Application Procedure:
To apply please email BHA Language Access Team your completed Application Form and a copy of your resume.
General Description:
The Boston Housing Authority (BHA) is the largest landlord in New England. Our main mission is to provide affordable housing through the administration of rental assistance programs. Our clients are comprised of many racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, many of whom are newcomers to the Boston area with limited English speaking and reading abilities.
As a response to the language needs of the BHA community, the Language Access Team under the BHA Office of Civil Rights has established the Volunteer Interpreters Program (VIP). The purpose of BHA-VP is to recruit and train volunteer interpreters to provide interpretation and translation services to Limited English Proficiency families who are seeking or residing in subsidized housing.
The VIP program offers volunteers the opportunity to enhance their bilingual skills, and to gain exposure to affordable housing policies and practices while helping BHA families.
Duties & Responsibilities:
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Interpret for BHA residents, applicants and/or staff during BHA hearings, eligibility screenings, resident meetings, and walk-in/phone inquiries;
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Interpret by phone or in person for BHA clients inquiring about documents and correspondence the clients received from BHA;
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Assist in written translations of BHA documents (for volunteers fluent in written languages);
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Provide agency staff other language-related assistance as assigned;
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Attend a mandatory interpreter training and orientation;
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Serve 10 hrs or less a month, on an on-call basis.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience:
Candidates are individuals with excellent oral, writing, collaborative, and interpersonal skills, who are highly proficient in English and fluent in any, but not limited to the following languages:
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Albanian
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Amharic
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Arabic
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Bosnian
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Cape Verdean
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Chinese
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Farsi
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French
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Haitian Creole
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Hindi
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Khmer
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Polish
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Portuguese
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Punjabi
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Russian
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Somali
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Spanish
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Vietnamese
Prior experience in working with low-income and culturally diverse individuals, or in interpretation and/or translation, is a plus.