In an effort to help Ukrainian refugees who settle in the United Kingdom, six organizations of language professionals have come together to form the Ukraine Language Support Task Force.
The task force recently created a series of translation templates for important documents to aid refugees who arrive in the country get settled. The templates can streamline the process of receiving a translation of documents such as a birth, marriage, or divorce certificate — these documents are important for individuals applying for a visa through the country’s Ukraine Family Scheme. The templates are available for free on the website of Charity Translators, an England- and Wales-based organization providing linguistic support to individuals in need.
“By funding the translation of these templates, the ATC, together with the wider task force, aims to facilitate a faster, safer, and more structured path to successful visa applications,” said Raisa McNab, CEO of the Association of Translation Companies (ATC), a member company of the Ukraine Language Task Force.
Under the Ukraine Family Scheme, the UK is currently allowing Ukrainian citizens with family members based in the UK to enter the country and stay for up to three years. Ukrainians entering the country through the Ukraine Family Scheme must provide documentation that confirms a Ukrainian refugee’s relationship to a UK-based immediate or extended family member. According to the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) — another member group of the task force — around 200,000 Ukrainians are expected to apply for the program.
As such, the Ukraine Language Support Task Force’s translation templates for birth, marriage, and divorce certificates can help streamline the process of acquiring the necessary documentation. The templates were developed by Paul Norman, who created the translations for the task force, and Elena Edwards, who checked the translations. In addition to the ATC, ITI, and Charity Translators, the task force also includes the Chartered Institute of Linguists, the National Register for Public Service Interpreters, and the International Association of Conference Interpreters.
The Ukraine Language Support Task Force joins a long list of language service providers and other organizations offering aid to Ukrainian refugees in light of the recent displacement of more than 3 million Ukrainian refugees throughout the European continent.
“It is imperative for us to identify and communicate where refugees can access language support, and what the task force can do to help build a future pipeline for translation and interpreting support,” said the ITI’s chief executive Paul Wilson, in a statement.
