AIMS - Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support

AIMS - Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support AIMS - Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support, connecting sign language interpreters globally.

05/09/2026

🚨 An important message from the Deaf Community to all interpreters 🚨
“It’s really important to look after yourself and know when to say ‘no’…” 💙

Missed out on “The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters?”

Get the recording! You might be surprised how much you learn from this fabulous Deaf panel, even if you have been interpreting for many decades.

Interpreter
https://buy.stripe.com/dRm8wQ4PfcjO6sP5ic2Nq0j

Deaf community member
https://buy.stripe.com/9B628s5TjgA404r8uo2Nq0l

Student
https://buy.stripe.com/28EfZi6XnbfK6sPfWQ2Nq0k

02/09/2026

We rush from one job to the next, say “Hi, how are you?”, do our job, then end with “Lovely working with you, see you next time!” Often interpreters get no chance to debrief from jobs or catch up at all.

If we’re fortunate, we might get a 10-minute car park debrief before racing off to the next job.

And then, every once in a while, the debrief happens somewhere tropical… by the beach. 🌴🌊😍 I absolutely loved my recent catch up by the beach with these two amazing humans, Tahlicia Osei-Poku and Nicole Clark, the epitome of interpreter solidarity. 💛

Good Interpeting colleagues make the hard jobs lighter, are supportive to the end and just make our whole profession a much better place to be. So grateful! 🤟🤗 A very good reminder of how important interpreter solidarity is and that we need to proactively make time for face to face catch ups.

01/09/2026

International Sign Interpreters Ramas McRae and Drisana Levitzke-Gray will be interpreting our Neurodivergent Interpreter panel alongside our Auslan Interpreters David McQuiggin and Bek Cramp. There will also be English captions. We really want to make this accessible to as many as possible globally.

Everyone is welcome at AIMS online events. Interpreters, interpreting students, interested members of the Deaf community etc.
The Neurodivergent Interpreter

Practical Strategies for Long-Term Success

🎥 ALL TICKET HOLDERS RECEIVE THE RECORDING

Join AIMS for a live Q&A exploring neurodivergence in sign language interpreting, with practical strategies for managing energy, workload, professional relationships and building a sustainable career.

🎤 HOST
🇦🇺 Christy Filipich — Conference Interpreter, trainer and EUMASLI student with 25+ years’ experience.

PANELLISTS
🇬🇧 Vicki Lamb — Interpreter, supervisor & trainer | ADHD
🇨🇦 Jordan M. Goldman — ASL–English interpreter & researcher | Gifted & AuDHD
🇦🇺 Tahlicia Osei-Poku — Auslan–English interpreter & mentor | ADHD

📅 Monday 28 September 2026
WA 5:30 PM | AEST 7:30 PM
Auckland 9:30 PM | London 10:30 AM | Amsterdam 11:30 AM | New York 5:30 AM

🎟️ Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/the-neurodivergent-interpreter

Tickets here - 🎟️ https://events.humanitix.com/the-neurodivergent-interpreter🧠 THE NEURODIVERGENT INTERPRETER: Practical...
27/08/2026

Tickets here - 🎟️ https://events.humanitix.com/the-neurodivergent-interpreter

🧠 THE NEURODIVERGENT INTERPRETER: Practical Strategies for Long-Term Success

What does it mean to build a sustainable interpreting career when your brain works differently?

Join AIMS for an international Q&A exploring practical strategies to help neurodivergent interpreters thrive — from managing energy and workload to co-interpreting, professional relationships and understanding your individual working style.

🌏 HOST
🇦🇺 Christy Filipich — Perth, Australia
NAATI Certified Conference Interpreter, Interpreter Trainer & 25+ years’ experience.

PANELLISTS

🇬🇧 Vicki Lamb — United Kingdom
Interpreter, professional supervisor & workshop trainer with 15+ years’ experience. An ADHDer with a strong interest in neurodiversity and professional resilience.

🇨🇦 Jordan M. Goldman — Montréal, Canada
ASL–English interpreter with 15+ years’ experience. Gifted & AuDHD, currently researching neurodiversity within co-interpreting teams.

🇦🇺 Tahlicia Osei-Poku — Perth, Australia
Auslan–English interpreter with 10+ years’ experience. Recently diagnosed with ADHD, with extensive experience in mentoring, education and professional leadership.

🇨🇭 Sascha Thiemeyer — Zürich, Switzerland
DSGS interpreter with 8 years’ experience working with Deaf, Deafblind and hearing people. Sascha became one of the first self-employed sign language interpreters in German-speaking Switzerland and is completing EUMASLI. Diagnosed with ADHD three years ago, he continues to explore how it shapes his professional and personal life.

📅 Monday 28 September 2026
⏰ WA 5:30–7:00 PM | AEST 7:30–9:00 PM
🌍 Auckland 9:30 PM | London 10:30 AM | Amsterdam 11:30 AM | New York 5:30 AM

Presented in English with captions, International Sign (Ramas Mc Rae and Drisana Levitzke-Gray) and Auslan interpretation. (David McQuiggin and Bek Cramp)

🎥 CAN’T ATTEND LIVE? ALL TICKET HOLDERS AUTOMATICALLY RECEIVE THE RECORDING.

For neurodivergent interpreters, students, mentors, colleagues and anyone interested in building a more inclusive and sustainable interpreting profession.

27/08/2026

What Stereotypes about male sign language interpreters would you most like to see disappear?

Ramon Van Renssen mentioned that many people in university settings assume a male interpreter is better at mathematics, science and other technical or hands on subjects but that often isn’t true.

Male interpreters: what assumption about you are you most tired of hearing?

Everyone else: what stereotype have you noticed in the profession? 👇

Missed our Men in Sign Language Interpreting Q&A panel?

Get the recording here: 🎥

Interpreter Professional Development with Certificate https://buy.stripe.com/eVqaEYa9zerW3gDbGA2Nq0n

Interpreting Student
https://buy.stripe.com4gM28s0yZgA48AX11W2Nq0o

Deaf Community
https://buy.stripe.com/14AaEY1D3fw0eZl11W2Nq0p

📣 AIMS PSA: THE RECORDING QUESTION 😂A surprisingly large amount of AIMS admin time is spent answering one very popular q...
26/08/2026

📣 AIMS PSA: THE RECORDING QUESTION 😂

A surprisingly large amount of AIMS admin time is spent answering one very popular question:

“Will this online event be recorded?” 👀

We get it! Interpreters are BUSY, and with AIMS attendees joining us from all over the world, sometimes our events happen while you’re working, sleeping, parenting… or simply existing in the complete opposite time zone. 😂🌏

So, to save you an email (and save our admin assistant Mel a few grey hairs):

🎥 YES! All AIMS ONLINE events and Q&A panel discussions are recorded.

Can’t attend live? You’ll still get the recording. 🙌

Already missed one? You can find recordings of previous events available for purchase in the AIMS Shop. aimsinterpreters.com/aims-shop/

And if you forget all of this and ask us anyway?

We’ll still answer you, but with one more grey hair than before you emailed. 😂🩵

Predictions for AIMS AI receptionist in 2066:
“Hello! Before you ask… yes, it’s recorded.” 🤣

25/08/2026

THE GLASS ELEVATOR OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING 🛗

One metaphor from our Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility panel really stayed with me.

Alan Wendt spoke about the “glass elevator”, the idea that when men enter female-dominated professions, they can sometimes experience advantages that help them rise more quickly, while the majority of their colleagues are still taking the stairs.

That doesn’t mean every man experiences privilege in the same way, or that success hasn’t been earned. But it does give us something important to reflect on.

If you’re a male sign language interpreter, how can you recognise when the glass elevator might be available to you and choose to take the stairs alongside your other colleagues instead? 🤔

Maybe it’s noticing whose voices are being heard.
Sharing opportunities rather than automatically accepting them.
Speaking up when you see inequity.
Listening when colleagues describe experiences different from your own.
And using any influence you have to help make the profession fairer for everyone.

Privilege doesn’t have to be something we feel guilty about. What matters is what we choose to do with it.

💭 Male interpreters: what could “taking the stairs” look like in practice?

Missed out on the live panel discussion? Grab the recording here:
Stripe Links

Interpreter Professional Development with Certificate https://buy.stripe.com/eVqaEYa9zerW3gDbGA2Nq0n

Interpreting Student
https://buy.stripe.com4gM28s0yZgA48AX11W2Nq0o

Deaf Community
https://buy.stripe.com/14AaEY1D3fw0eZl11W2Nq0p

Visual description: A screenshot from AIMS’ international online panel discussion, Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility. Eight people appear in a Zoom gallery, including host Alana Wiekart, male sign language interpreters from several countries, and an Auslan interpreter signing. Alan Wendt is taking about the glass elevator.

25/08/2026

Absolutely loved hosting our international Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility panel this week. 🌏

Six male sign language interpreters from Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), the UK and the Netherlands came together for an open conversation about gender, privilege, responsibility and what positive allyship can look like within the sign language interpreting profession.

One comment from Dr Paul Michaels really stayed with me:

“What are you going to do with it?”

Acknowledging privilege is one thing. The bigger question is what you actually do with that awareness.

“Do you make space for someone else?”

I loved seeing these men willing to reflect openly, listen, challenge themselves and consider how they can use their position positively to support their colleagues and the wider profession.

These are the kinds of conversations AIMS exists to create. Honest conversations that move beyond identifying issues and towards practical solutions and positive change.

Thank you to our brilliant panel for being willing and courageous enough to have the conversation, and to everyone from around the world who joined us. 🤟
The recording will be sent out to all ticket holders by tomorrow.

Missed the live panel? DM AIMS to learn how you can access the recording.

🚨It’s happening tomorrow!!!🚨Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & ResponsibilityAll who are intere...
23/08/2026

🚨It’s happening tomorrow!!!🚨
Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility

All who are interested in this topic are welcome to join us online on Monday August 24.

Tickets 🎟️ - https://events.humanitix.com/men-in-sign-language-interpreting-perspective-privilege-and-responsibility

What is it like to be a man in a profession where around 80% of sign language interpreters are women?

Join AIMS for an honest, thought-provoking live panel discussion featuring six experienced male sign language interpreters from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, the Netherlands and the UK. Together, they’ll share their experiences and discuss responsible allyship, privilege, professional relationships and supporting the Deaf community.

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Paul Michaels (London, England) as our special guest. Dr Michaels completed his PhD at Durham University in 2023, researching why men in the UK become sign language interpreters and their experiences within the profession.

Presenters

Host

* Alana Wiekart — Perth, Australia

Panel

* Dr Paul Michaels (Special Guest) — London, England
* David McQuiggin — Sydney, Australia
* Gabriel Kirley — Melbourne, Australia
* Alan Wendt — Aotearoa New Zealand
* Ramon van Renssen — The Netherlands
* Imran Ahmed — Perth, Australia

Topics include:

* Being a man in a predominantly female profession
* Opportunities and challenges experienced by male interpreters
* Understanding “male interpreter privilege”
* Allyship and respectfully supporting female colleagues
* Professional responsibilities
* Creating respectful and inclusive workplaces
* Advice for male identifying interpreting students

There will also be an opportunity for live audience Q&A.

Whether you’re a student, practising interpreter, interpreter educator or a member of the Deaf community, this discussion aims to encourage reflection, learning and meaningful conversation.

Presented in English with Auslan interpretation and live captions.

https://events.humanitix.com/men-in-sign-language-interpreting-perspective-privilege-and-responsibility

Address

Perth, WA

Website

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