The council is committed to providing high quality services to all of its customers and as such is utilising all appropriate opportunities in order to improve access to its services including helping residents who find it difficult to communicate with its staff because English is not their first language.
What can the council provide?
The council has decided to employ the extensive range of translation services available from locally based company, Language is Everything. The services available from Language is Everything include a 24 hour translation service in over 300 community languages, including British Sign Language and translation provided either on a 'face to face' basis, over the telephone, in writing or by video conferencing which is available at the Customer Service Centres and Citizen Links. Language is Everything can be contacted on 0870-701 2020.
A 'Talkback' facility is also available whereby customers, who wish to communicate in one of the 15 languages identified as being the most likely to be spoken in the East Riding, can contact Language is Everything direct and speak to a member of staff who speaks their language. If the call concerns a Council service, Language is Everything will contact the Council and conference the call in order to deal with the query. Alternatively Council staff can also contact the appropriate 'Talkback' telephone line (for details see below) in order that the 'Talkback' interpreter can then conference the call as appropriate.
In consultation with Language is Everything, the fifteen languages most likely to be encountered within the East Riding from customers for whom English is not their first language have been identified. The fifteen languages chosen are a combination of those most likely to be either spoken or, where not necessarily spoken, are understood.
The fifteen languages together with their 'Talkback' telephone numbers are:-
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Albanian 01430 457340
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Arabic 01430 457341
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Bengali 01430 457342
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Chinese 01430 457343
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French 01430 457344
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Kurdish Sorani 01430 457345
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Latvian 01430 457465
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Lithuanian 01430 457466
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Pashtu 01430 457346
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Polish 01430 457467
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Portuguese 01430 457468
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Russian 01430 457469
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Spanish 01430 457347
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Turkish 01430 457348
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Urdu 01430 457349
Already the service has helped a Japanese woman to fulfil her dream of having an allotment. The Language is Everything language translation service was used recently by Beverley, a customer service centre team member in Beverley.
A Japanese customer came into the CSC who could not speak English. Beverley thought that she was trying to say something about wanting to grow vegetables but they were unable to understand each other. Beverley then rang the Language is Everything language line, explained the situation and was quickly transferred to a Japanese translator.
The translator then spoke to the customer and was able to tell Beverley that the customer had just moved to the East Riding and wanted an allotment.
Through a three-way conservation with the Language is Everything translator and the customer, Beverley was able to complete the application form for an allotment.
Beverley said: "The Language is Everything language line was easy to use and that the staff were helpful, polite and efficient".
"Most importantly, the customer was pleased and relieved that she could speak to someone who could understand her and help her with her inquiry."
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