Global Wordsmiths is now accepting applications for the Spring 2020 cycle of the Language Access Project (LAP), which runs from mid-January to the end of April, 2020. Global Wordsmiths will select 5 Partner Organizations who will receive free interpretation and translation assistance in the Pittsburgh area!

The deadline to apply is September 30, 2019, and decisions will be announced on October 15, 2019. Non-profits are required to have current 501(c)(3) status, be accessible by bus, assign 1-2 on-site contacts as supervisors for interpretation, and allow their staff to attend a free in-person language access training.

Please contact Meredith Getachew at meredith@globalwordsmiths.com or (412) 945-0370 to inquire and receive an application.

About LAP & Partner Organizations

LAP is Global Wordsmiths’ flagship Social Impact Initiative, created to provide local Pittsburgh-based nonprofits working directly with immigrants and refugees and/or their families with free translation and interpretation services.

LAP is a partnership between Partner Organizations and bilingual student interns. Partner Organizations are nonprofits chosen for their desire to serve immigrant and refugee communities, while interns are selected for their language abilities and commitment to the project. Interns receive comprehensive training and are then paired with Partner Organizations to translate documents and to interpret at in-person events. Global Wordsmiths also provides training and consultation about language accessibility strategies and resources to Partner Organizations as part of this program. In this way, organizations are able to continue providing clients with meaningful access to services through language resources after their participation in LAP has ended.

Global Wordsmiths’ work is based on the tenet that language access is a civil right. Without language access, immigrants and refugees cannot access vital resources such as healthcare, education, childcare, employment, and financial and legal services. Through initiatives like the LAP, non-profits have the opportunity to improve their service capacity and compliance and create a more integrated, welcoming, and diverse community.