This Professional Development Session for Interpreters, HSC Staff and Voluntary/Community organisations working with BME groups in Northern Ireland is a ‘one day event’, offered at two different dates:

Wednesday 1 June 2011, Seagoe Hotel, Portadown

Friday 3June 2011, Canal Court Hotel, Newry

As part of the Community Relations Week 2011, the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Interpreting Services (NIHSCIS) the Challenge of Change Project, the Southern HSC Equality Unit and the SHSCT Mental Health team are offering a free seminar for NIHSCIS registered Interpreters and mental health staff and practitioners from all the five Trusts in Northern Ireland.  The aim is to share experiences and work on the modernisation of service delivery and interpreting provision to mental health patients within the diverse ethnic origins and migrant communities.

The seminar will accommodate around 100 participants. It will consist of a presentations from the perspective of Mental Health practitioners, the Interpreting provision and service users’ perspective. Four workshops will follow, covering the four main areas of mental health, to illustrate and explore issues of cultural sensitivity and safety for staff, interpreters and patients from BME groups.

For details please contact Ligia Parizzi at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 028 90 563783 or 028 90563781

Registrations will be on a first come first served basis and the deadline for registrations is the 30 May 2011.