Vancro IIS Newsletter First Quarter 2024
Welcome, Meagan!
Hello, my name is Meagan Gorsuch!
I am Deafblind. My role at Vancro Integrated interpreting services is program manager for the state of New Mexico. I have two roles as program manager. First, I recruit SSPs and clients to expand the program, which also includes interacting with the community. Second, I do case management and work with clients one on one to support their individual needs. When I am off work I love to ski. My husband and I both go to the top of mountains and ski down. It’s amazing! When winter is over, we often take our two dogs and go hiking. We also enjoy mountain climbing, indoors. If I am not doing those two activities, I enjoy watching movies and building with Legos.
I look forward to being out in the community and meeting you all!
Omaha SSP Training Recap
So, we just completed our SSP training for the Omaha, Nebraska area and it was a two-day training. Day one was just for the SSPs to learn their role and to learn the rules and requirements of being an SSP. Day two was for the consumers that would be using the services. They got to meet the SSPs, learn most of the same material, and some new material that applied just to them, like how to request services. They also got to do a lot of hands on activities with the SSPs, including walking around the hotel, including walking around the hotel, practicing advocating for the information they want, and then walking through a buffet line with the SSP. Because of the high number of SSPs and low number of consumers, we got to team and I got to participate in the buffet activity, and it was great to see how excited the SSPs were at describing and how receptive they were to feedback.
The entire training was a huge success! The SSPs were some of the best and most attentive SSPs we’ve ever had for one of our trainings. They asked a ton of great questions and the consumers were really excited also. You can tell that they’re going to use this program, and I have a good feeling that because of this training, this program is going to be just a huge success in the Nebraska area, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
DeafSafe AI: Symposium on AI and Sign Language Interpreting
Vancro is thrilled to be sponsoring CEUs for this hybrid symposium that will take place at Brown University (Rhode Island) and Zoom from 9am – 6pm EDT on Saturday, April 20th and from 9am – 2pm EDT on Sunday, April 21st! This exciting event will explore the opportunities and challenges of accountability, ethics and quality using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sign language interpreting.
Whether you are a researcher, an interpreter, a Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing person, or simply interested in learning more about this emerging sociotechnical field, we invite you to join us for this unique and important event.
Learn more and register today at http://deaf-futures.com/
PLEASE NOTE: This symposium is not included in Vancro’s selection of free workshops. Registration fees apply. For full details about CEUs, click here.We can’t wait to continue learning with you!
Image description: Blue graphic with an image of a face made up of white lines, facing to the right. The top has a dark blue banner with a light blue “website” button next to the website link. Below the banner is the SafeAI logo. The bottom has blue shapes behind the symposium details.
Online Workshop with CorpsTHAT
Are you an interpreter looking to get into interpreting for conservation corps or other outdoor jobs? Take this online Conservation Interpreting workshop on April 17th at 7-9pm EST to learn more! Sam (Marlo) Bragg from CorpsTHAT will be providing this introductory online workshop about interpreting in the conservation field.
The Educational Objectives for this workshop are:
- To understand the basics of conservation corps field and Deaf history within it
- To know how to prepare and what to expect and consider as an interpreter taking a conservation corps-related assignment
- To gain exposure to common terminology (acronyms, techniques, partners and tools)
- To introduce interpreters to idea of ethical interpreting in the outdoors
This workshop is offered for.2 CEUs in the Professional Studies area at the “little to no” content knowledge level. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance. The target audience for this activity is: Interpreters who are interested in taking assignments that will take them outside of the four walls of their classrooms, office, etc. Vancro Integrated Interpreting Services and CorpsTHAT are committed to offering educational opportunities free from discrimination and bias.
For accommodations contact info@corpsthat.org
Vancro interpreters are welcome to join this workshop and earn CEUs at no cost. Use this link to register.
Click here to visit the workshop webpage.
Previous Quarter Team Kudos
Every month our team nominates on or two interpreters, SSPs or readers from our roster who have provided exceptional service. We want to thank you for your hard work.
Check out our selections for October, November and December:
Megan Cagno – Staff
Taylor Ofori – Interpreter
Mary Bransford – SSP
Morris Heir – SSP
Thank you for being a part of our team, we appreciate you!
Thank you for being a part of our team, we appreciate you!
Welcome to VIIS, Larry!
Hello, everyone! My name is Larry Daniel III. My sign name is Larry. I’m from California and I’m a program manager.