Use your language. Serve your community. Help make justice more accessible.
Alpha Legal Foundation is seeking multilingual volunteers to serve as Community Language Specialists, helping make legal education and community programming accessible to people who communicate most comfortably in languages other than English.
Community Language Specialists may provide interpretation during community legal education programs, workshops, clinics, meetings, and other Foundation activities. Volunteers may also have opportunities to assist with the translation or review of educational materials.
WHO CAN VOLUNTEER?
This opportunity is open to community members, working professionals, college students, and high-school students age 16 and older. Professional interpretation or legal experience is not required.
We are looking for volunteers who:
- Are proficient in English and at least one additional language;
- Communicate clearly and accurately in both languages;
- Demonstrate maturity, reliability, professionalism, and good judgment;
- Can listen carefully and interpret without adding, omitting, or changing meaning;
- Can remain neutral when interpreting difficult or sensitive conversations;
- Respect people from different backgrounds and life experiences; and
- Understand and can maintain strict confidentiality
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
Depending on the assignment, Community Language Specialists may:
- Interpret between English and another language during ALF clinics, programs, and community events;
- Help participants fully engage in legal education and other programming;
- Assist with translating or reviewing community education materials; and
- Work alongside Legal Access Navigators, community partners, and other volunteers to make legal information more accessible.
Community Language Specialists facilitate communication—they do not provide legal advice or act as legal representatives.
WILL YOU RECEIVE TRAINING?
Yes. Volunteers receive approximately three hours of initial training before beginning assignments. Training covers legal-services professionalism, confidentiality, the role and boundaries of an interpreter, interpretation fundamentals, accuracy and neutrality, working with attorneys and community members, and recognizing the difference between interpreting information and providing legal advice.
Additional guidance and training may be provided based on individual assignments.
WHY BECOME A COMMUNITY LANGUAGE SPECIALIST?
Your language skills can help someone participate, understand, and be heard.
Community Language Specialists put their skills to work in service of others while gaining experience in interpretation, community service, professionalism, and legal-service environments. For those interested in law, public service, interpretation, government, social services, or community leadership, the program also provides meaningful exposure to people and institutions working within Maine’s justice system.
ALPHA LEGAL FOUNDATION
Serve Others. Shape Systems.
