Intercultural Interpreter

Intercultural Interpreter for Oromo/Amharic or Tigrinya or Somali Language or any Sudanese Language

Purpose of the position: 

Create the bridge between beneficiaries (people on the move, migrants and refugee communities) and care providers (MSF and/or supported services) in the host country (arrival/transit/destination). The aim is to ensure fair and equal access to health care and other relevant services by addressing potential negative consequences of language barriers, socio-cultural differences, discrimination and tensions. 

This position will be focused on patient sessions (MSF sessions and for referrals/external services)

Accountabilities:

Contribute to the provision of quality and cultural sensitive services, facilitating the relation between patients and the care providers involved in medical consultations, mental health sessions (individual and group), intake sessions, physiotherapy sessions, social worker sessions, nursing and triage activities, dispensary etc.

• Ensure quality interpretation between the care providers and the beneficiaries in their mother tongue making the words of the care provider understandable to the patient and vice versa meanwhile ensuring intercultural awareness. The consultation is driven by the care provider.
• Assist care providers and beneficiaries in addressing potential negative consequences of socio-cultural differences, different visions and knowledge on health provision- such as misunderstandings, fears, misperception, stereotype and prejudices, tensions- with the aim to support the therapeutic intervention: intercultural mediation and cultural brokerage (e.g sharing important aspects of the beneficiary’s cultural background with the medical/MH staff,  to be considered for the treatment and vice versa); assess, identify and report barriers impairing fairness and equality
• Ensure accompaniment of patients in case of referrals to external services when needed
• Contribute to context analysis and data collection related to medical/humanitarian issues and cultural awareness, in order to provide reliable information for operational decision-making.

Guarantee the confidentiality, impartiality and neutrality. Declare conflict of interest.                  Willingness to work flexible hours if required. (Including evenings or weekends on a frequent basis according to needs). 

Context specific Tasks: 

• Proactively seek to support all clinical and supporting services with interpretation and other relevant support (Front-Desk, Nurse Dep, Triage, Intake, MH, MED etc)
• Proactively seek to orientate patients and care-providers in the MSF waiting space and clinical setting through introduction, greetings and explanation of the services provided (e.g. in-scope session).
• Proactively seek to support the Front Desk Department with crowd-control, triage and general patient communication when the need arises.
• Responsible for mentoring and shadowing less experienced members of the team (Daily Workers and new staff etc…)
• Carryout any written translation when requested to support clinical and all supporting departments (incl. Front Desk & Health Promotion).
• Identify areas for cultural briefing/education beneficial for clinical departments.
• Actively participate in cultural discussions/team meetings for the purpose of information gathering with the goal to strengthen MSFs knowledge on the patient cohort.
• Assist and support with any departmental responsibilities and tasks issued by the Cultural Mediator Supervisor, in addition to more general tasks issued by the Patient and Community Relation Activity Manager (PCR).