The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
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34 The Linguist DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015 www.ciol.org.uk INSTITUTE MATTERS Amanda Barton Dr Amanda Barton is Honorary Lecturer at the University of Manchester, where she has worked in teacher education for the last 13 years. Now working as a freelance writer, she has published extensively on language teaching and learning in both primary and secondary schools. See p.20 Clarisa Carvalho Clarisa Carvalho manages the Interpreting Service at Freedom from Torture (FFT) in London and teaches Community Interpreting at Tower Hamlets Council. She coordinated bilingual mental health advocacy projects in the voluntary sector and worked as a Portuguese and Spanish Interpreter and Bilingual Health Advocate for the NHS. See p.14 Deborah Langton Deborah Langton MCIL specialises in literary translation but has been translating more widely since 2010. She is also a distance tutor for the CIOL Diploma in Translation. Until going freelance as a translator, she was lecturer at the Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität. She lives in Munich. See p.22 Neil Payne Neil Payne is a former language teacher and translator who now focuses on providing training solutions and consultancy via his company Kwintessential (Consulting) Ltd (www.kwintessential.co.uk). See p.24 Caroline Roemmele Caroline Roemmele is a qualified psychotherapist, registered with UKCP. Having worked in the NHS in for 14 years, she currently works at Freedom from Torture and runs her own private practice. She has an MA from Tavistock Clinic in Group Work and Organisations. See p.14 Eleanor Sharpston Eleanor Sharpston QC has been UK Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union since 2006. She previously worked in private practice as a barrister, as Legal Secretary (référendaire) in the Chambers of Advocate General, and as Queen's Counsel. She was also a Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of Cambridge and remains a fellow of King's College. See p.8 Karen Stokes Karen Stokes FCIL is a freelance translator and member of CIOL Council. She designed and delivers CIOL's Working Successfully as a Freelance Translator series of CPD workshops and was closely involved in the joint CIOL/EC/ITI 'Future-Proofing the Profession' events, report and survey. See p.16 CONTRIBUTORS When, in the interview for my current job in the International Office at Durham University, I was asked what other experience I could bring to the role, I thought of my time as a committee member of the Scottish Society. I discovered the society by chance, while browsing the CIOL website five years ago, and went along to my first meeting soon after. I enjoyed it and soon became a regular. The existing committee members encouraged me to stand but I was reluctant at first, as I was unsure if I had sufficient time, or anything constructive to offer. I was assured that all skills were valued and that you could never tell when something, or someone, might come in handy, so I bit the bullet and put myself forward at the next AGM. When there was a problem with a speaker, I again took a deep breath and offered to give a talk myself, and was surprised when the offer was gratefully received. It went well and I gave a second talk the following year, with another planned for 2015. As a committee member, I have also written pieces for the society's newsletter, prepared low-key marketing materials, and contributed a number of ideas that have been discussed and adopted – with longer-serving members defying my initial fears and opening their arms to new approaches. All of these points I relayed to the interview panel and, when offering me the job, they said it was this that had tipped the interview in my favour, as it demonstrated skills that were supplementary to the job specification. The lesson is that involvement with a CIOL society or division, as with any other voluntary role, presents a range of unexpected opportunities, as long as you are open and receptive to them. These opportunities can provide invaluable experience and make you more employable when it comes to the 'day job'. To find out more about getting involved with a division or society, see the CIOL website or email info@ciol.org.uk. Graeme Hutchinson explains how joining the Scottish Society Committee got him his job BENEFITS OF SOCIETY