horror stories about healthcare for deaf people.

Communication is sometimes completely inadequate and in these instances deaf people are humiliated and spoken to as if they are stupid. Leading health charity for deaf people SignHealth want to help change things and have set up a forum for people to discuss their experiences and a survey to try and measure how bad things can be.

We're right behind their efforts so head over to their blog and have a read of the awful treatment deaf people in the UK have gone through.

The survey they've devised is well worth getting involved in if you want to help change the way deaf people are treated in hospitals and GP surgeries. Click here to take it.

Kilimanjaro - The Final Push Up The Mountain

2009-08-21T15:17:00.003+01:00

Deaf adventurer Mark Flower leaves today for his big trek up Mount Kilimanjaro. He'll be spending around 10 days trecking through desert and mountainous conditions to achieve his goal of climbing Africa's highest peak.

We wish him the best of luck and will be putting up pictures on his triumphant return!

He's raising money for The National Deaf Children's Society.

Please support Mark by clicking here and donating to the fund. His next update is coming soon so keep checking terptree online for some picture action.

Deaf Eggheads

2009-08-10T16:12:00.008+01:00

This team of deaf Eggheads were on the BBC2 quiz on Friday 7th August. We won't spoil the outcome for you so watch and see how they did! Watch using the video above or click here to go to the iPlayer. If you click the 'S' you can watch with subtitles.

Note: Video available to UK users only.

Swine Flu Advice in BSL

2009-07-30T11:28:00.004+01:00

RE-POST:

Another re-post of this advice video. We all know someone who's got/had swine flu now so it's definitely appropriate to post this again. You can also now self-diagnose and get Tamiflu online if you need it at the UK Government's Pandemic Flu website

Some advice on swine flu in BSL www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLNhwuf4Hk

We'll be re-posting this link every week while the pandemic continues and becomes more widespread.

Deaf Contacts - Everything in one place

2009-07-21T11:29:00.003+01:00

At terptree we're committed to making everything more accessible for the Deaf community. We've designed and put together a UK map with clickable counties so all the contact information of local hospitals, deaf clubs, emergency services, council sensory services and everything else is in one easy-to-find place.

Go to our website (www.terptree.co.uk) and click on Information to find the map!

So far only London and the South-East are live but we're continuing to gather details for all counties. If you think we've missed anything out get in touch with us and email chris@terptree.co.uk

Trecking Kilimanjaro - BSL Vlog 2

2009-07-16T10:33:00.005+01:00

Non-sign language users click here for transcript

We welcome back Mark Flower with his second vlog update on his treck up Mount Kilimanjaro.

There's about a month to go now so Mark's training is becoming more important as he tries to ready his body for climbing one of the highest mountains in the world. At 5895 metres it's a long way up!

Please support Mark by clicking here and donating to the fund. His next update is coming soon so keep checking terptree online for more vlog action.

BSL Swine Flu Advice

2009-07-07T10:58:00.005+01:00

RE-POST:

We posted this a while ago but with cases expected to soon increase by 100,000 every day in the UK thought it would be a good time to re-post in case people need the advice again...

Some advice on swine flu in BSL www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLNhwuf4Hk

We'll be re-posting this link every week while the pandemic continues and becomes more widespread.

Deaf Team at Glastonbury

2009-07-06T09:56:00.009+01:00

It's been a week since one of the world's biggest music festivals came to an end and more than a hundred thousand people left the surreal surroundings of Glastonbury.

Just a handful of deaf people were among them but those who did go were provided with excellent interpreting services and advice from some top interpreters.

Next year the team are aiming to get as many deaf people involved as possible and are keen to stress that Glastonbury isn't just about music.

Here's the Glasto DeafZone team enjoying the sun! We hope they had a great time!

And thanks to GrumpyOldDeafies for this shot taken at the festival...not something we endorse but amusing none-the-less!

Deaf explorer takes on Mount Kilimanjaro

2009-06-22T14:12:00.006+01:00

Non-sign language users click here for full transcript.

Deaf explorer Mark Flower has trecked Machu Picchu and walked the Great Wall of China, and he's soon to embark on his latest challenge - Mount Kilimanjaro.

Mark will climb to Africa's highest point later this summer and until he leaves we'll be keeping track of his tough training schedule and nervous excitement at climbing one of the most famous mountains in the world.

At nearly 20,000 ft it's going to be an epic journey and one which Mark will be completing with sign language interpreter Victoria Gibson.

We're launching a series of Vlogs in the build-up to Mark's big climb. Every week or two we'll be uploading Mark's latest Vlog and following his progress - from training to packing to the day before the big climb!

Incidentally if you want to support Mark head over to www.justgiving.com/mfmountkilimanjaro

Keep checking back for the latest on Mark's challenge!

BSL Swine Flu Advice

2009-06-19T09:47:00.002+01:00

We posted this a while ago but with cases increasing every day by the hundreds thought it would be a good time to re-post in case people need the advice again...

Some advice on swine flu in BSL

http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page=s3_13_18

Deaflympics UK Tennis

2009-06-18T11:58:00.003+01:00

We'll be running loads of Deaflympics previews in the coming weeks, including exclusive interviews with members of the GB Badminton team, as well as updates on Deaflympics GB team during the event in September.

Here's an inspiring interview with one of our athletes, Jamie King, who's a deaf tennis player taking part in the Deaflympics in Taipei.

It's 18 minutes into the bulletin so use the slider to click through..

BBC South Today - Deaflympics Jamie King

N.B. Copyright issues mean this video may not be available outside of the UK

Monkeying Around

2009-06-11T15:16:00.008+01:00

Last week the terptree team went monkeying about in the forest and we thought we'd post some photos of our adventures!

Victoria negotiating the rope swings

terptree monkeys!

Fairer access for deaf people

2009-06-09T10:35:00.010+01:00

The UN Enable convention has been slowly coming into force around the world. More than 50 contries have signed it since 2007, with the UK becoming the latest on Monday 8th June 2009.

Governments who have signed and ratified the treaty are bound to carry out the following provisions for the deaf community:

b) Facilitating the learning of sign language and the promotion of the linguistic identity of the deaf community;
c) Ensuring that the education of persons, and in particular children, who are blind, deaf or deafblind, is delivered in the most appropriate languages and modes and means of communication for the individual, and in environments which maximize academic and social development.

The convention also ensures that deaf students have access to teachers qualified in sign language. The full terms of the article on education can be found here.

The article on Freedom of expression and access to information states governments should improve access by:

b) Accepting and facilitating the use of sign languages, Braille, augmentative
and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats
of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official
interactions;

Other articles of the treaty are listed at the UN Enable website.

The convention will not affect deaf people in the UK too much but it will mean real change for millions of deaf people around the world in countries which didn't have previous legislation in place to ensure fair access and equality for disabled people.

N.B Quick Hat Tip to Islington Deaf Campaign

Events for deaf people

2009-06-01T11:28:00.010+01:00

Website plug coming up..! We've got a useful calendar for the deaf community over at terptree.co.uk

It's full of events for deaf people. There're pub socials, free art talks at the Tate and days out at the beach, as well as loads of others.

If you're deaf and fancy a day out or a night at the theatre (with signing) check out the calendar at bit.ly/CgJxQ

Most of the events are in London and the south-east at the moment but if you've got any you want to add email chris@terptree.co.uk

More signed BSL programmes

2009-06-01T09:59:00.005+01:00

A quick nod to some more signed BSL programmes on television during June.

A series of four new chat shows 'Under the lamp with Carolyn' is now live on the BSL zone showing on the Community Channel. (Sky 539 • Virgin TV 233 • Freeview 87)

You can watch the programmes online at www.bslbt.co.uk/chat

The same company produce Wicked, which will return later this year for a second series

Signed content on iPlayer

2009-05-22T13:40:00.002+01:00

We're fairly sure that most deaf people are already aware of the sign zone on the BBC iPlayer but if you're not go over and take a look.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/categories/signed/?page=1

There are loads of programmes and most aren't specifically aimed at the deaf community. So you can now watch the best of the beeb with sign language.

If you want to watch other channels check out ITV's listings service for BSL programmes across all channels.

Abuse in Irish Deaf Schools

2009-05-22T10:48:00.008+01:00

Irish deaf schools run by the Catholic church were among those heavily criticised by the commission to inquire into child abuse.

This week the inquiry noted that church leaders knew of 'endemic' abuse within Catholic institutions, as stated in this Guardian report.

The full report can be found here while BBC have produced a brief summary of the main findings.

There's a write up of the full findings at the excellent GrumpyOldDeafies.

In one institution, St Joseph's School for the Deaf, children were let down by authorities and sustained serious sexual abuse, the report states.

In another the issue of oralism arises. St Mary's Girls Deaf school was heavily criticised in the report which found that punishments for the enforcement of oralism were far too severe. It notes that:

"Whilst the wisdom of imposing oralism was a separate matter and one which the Committee could not comment on, the methods of enforcing it were at times too severe."

BSL Swine Flu Advice

2009-05-18T09:22:00.001+01:00

Some advice on swine flu in BSL

http://www.nhs24.com/content/default.asp?page=s3_13_18

Music to deaf ears

2009-05-14T15:33:00.016+01:00

It comes as a surprise to most people that deaf people can enjoy music too. Common sense tells us that, if a person is deaf, they can’t hear music and enjoy it.

But there are loads of ways to improve deaf access to music and help people enjoy and understand it as much as the hearing population. We’ve compiled a short list of techniques and ways to connect deaf people with music.

Feel the music

The most successful techniques are relatively new and let deaf people ‘hear’ the music through certain frequencies and vibrations. Scientists have found that the part of the brain most people use for hearing and processing sound is able to process vibrations that deaf people are exposed to and let them understand the music this way.

A Canadian university has developed a chair that lets you ‘hear’ the rhythm of the music using your skin.

In the past deaf people have ‘heard’ music by holding a hand to the speaker and feeling the vibrations of the bass but this new chair has 16 in-built speakers and scientists claim deaf people can feel the frequencies of several instruments using their skin.

Hook up your MP3 player

If you saw asked people to name the group most unlikely to have an iPod, they’d be guaranteed to say the deaf community.

But while it sounds odd, many deaf people have cochlear implants which you can plug your iPod into the back of using a special cable. There’s a guide on how to do it here

Sign the music

A less technological approach is to simply sign the lyrics of the music and convey a sense of rhythm. Whilst basic this still gives deaf people better access to music.

A short and amusing example below

However, some choose to push the boundaries and try and introduce additional emotions and musical meaning whilst signing lyrics.

The latest is from the inspirational Dr Paul Whittaker who’s profoundly deaf. He’s a trained musician and has developed a way to interpret music through BSL, showing not only the lyrics but also the emotion and rhythm of a piece.

This BBC News video (with BSL interpreter) follows the story.

If you know any other ways of communicating music to deaf people or making it more accessible leave a comment

999 for deaf people...at last!

2009-05-11T10:29:00.012+01:00

It looks as if deaf people are to finally get a universal emergency phone number.

It's very difficult to contact police, fire or ambulance services if you're deaf which isn't acceptable; in an emergency it's the vital seconds that count and trying to dial on a textphone can take minutes longer.

Some councils have introduced numbers for deaf people to send a text but most numbers differ from region to region.

For example, if you need an ambulance in Hampshire you can text 80999 but, if you need one in Kent it's 60066. If this isn't confusing enough some councils use a standard 11 digit mobile number.

There are more than eight million deaf or partially hearing people in the UK and the current situation is ridiculous. If a deaf person is visiting another city or county there could be fatal consequences because of this confusing system.

However, trials are being launched in London which enable deaf people to simply text 999 in an emergency.

If it works the number will be rolled out across the country.

This excellent article on the BBC website outlines some of the current problems and explains the trial in more detail.

It's taken six years to introduce but through huge efforts by deaf campaigners, the RNID and the telephone companies we're finally at a stage where 999 will be accessible to deaf people in the UK.

Signing in schools

2009-05-08T13:30:00.012+01:00

To promote Deaf Awareness Week terptree's been into two local schools over the past couple of days to teach some basic signing.

On Thursday 7th it was Francis Bailey in Thatcham then this

morning (Friday 8th) we were at Kennet School in the town.

During both sessions pupils were taught finger spelling before moving on to more complex signs. They learnt how to answer questions like, "How old are you? Do you have any siblings? Do you have any pets?"

The kids picked it up very quickly and really enjoyed signing to each other. At the end they each got a Deaf Aware certificate and a badge and teachers even encouraged them to teach their classmates!

Need a deaf website?

2009-05-07T09:25:00.005+01:00

We've finally organised our huge list of deaf links and put them all onto delicious, a bookmarking tool.

They're all tagged into catergories, from leisure activities for the deaf to education and information websites. It's the first place to visit if you need info on anything deaf related and an easy way to access the hundreds of deaf-related websites out there.

They'll be constantly updated so if we're missing any links you find useful send them over!

Have a quick look at terptree on delicious and search the list using the tags on the right.

On the tip of your...finger?

2009-04-23T14:39:00.004+01:00

"What's that word again? It's on the tip of my tongue"

Most (forgetful) people say this almost every day, but it's not just the tip of your tongue that's affected. Everyone experiences it, so it's no surprise to learn that signers express the feeling in a slightly different way.

Great article here on how those elusive words are often at the tips of our fingers.

Brand new TV series presented in British Sign Language!

2009-03-25T14:37:00.006Z

Hi there bloggers,

Just wanted to tell you about a new programme!

This programme sees the Wicked Camper van travelling around the UK in search of stories in the Deaf community.

On the BSL Zone from 1 April 2009

Can be seen on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays

Freeview 87
Sky 539
Virgin TV 233

For a trailer see: www.bslbt.co.uk/wicked

UPDATE: You can now watch the first episode online at http://tinyurl.com/d8ze42

terptree publish free articles on the internet!

2009-03-10T12:19:00.000Z

Hi there!

Yes, terptree have been publishing some free articles on the Internet so that we can give as much information to people as possible.

We are aware that the more information we distribute, the more awareness there will be amongst the general public!

Have a look at two of the articles that we have published today:

http://www.fusicles.co.uk/Articles/tabid/189/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5702/How-to-communicate-with-a-deaf-person.aspx

http://www.fusicles.co.uk/Articles/tabid/189/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/5703/Consulting-with-the-Deaf-Community.aspx

If there are topics that you would like us to write about, get in touch admin@terptree.co.uk

Technology in the workplace

2009-03-03T12:52:00.000Z

Have a read of this interesting link that describes the use of need technologies in the workplace for Deaf people:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7670175.stm

If you would like to find out how you can access an interpreter via a webcam on your computer, please contact us at online@terptree.co.uk

Victoria presenting at Newbury College Business Conference

2009-02-25T23:44:00.000Z

Well, what an opportunity!

I was able to present to a group of 30 business students at Newbury College this week.
It was very inspiring that this group of students are interested in business and want to start thinking about the exciting opportunities out there for them.

I talked about my experiences of setting up terptree and how much I had enjoyed everything to date! The students seemed to get a lot out of it and there were many questions through my presentation and afterwards.

I had a great time and feel very positive when getting back to the office, inspired by this generation of people and excited that they would be our future decision makers.

Good luck to all of you :-)

Wokingham Sensory Needs new address

2009-02-23T15:54:00.000Z

Hi there,

Just a quick one to let you know that the Sensory Needs Team in Wokingham have moved to:

Deaf Services Team
Wellington House
Wellington Road
RG40 2QB

Voice: 0118 974 6548
Text: 0118 908 8201
Fax: 0118 908 8190

Just for your information :-)

terptree online being tested

2009-02-10T14:39:00.000Z

We are excited to say we are currently testing our online booking system with a few of out clients so we can ensure it is 100 percent.

Watch this space!

terptree have joined twitter

2009-02-05T11:43:00.000Z

Come and follow terptree on the move with twitter to find out what we are up to!

http://twitter.com/terptree

Channel 4 Signed Programmes

2009-02-05T11:41:00.000Z

We have just found this website that has Signed Programmes on Channel 4 and wanted to let you know!

Please share with others:

http://www.channel4.com/microsites/A/access/signed_programmes.html

Let us know if people will not book Interpreters

2009-02-04T12:47:00.001Z

Hi there,

We had contact from a Deaf person last week to say that a certain Hospital will not book Interpreters for them to access the service.

terptree are there for you.

If you let us know the contact details of the organisation/company/Hospital or other who are not booking interpreters for you....we will get in touch with them and explain the benefits of booking an interpreter.

It is not good enough these days, not with the power of the DDA behind you.

booking@terptree.co.uk

Consultation Event for Royal Berkshire Hospital Interpreting Services

2009-02-03T16:57:00.000Z

Here is some useful information for you......

Date: 17/02/2009

Start Time: 11:30

End Time: 13:00

Address:
Reading Deaf Club
131-133 Cardiff Road
Berkshire
Reading
RG1 8JF

A focus group situation where any deaf patients/carers who use the hospital services can give their confidential views on the BSL interpreting services the Royal Berkshire Hospital and Trust employs.

Elizabeth Nyawade, Equality Diversity Officer will be attending.

The hospital is keen to gather views from the members of the Reading Deaf Community Centre about the current intereting services. This is to help the Trust improve the services offered to the Deaf community.

terptree online nearly ready to go!

2009-02-02T16:54:00.000Z

Yes, we have been very busy indeed in the last few weeks....putting together all of the finishing touches to terptree online, our new online booking system, we cannot wait for you to see it.

It has taken a while longer than we planned and anticipated, but this extra time has been taken up in making sure that it is perfect!

We will let you all know when you can register and start placing your bookings online....

....watch this space!

Online interpreting - having an interpreter for your Dr's appointments!

2009-01-26T15:13:00.001Z

terptree are working with SignTranslate to offer online interpreting.

This means that you could go to your Dr's if you felt ill that same morning and work with an interpreter through the webcam! You would not have to wait 2 - 3 weeks to book an interpreter, as you could talk with your Dr STRAIGHT AWAY!

This is an amazing service and something that terptree offer NOW!

If you would like your Dr to use this service with you, please email us at online@terptree.co.uk with:

- Your name
- Dr's and surgery name
- Surgery number

And we can contact your Doctor and talk to them about this service.

Interpreters for driving tests!

2009-01-23T14:27:00.000Z

A Deaf person contacted us to ask if we can book an interpreter for their driving test.

We managed to book this very quickly for them and can arrange this for you without you having to contact the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

If you would like to book an interpreter for your driving test, email us at booking@terptree.co.uk

Welcome to Thatcham House - our new offices

2009-01-19T17:42:00.000Z

Hi there everyone - we would like to welcome you to our new office at Thatcham House.

We moved in during November and have a lovely office now which is a nice end to 2008.

Take a tour around our new home!

New Sales Administrator for terptree!

2009-01-06T17:00:00.000Z

We are excited to announce that we have a Sales Administrator joining our team!

Linda Gale is joining our team today and in the next few weeks will be taking clients bookings and dealing with our internal organisation.

We are delighted about this and I am sure that you will be hearing from Linda really soon....

Happy 2009 from terptree

2009-01-01T17:45:00.000Z

terptree would like to wish you all a happy and prosperous 2009.

Here are a few things that we are proud of from 2008 - a very busy year for us:

January: Launching our website at Arlington Arts Centre, Mary Hare

May: Deaf Awareness week events in Newbury marketplace and Reading Deaf club

July/August: Holding BSL taster sessions in Newbury

October: Our number of clients hits 100!

November: Moved into our new offices at Thatcham House

December: Advertising and selection of Sales Administrator to start in January 2009

These are just a few highlights over the year for terptree and we look forward to making this list fuller and even more exciting for 2009!

All our wishes

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T17:36:00.000Z

terptree would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

We are looking forward to 2009 and have many exciting plans.....watch this space!

Do you want to improve your reading, writing or maths?

2008-10-31T10:30:00.000Z

I was visiting a CAB this week and picked up a card from Newbury College that said:

'Do you want to improve your reading, writing or maths?

We can help.
Learn with Newbury College Call 01635 845 270'

I thought that this was worth sharing

The course is based at Waterside Centre, Newbury
Friday 9.30 - 11.30am

PALS - Patient Advice and Liaison Service

2008-10-30T11:05:00.000Z

Pals stands for Patient Advice and Liaison Service.

Pals provides free, informal, confidential help and advice for patients, carers and their families.

This means if you need some advice about the hospital, the care you have received or would like to make a complaint - you can contact pals.

Phone: 0118 982 2829
Email: pals.berkshirewest@berkshire.nhs.uk
Fax: 0118 982 2905
SMS: 07876 505 312

Write to: Berkshire West Pals, 57-59 Bath Road, Reading, RG30 2BA

They are a very useful place to contact to get information.

Deaf Awareness training from terptree

2008-10-17T14:27:00.000+01:00

October has been a busy time for terptree and we have been working on everything from interpreting bookings to training events - Deaf awareness training in particular.

This is an exciting step for us considering we have just finished our second year in business and enter a third! We has a fantastic client base who are extremely happy with our services and we are excited to be also providing them with Deaf awareness training.

In our training, we cover:

- Welcome and Introduction

- Information about deaf people and sign language

- How to communicate with Deaf people

- How to work with an interpreter

- How to make the working environment suitable for Deaf employees

- Learning how to fingerspell plus exercise

- Teaching work-related signs and create sign names

- Recap

All of our sessions are fun and interactive and very much enjoyable.

Please take a look at the training section of the website to see the wonderful feedback that we have received.

Deaf issues make The Guardian!

2008-10-10T10:59:00.000+01:00

Well, an exciting Friday morning as Deaf issues have made The Guardian newspaper G2 section!

As you can see:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/deaf

There are a range of different articles about Deaf issues including one that states that "fewer than two-thirds of deaf people are in work - and many of those have had to overcome prejudice and preconceptions".

This is a shocking figure which terptree is going to be trying to address.

Watch this space as we will be launching our workplace packages for Deaf people very shortly...

terptree supports SignTranslate's launch in Blyth Valley

2008-10-06T17:55:00.000+01:00

Here you can see Victoria Gibson signing to local Deaf people in Blyth Valley for the launch on Saturday 4 October.

For full information, please see our website News pages http://www.terptree.co.uk/News.aspx

Watch terptree supports SignTranslate's launch in Blythe Valley in How to Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Deaf people staying in hotels

2008-10-05T17:26:00.000+01:00

I stayed at a De Vere hotel at the weekend and to my suprise there were also many Deaf people staying at the same hotel!

Quite funny as this weeekend had been set aside to plan the future of terptree and there were Deaf people all around us!

This reminded me of the fact that Deaf people are central in terptree and we always need to remember our community .... the Deaf community.

Whilst at the hotel, staff made extra efforts to ensure that the Deaf clients felt included. I was approached one of the evenings by two members of staff who asked me how to sign tea and coffee so that they could communicate over breakfast.

I thought that this was fantastic! A real effort, good on you De Vere - a Deaf friendly hotel....lets see others following suit

Another online interpreting training session!

2008-10-01T21:05:00.000+01:00

terptree have another online interpreting training session with SignTranslate later on this month.

We now have 13 Interpreters trained in the local area, who are ready to start taking calls!

Please see the SignTranslate website http://www.signtranslate.com/ to see how YOUR GP can use interpreting services through a webcam!!

Happy International interpreters day!

2008-09-30T16:11:00.000+01:00

Today - September 30th is International Interpreters & Translators Day.

This is a day for interpreters and translators over the world to "celebrate their profession and use this opportunity to educate the public about the role/responsibilities of interpreters in the various fields - legal, business, political, media, etc" IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association).

If you would like to read more about this: http://www.fit-ift.org/download/en/itd-2008.pdf

If you would like to do your 'bit' and learn about the role of the interpreter, please see: http://www.terptree.co.uk/bslEng.aspx in English and BSL

Photos tab on terptree online!

2008-09-29T12:09:00.000+01:00

We now have a new photos tab on terptree online which show what we have been up to:

- Deaf Awareness Week events
- SignTranslate training with interpreters
- Basic BSL taster sessions

We hope that you enjoy taking a look!

http://www.terptree.co.uk/Photos.aspx

NEW Photos tab on terptree online

2008-09-25T18:09:00.000+01:00

We are exciting to launch the !NEW! photos tab on the website where you can see some photos of what we have been up to!

The following have been added so far:

- Photos from Deaf awareness week events in Newbury and Reading
- SignTranslate training photos
- BSL Taster Sessions held in Newbury

Enjoy!

Agency Standards Group (ASG) video in BSL

2008-09-23T16:10:00.000+01:00

There is a fantastic clear video that has been produced about the Agency Standards Group (ASG) - so please take a look as this is in BSL and clearly explains what the ASG is there for:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=2018645593

You can also look at the ASG website http://www.freewebs.com/agencysteeringgroup/ and you will see under 'Has your agency signed up?' that terptree have been approved!

Enjoy ;-)

SignTranslate on See Hear

2008-09-22T12:28:00.000+01:00

The BBC featured the services of SignTranslate on Wednesday 10 September in their 'See Hear' programme.

This was a very useful programme that showed clearly how the service works and included an interview with Steve Powell.

There was also a video clip that featured Victoria Gibson from terptree, interpreting through an online interpreting session. To see this video clip:
http://www.signtranslate.com/ - bottom left hand side of the page, a purple box 'SignTranslate in Action' click here - to see the video clip explaining the SignTranslate service.

Online interpreting is an exciting extension of terptree's services and we will be covering the South East....so if you need an interpreter for your Doctors appointment, tell the Receptionist about SignTranslate!

BSL Communication Group to start in January 2009

2008-09-22T11:43:00.000+01:00

terptree ahave changed the dates for the BSL Communication Group so that it is now due to start in January 2009 . We felt that this would gove people enough time to prepare to be involved with the course.

The 'BSL Communication Group' will enable people to gain a good knowldge of BSL in an informal environment.

This course made up of 6-sessions will cover important topics in BSL and give you the opportunity to practice using BSL in conversations and learn more vocabulary.

Here is what we have come up with!

Wednesday 20 January:
Holidays: discussion of your holidays, experiences you have had travelling and relevant vocabulary taught

Wednesday 27 January:
Family life and home: who is in your immediate and extended family, what do you do together at home

Wednesday 3 February:
Food and drink: what is your favourite food and drink, which type of restaurants do you like eating in

Wednesday 10 February:
Social Life: what do you get up to in your spare time, do you belong to any clubs or groups, spend time with friends

Wednesday 17 February:
Placement: this session will focus on placement - how to give directions, describe a place/room/office - very useful for all BSL usage

Wednesday 24 February:
Party time as this is the last session: a chance to let your hair down and play some BSL games!

Times: 7 - 8.30pm

Venue: this will be either in Newbury or Thatcham The cost of attending this set of 6 sessions is £65 including VAT.

Please email me, Victoria Gibson at training@terptree.co.uk and let me know if you would like to come along and join the fun!?!?

Deaf people can get help finding work!

2008-09-19T11:47:00.000+01:00

terptree have been working closely with Deborah Wilkins at Dering - http://www.dering.biz/

Dering support Deaf people in finding employment. terptree have been making sure that the companies that Deaf people go into have good Deaf awareness training and support so that the Deaf person is fully included.

It is very exciting that we are working toegether as Deaf people can now get support in finding a job and getting a interview and then terptree can support the employer when they get the job to make sure that regular interpreters are booked and so on.

To contact Dering and get some help finding a job: deborah.wilkins@dering.biz

To find out how terptree can support you in your workplace: victoria@terptree.co.uk

Reporting small crime via SMS/text to Thames Valley Police

2008-09-18T12:36:00.000+01:00

"Victims of crime will soon be able to report theft and criminal damage by text or email.
Thames Valley Police plans to introduce 'e-reporting' by February to give people living in Oxfordshire more choice to report minor crimes and non urgent matters."

This is an exciting time for Deaf people as it means not dealing with Typetalk when reporting a crime! This is a very quick way of reporting crimes which is fantastic, but tust remember that this service needs to be used so that the funding continues.

Do you have any other suggestions? Please let Thames Valley Police know: http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/press/e-comm-feedback.htm

How does this work....
"Texts automatically convert into emails when they are received by the police control room.
An automated response will then be sent and the injury followed up by the same way as a logged phone call.
Email forms will resemble online credit card applications, which require certain sections to be filled in."

Quotes taken from Oxford Mail, Thursday 18 September 2008, Page 5 by Tom Shepherd

terptree offer BSL Communication Group

2008-09-01T15:22:00.000+01:00

terptree are interested in running a 'BSL Communication Group' - in which people can gain a good knowldge of BSL in an informal environment.

This course made up of 6-sessions will cover important topics in BSL and give you the opportunity to practice using BSL in conversations and learn more vocabulary.

Here is what we have come up with!

Wednesday 24 September:
Holidays: discussion of your holidays, experiences you have had travelling and relevant vocabulary taught

Wednesday 8 October:
Family life and home: who is in your immediate and extended family, what do you do together at home

Wednesday 22 October:
Food and drink: what is your favourite food and drink, which type of restaurants do you like eating in

Wednesday 12 November:
Social Life: what do you get up to in your spare time, do you belong to any clubs or groups, spend time with friends

Wednesday 26 November:
Placement: this session will focus on placement - how to give directions, describe a place/room/office - very useful for all BSL usage

Wednesday 10 December:
X-mas party and games: a chance to let your hair down and play some BSL games!

Times: 6.30 - 8pm

Venue: this will be either in Newbury or Thatcham The cost of attending this set of 6 sessions is £65 including VAT.

We wanted to see if you were actually interested in these sessions before we made any arrangements.

So if you could email me, Victoria Gibson at training@terptree.co.uk and let me know if you would like to come along?

Minicom numbers

2008-08-26T15:25:00.000+01:00

terptree are preparing a list of minicom numbers for local and national organisations.

We would like to collect as many as possible, so please feel free to email us any minicom numbers that you have to admin@terptree.co.uk and we will add them to our list!

This list will be published on our website very shortly.