Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre with West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative has recently become a member of Happy to Translate (HTT). The initiative has been around since 2006 and was originally funded by the Scottish Government to provide support for organisations to ensure their services are available to those who speak little or no English. Since then, HTT continues to grow its membership and the unique logo is widely recognised by those requiring language assistance.
As a member of HTT, Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre displays the logo and is provided with tools which staff are trained to use to help identify a service user’s language. This ensures that we are able to provide the same level of service to all our tenants and clients and make effective and efficient use of language service provision through professional language companies. Language service provision can be over the telephone, face-to-face or British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting or written translation.
HTT currently has nearly one hundred members from across Scotland and a small number in England. In addition to Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre, members include Housing Associations, contractors, regulatory bodies like the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Housing Regulator and OSCR and local authorities like City of Edinburgh Council and also the Scottish Parliament.
Membership of HTT brings benefits to the organisation, our customers and staff. It is in line with our equality and diversity policy and ensures the organisation complies with legislation by providing equal access to our information and services. Displaying the HTT logo means that those with little or no English will have the confidence to approach us and enquire about our services, knowing that their language needs will be met. HTT provides us with various tools to help establish a service user’s language and engage in basic communication. Staff trained in HTT procedures will have the skills to assist service users from different cultures, which increases confidence and improves customer service.
If you have any questions about how the organisation uses HTT please contact Stephanie McPeake at the Centre.