Interpreters needed!

The Interdisciplinary Humanities Center seeks graduate students with native fluency in Spanish to serve as interpreters at Isla Vista Elementary School during the school’s twice-yearly Parent-Teacher Conference weeks. Currently, the demand for interpreter assistance at IV Elementary well exceeds the school’s capacity to provide this service, and the school administration is enthusiastic about partnering with UCSB students in the creation of an alternative structure for assisting Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers during these important conferences. By drawing upon their foreign language expertise to meet the needs of elementary students and their families, graduate students will gain experience in using their academic skills in a broader social environment that includes `community members, teachers and school administrators.

Timeline and Structure:

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled to take place at IV Elementary during the week of Nov. 13-17, 2017, between 12:30 and 4:30 PM at 30-minute intervals. Students will be able to sign up in advance for the times they are available to work. Students will be paid $10.00 for each 30-minute interval.

In mid-October, students will take part in a two-hour training session with Viviana Marsano, UCSB’s Isla Vista Liaison and Senior Campus Organization Advisor in the Office of Student Life. During the session, students will become familiar with family-based issues, the potential content of the conferences, the vocabulary and terms frequently used in the discussions, and issues of confidentiality. Erin Nerstad, the IHC Associate Director, will be coordinating the program and providing additional support to participants.

To apply, please send a CV and a letter of interest describing your language training and preparation for this work, any relevant past experience you have had, and the reasons you are interested in participating in this program; also include the name of a UCSB faculty member who is familiar with your language skills and whom we may contact as a reference. Applications are to be sent to: ihcucsb@gmail.com by Monday, October 2, 2017. If you have any questions about the program, please feel free to contact IHC Associate Director Erin Nerstad at: Nerstad@ihc.ucsb.edu.