NZSL Switch Translation Service Review
This year, our translation service launched a new brand: NZSL Switch. For the first time, the translation service has its own identity, standing proudly alongside other Deaf Aotearoa services. While the brand is new, our commitment to delivering high-quality translation work remains unchanged.
We provide translation services to a wide range of clients, including government agencies, local councils, industry organisations, healthcare providers, disability support services, universities, trade and student unions, faith organisations, and other non-profit groups. This year, we welcomed several new clients from diverse sectors, supporting our goal of broadening our client base so we are not reliant on a small number of organisations. This growth reflects Deaf Aotearoa’s wider objective of developing and strengthening relationships that benefit the Deaf community.
We also expanded into new types of translation work. A highlight was our collaboration with Gallaudet University and our First Signs service to produce NZSL videos for the NZSL version of the Deaf Gain What interactive storybook app. This project is one of several initiatives that promote early access to NZSL and support Deaf Aotearoa’s mission to increase visibility and accessibility of the language.
Our engagement with a wider variety of organisations, and our work on innovative projects, demonstrate how NZSL Switch is contributing to Deaf Aotearoa’s vision of full access for Deaf people. Alongside new partnerships, we continue to receive strong repeat business from existing clients. Increasingly, clients are requesting updates to their NZSL videos alongside updates to resources in other languages. This shows a growing recognition of the importance of keeping NZSL information current, ensuring Deaf people can access information at the same time as everyone else.
Behind the scenes, we introduced a new workflow management system to improve efficiency. The system allows us to generate accurate quotes quickly, record time spent on jobs, and issue invoices seamlessly. These improvements free up more time for our team to focus on delivering the best possible translations for our clients.
Under the leadership of James Anderson-Pole the team will continue to strengthen the connection between the iSign Interpreting and NZSL Switch Translation services and ensure that they continue to meet the needs of the Deaf community.
