Being understood is a common benefit of the customer and a professional.
Organizing interpretation and translation is an obligation of the authority.
Interpretation and translation are legal rights in Finland.
Interpreter assisted working
Interpretation and translation in the Finnish law
Interpretation and translation in the Finnish law
In the service of an immigrant customer, it has to be made sure that the customer understands the matters related to
them.
(Act on the promotion of immigrant integration 2010/1386)
When needed, the authority has to take care of interpretation or translation.
(Language act 2003/423 §18)
An authority has to organize interpretation in matters, in which the immigrant doesn’t understand finnish or swedish
language, and doesn’t get understood in authority service. The matter may be interpreted or translated into a language
that the party can be considered to understand sufficiently in view of the nature of the matter.
(Administrative procedure act 2003/434 § 26)
There are also other acts related to interpretation, such as
The Immigrant act and act on the status and rights of patient.
Tips for customer meetings
When you have a foreign language customer arriving, prepare beforehand for the meeting.
Check from your organization if you have a specific translation or interpretation service provider
you must use.
Reserve enough time for the service (”double-time”)
Use a community interpreter (not a friend / family member as an interpreter).
When using an interpreter, take these things into account:
- Periodize your speech
- In long interpretations, take small breaks for the interpreter into account
- Take the schedule of the interpreter into account and abide by it
- Take ethics into account – the interpreter doesn’t need to know identity related matters