ILS Volunteer Interpreter

ILS Volunteer Interpreter Role Description

About Us

The Esperanza Center is a comprehensive resource center whose mission is to welcome immigrants by offering hope, compassionate services, and the power to improve their lives. Since 1963, immigrants from all over the world have trusted the center to help them navigate life in a new country. Our dedicated staff and volunteers provide services related to education, health care, immigration legal matters, family reunification, and general community support to thousands of immigrants each year.

Immigration Legal Services (ILS) was founded in 1994 to provide low-cost legal counseling and representation in humanitarian and family-based immigration matters. As one of the largest non-profit immigration legal services providers in the state, we serve individuals from over 150 different countries who reside in Maryland or have immigration cases in Maryland. We assist clients and their family members seeking to obtain, extend, or retain lawful immigration status or citizenship in the United States. 

The ILS Pro Bono Program places cases from low-income undocumented immigrants with volunteer attorneys. After cases are placed, the ILS Pro Bono Program staff mentors volunteer attorneys throughout the case with templates, document review and feedback, volunteer interpreter list, and mock hearings.  

Description

The ILS Volunteer Interpreter will facilitate communication between ILS clients and legal representatives by providing high-quality interpretation services. They may provide interpretation services to Pro-Bono Attorneys and Esperanza Center legal staff and their clients on an as needed basis, or at Esperanza Center’s legal clinics. This volunteer position provides valuable experience in legal interpretation. 

Tasks

  • Listen carefully to client and their legal representative 
  • Accurately interpret information for clients and legal representatives without additions or omissions 
  • Maintain client confidentiality​ at all times 
  • Log volunteer hours in volunteer database 

 

Requirements

  • 18 years of age or older
  • Fluent in English and target language (Spanish is most common)
  • Prior interpretation experience or training strongly preferred but not required
  • Committed to diverse work environment
  • Background check required

Physical Demands

  • Able to remain in stationary position for majority of volunteer time
  • Able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information with staff and clients 
  • May move about the inside of the office to access office machinery, office supplies, file cabinets, etc.

 

Schedule

This position does not have a set schedule. Instead, ILS Volunteer Interpreters are contacted on an as-needed basis to schedule interpretation sessions.

 **Please note that the first step in the process of becoming an ILS Volunteer Interpreter is to attend a Volunteer Information Session, which can be scheduled through the volunteer application**

Any Questions?

Please contact the Volunteer Coordinator at VEsperanzaCenter@cc-md.org.