Centralized Ukrainian Interpretation and Translation Fund

This fund is a shared community resource to ensure language access for high-stakes situations, sensitive discussions, and important employment, legal, medical, and social services interactions. Generously funded by the Calgary Foundation. 

• The fund supports certified professional interpreters for complex cases, and trained community interpreters for everyday needs. This shared approach ensures that Ukrainian newcomers who are not yet Permanent Residents of Canada can access the language supports they need to fully engage with the community and address urgent needs efficiently and effectively.  
• Ukrainians who are Permanent Residents of Canada can access interpretation services through Settlement Services in the Bow Valley. 
• Translation services are also available for critical and widely used informational or instructional documents.

When to Use the Fund

This fund is intended to be as accessible as possible for all partners. As such, partners are asked to review criteria for use of certified and community interpreters and access the interpreter type best suited to each situation.

Criteria for Use of a Certified Interpreter

• Confidentiality is critical
  • Legal proceedings, police, medical treatment, HR/disciplinary issues, financial or housing disputes* 
• High complexity of information
  • Technical, legal, or medical terminology; government or immigration processes; specialized vocabulary 
• Official or formal communication
  • Court appearances, legal contracts, immigration/settlement documents, formal workplace evaluations, safety-sensitive onboarding
• High-stakes situations
  • Risk to health, safety, rights, or legal status; where errors could have serious consequences
• Power dynamics are present
  • Client is in a vulnerable position or where impartiality is essential
• Third-party accountability
  • Agency/employer could be held legally/professionally responsible for miscommunication
• Documentation required
  • Interpretation needs to be recorded in reports, legal, or medical files
• Neutrality required
  • When community ties could introduce bias or conflict of interest

Criteria for Use of Community Interpreter

• Every day, lower-risk communication
  • School meetings (non-disciplinary), housing discussions (non-legal), community orientation, shopping
• Lower complexity of information
  • Service navigation, group info sessions, general workplace instructions, simple bank or pharmacy visit
• Lower urgency or time-sensitivity
  • Interpretation requirements are not urgent or time-sensitive
• Trusted but non-official contexts
  • Community connection, peer support, non-sensitive social services check-ins
• Cultural mediation is valuable
  • When cultural understanding helps bridge gaps in communication
• Community context is important
  • Community events, when local knowledge and understanding help add context to communication
• Informal or relational communication
  • Building trust, easing settlement stress, welcoming newcomers 
• Follow-up/ongoing support
  • Long-term engagement where consistency and accessibility are key

How to Access the Fund

Step 1: Register your organization as a partner by completing the CITF Registration Form.

Step 2: Determine the type of interpreter (certified or community) needed based on the above criteria.

Step 3: Follow the appropriate process below to access interpreter support or translation services.

a)     Certified Interpreter (direct access*)

Access instant Ukrainian interpretation directly using your assigned code (received by partner organizations once registered).  *In cases where complex medical or legal interpretation is required, please contact ssbv@banff.ca to schedule a call with a specialized interpreter.

• Complete the Instant Certified Ukrainian Interpretation Access Tracker every time your organization accesses instant certified interpretation.
  • Use the Impact field to share how access to instant interpretation improved service or removed barriers for Ukrainian community member(s).
  • Use the Notes field to add any important information about the interpretation experience (quality of interpretation, any issues, request for same interpreter in future).

b)     Community Interpreter (submit a request)

• Complete the Community Ukrainian Interpretation Request Form.
• Community Navigator will connect your organization with a trained Community Interpreter.
• Complete the Community Ukrainian Interpretation Access Tracker every time your organization accesses community interpretation.
  • Use the Impact field to share how access to community interpretation improved service or removed barriers for Ukrainian community member(s).
  • Use the Notes field to add any important information about the community interpretation experience (quality of interpretation, any issues, request for same interpreter in future).

c)     Translation Services (submit a request)

• Complete the Ukrainian Translation Request Form.
• Community Navigator will contact you to review the details of your request.
• Complete the Ukrainian Translation Services Tracker every time your organization has a document translated through this fund.

Questions? Contact: ssbv@banff.ca