Via Sign Language Sector Cooperative

The working time of interpreters mainly involves interpreting and preparing for it. Each interpreter can interpret a maximum of 30 classes per week (one class = 45 minutes). In addition to interpreting and preparation time, interpreters also report on the work that they carry out. Interpreters work in teams that are responsible for more than one interpreting site. Work at different sites is tiring in different ways. The aim is to make sure that the workload is divided as equally as possible between all interpreters. This is why interpreters can alternate at different interpreting sites. Some of Via’s interpreters also have other tasks as well as interpreting (e.g. teaching, professional studies, work supervision) and separate developmental tasks (e.g. maintaining the term bank) that take up their time when they are not interpreting.

Successful teamwork requires participation in team meetings. A replacement is organised to cover any time when an interpreter is participating in a team meeting.
The division of work amongst interpreters is agreed separately within each interpreter team. Any preferences in terms of division of work should be sent to the team contacts!

Decree on services and assistance to be provided based on disability

Interpreting services entail interpreting using sign language or other augmentative communication methods performed for work, studies, running errands and dealings with authorities, participation in society, recreation or other purpose.

Interpreting services must be organised so that a person with a severe hearing and sight impairment can have a minimum of 360 and persons referred to in section 8 a minimum of 180 interpreting hours during each calendar year.

As an exception to the provisions laid out in subsection 3, educational interpreting will be organised to the extent that a person actually needs it for his/her studies.

No, it is not. There are hundreds of different sign languages in the world that use different signs and grammar. However, there are certain similarities in their grammar.

Sign languages also have no direct link with spoken languages. For example, spoken English is used in the UK, Ireland, USA and Australia, but all of these countries have different sign languages, whereas American Sign Language is closely related to French Sign Language and Finnish Sign Language is closely related to Swedish Sign Language.