Unknown to most people, British Sign Language is one of the most common languages in the United Kingdom.
A language in its own right, BSL is just like French, Japanese, or any other language, even coming with its own regional dialects!
Not only is it spoken across the country, but there’s always demand for people who can speak it. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a BSL interpreter, then hopefully this short blog post will help push you in the right direction.
A new career in a difficult job market
Becoming a BSL interpreter might just be the thing you need to break free from a career rut.
Too many of us are working in jobs we hate, and even if the pay is good, you can’t put a price on mental health.
Freelance BSL interpreters can earn good money and each day is different. No more sitting in the same office all day, every day, where the highlight of the week is “casual Friday” and you can wear a hoodie to work.
Working for yourself brings challenges, sure, but that’s what makes the rewards so good.
Being self-employed means setting your own hours, choosing where and when you work, and taking holidays that suit you, not your manager.
Discover a new world with new friends
Learning any language opens up new opportunities you wouldn’t otherwise have.
Working as a BSL interpreter means you get to meet people you normally wouldn’t have, people from all walks of life and of all ages.
There are very few jobs out here that allow you to literally meet thousands of people, many of which you’ll have plenty in common with!
As a BSL interpreter, you open the door for deaf and hard of hearing, acting as a channel for them to join in at community events, work environments, or political debates.
You can help people as a campaigner, visiting schools to raise awareness, or simply volunteer for deaf charities.
Many deaf people need a BSL interpreter in an emergency, such as A&E, issues with children, or medical problems.
These situations tend to already be highly stressful, and not being able to communicate compounds the problem.
Many deaf people rely on family members during a medical consultation, but a BSL interpreter in hospitals and GP surgeries can easily overcome this obstacle, allowing a deaf person to have a confidential 1-to-1 meeting with their doctor.
121 Captions know all about being BSL interpreter
For these reasons and more, we recommend becoming a BSL interpreter as a new career path.
owned and run by deaf people who know first-hand the ease of access, and benefits to business, that proper British Sign Language interpreting can provide.
Founder and director, Tina Lannin discovered how hard it was to get good communication support while at university and during her career, and so founded 121 Captions with the aim of making life easier for deaf and hard of hearing people.
Our core team at 121 Captions not only includes sign language interpreters, but court reporters and captioners, professional lip readers, certified lipreading teachers, and deaf awareness trainers.
If you would like to know more about British Sign Language interpreting, or any of the other services we offer, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
