Perhaps some of you in the Seattle area would be interested in this.
Happy new year to all G-lers, Ylva

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 12:16:27 -0800
From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [wa-afr] FW: [wspca] Language needs at Harborview Medical Center

Hello, WASAN friends:  I thought I'd forward this on to our group, too,in
case there are any amongst us who could help with the African languages.

----------
From: "Karen G. Scott" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2000 23:16:33 -0800
To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>,
<[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>,
<[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [wspca] Language needs at Harborview Medical Center

I'm taking advantage of the e-mail addresses on an earlier message from
Charlotte to get a
message out to folks in the Seattle area.

My name is Karen Scott and I am an "old" RPCV (Colombia '68-'70).  These
days I manage the
Interpreter Services Department at Harborview Medical Center.  Seattle is
one of the major
resettlement areas for refugees and immigrants and many of these folks begin
their medical
care at Harborview, after the Dept of Health screens them.  In addition to
the new arrivals,
many cultural groups continue to seek care at Harborview long after they
arrive.  To give you
the "big picture," during this calendar year we will have provided
interpretation for well
over 100,000 encounters at Harborview.  It's quite a logistical challenge,
needless to say!
(Our top 3 languages are currently Spanish, Somali and Vietnamese, and we
use a mix of staff
interpreters, contracted interpreters and agency interpreters, in addition
to telephone
interpretation, in case you are curious.)

Although we don't usually have difficulty getting interpreters for the
languages spoken by
large immigrant groups, we frequently have difficulty finding folks who can
speak languages
which are relatively rare in this area.  Eastern European, African, Pacific
Island, Asian
languages, etc., etc., etc.  You name it, we may need it.  Patient care is
our bottom line,
and without anyone to help the medical provider and patient communicate,
patient care is
jeopardized.

The reason I am sending this message is because I'd like to build a list of
folks who speak
languages we may need, and it seems to me that Returned Peace Corps
Volunteers (& others of
similar interests and experiences) would be a good place to begin.  Besides
that, you may know
of people locally who are native speakers of the languages you have learned
overseas.  I'm not
thinking of a career move for you necessarily, maybe just a phone number
where we can reach
you if we have a walk-in patient and need to do some basic communicating.
And don't think
your language is too "obscure" for us to need it.  You never know.  If
you're willing to be on
such a list, I would appreciate hearing from you at my work e-mail address:
[log in to unmask]  -- not here at home.

Please include the following:
Your name:
Your telephone number(s):
Times/days of the week you are likely to be reached at each number:
Where you live:
Language(s) you speak:
Country where the language is spoken:
Your level of speaking ability, in whatever way you want to describe it!
Any additional information you think might be of use.

In addition, if you can steer me to others who might be appropriate
contacts, I would
appreciate it.

Thanks, in advance, for your help!


----------
> From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask];
[log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
>
>



To Post a message, send it to:   [log in to unmask]

To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [log in to unmask]



-------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~>
Download Net2Phone's free software to make FREE calls anywhere within
the US from your PC now! Get great low rates on international calls!
http://click.egroups.com/1/10923/1/_/23029/_/978293763/
---------------------------------------------------------------------_->

Our next meeting is Wednesday, Jan 31, Garfield Comm Ctr, E Cherry and 23rd, Seattle
7:00 PM WSAN business meeting
8:00 PM Program: TBA
We usually meet the last Wednesday of the month.  To post a message: [log in to unmask]  To subscribe sending a blank message to [log in to unmask]  To unsubscribe send a blank message to [log in to unmask]  For complete information on the Washington State Africa Network visit: www.ibike.org/africamatters

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------