Miss-Delectable
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Tuning in to Heather's language handiwork - Bay of Plenty Times - Sep 20 2006 11:00AM - localnews
You could say Heather Thompson was born to be an interpreter.
Raised by deaf parents meant that although she has full hearing, she was using sign language before she could talk.
Now, she uses her fluency to help deaf people do things the hearing community takes for granted.
Working as the Bay of Plenty's only interpreter for the deaf keeps her busy and is something she is passionate about. "I love the language and I love the deaf people, it's a part of my culture."
Miss Thompson completed a diploma in Interpreting for the Deaf at the Auckland University of Technology.
She moved to Tauranga two years ago to begin working as an interpreter for the Deaf Association.
Now working freelance, she has about 100 clients around the Bay and also in Hawke's Bay.
A typical morning sees her on the road about 8am. She covers such a wide area she is forced to spend a lot of time behind the wheel - and every day is different. In one day she may interpret at a doctor's, a Work and Income appointment, and a physiotherapist's in Rotorua, then drive back to Tauranga for a staff meeting and a job interview.
She is also needed at courses, driving tests, hospitals, police interviews and court cases. Her special interest in deaf mental health means she also conducts a lot of counselling sessions.
New Zealand Sign Language has only been recognised as an official language since April this year.
The New Zealand Sign Language Bill gives deaf people the right to an interpreter in legal proceedings. This will lead to a need for more interpreters, Miss Thompson says.
Having an interpreter empowers the deaf. It gives them more access to information and enables them to apply for jobs otherwise beyond their reach, such as the butcher and forklift-operator positions she recently interpreted for.
Having an interpreter also gives the deaf independence from friends and family. As an interpreter she is bound by a code of ethics and does not pass judgment or let herself become a part of the outcome. "I only relay information."
She enjoys working with deaf people because they have a great sense of humour and see life in a different way.
"Because they're deaf they're very visual so they are expressive in their language," she said. "They're so straight-up. I can really relate to them because I was brought up the same way."
She wants to stress the importance of eye contact when communicating with deaf people, who are good at reading facial expressions. "There's no need to freak out ... and you can always write something down."
You could say Heather Thompson was born to be an interpreter.
Raised by deaf parents meant that although she has full hearing, she was using sign language before she could talk.
Now, she uses her fluency to help deaf people do things the hearing community takes for granted.
Working as the Bay of Plenty's only interpreter for the deaf keeps her busy and is something she is passionate about. "I love the language and I love the deaf people, it's a part of my culture."
Miss Thompson completed a diploma in Interpreting for the Deaf at the Auckland University of Technology.
She moved to Tauranga two years ago to begin working as an interpreter for the Deaf Association.
Now working freelance, she has about 100 clients around the Bay and also in Hawke's Bay.
A typical morning sees her on the road about 8am. She covers such a wide area she is forced to spend a lot of time behind the wheel - and every day is different. In one day she may interpret at a doctor's, a Work and Income appointment, and a physiotherapist's in Rotorua, then drive back to Tauranga for a staff meeting and a job interview.
She is also needed at courses, driving tests, hospitals, police interviews and court cases. Her special interest in deaf mental health means she also conducts a lot of counselling sessions.
New Zealand Sign Language has only been recognised as an official language since April this year.
The New Zealand Sign Language Bill gives deaf people the right to an interpreter in legal proceedings. This will lead to a need for more interpreters, Miss Thompson says.
Having an interpreter empowers the deaf. It gives them more access to information and enables them to apply for jobs otherwise beyond their reach, such as the butcher and forklift-operator positions she recently interpreted for.
Having an interpreter also gives the deaf independence from friends and family. As an interpreter she is bound by a code of ethics and does not pass judgment or let herself become a part of the outcome. "I only relay information."
She enjoys working with deaf people because they have a great sense of humour and see life in a different way.
"Because they're deaf they're very visual so they are expressive in their language," she said. "They're so straight-up. I can really relate to them because I was brought up the same way."
She wants to stress the importance of eye contact when communicating with deaf people, who are good at reading facial expressions. "There's no need to freak out ... and you can always write something down."
