Municipal Integration Center of the district honors volunteer lay language mediators Team receives volunteer certificate from the state of NRW

Oberbergischer Kreis. The Municipal Integration Center has honored the team of lay interpreters in the Oberbergischer Kreis with the NRW Volunteer Certificate. Lay interpreters are dedicated non-professional translators who speak one or more languages in addition to German. They assist people who do not yet have sufficient German language skills. For example, they translate for people with migration backgrounds during appointments at schools, kindergartens, authorities, or counseling centers. The Municipal Integration Center of the Oberbergischer Kreis currently has 56 volunteer lay interpreters who collectively speak 27 languages.

Communication as the key to togetherness

The new head of the Municipal Integration Center, Heike Braun, warmly thanked the attending lay interpreters for their commitment during a small celebratory event. Together with her interpreter team, Nicole Meißner, Daniela Bel, and Tabea Kirchner, she distributed volunteer certificates from the state of NRW.
“Without language, integration is impossible,” says Heike Braun. “Interpreters are often indispensable to enable togetherness where conversations and solutions are necessary. We thank our interpreters for their outstanding volunteer commitment: selflessly humane, approachable – and effective.”

Interpreters are trained and supported by the Municipal Integration Center. The interpretation project is a volunteer-based initiative. Interested individuals are welcome to contact sprachmittler@obk.de via email. Further information is available at www.obk.de/sprachmittlung.