Esperanza United departments

Community language assessment Which languages are spoken by those who come to our program? Identify the top 3 to 5 languages (other than English) spoken by participants who come to your program. Although they may be the same languages from Step 1, don’t assume that to be the case. If the […]

Language program assessment Identify key languages Identify three to five languages (other than English) that the people in your program primarily speak. Although these languages may overlap with those you flagged in Step 1, don’t assume that will be true. If the number of LEP (“limited-English-proficient”) survivors in your program doesn’t […]

Management tools Building greater capacity to provide language access is an ongoing process. These tools can help you develop strategies to integrate language access into the daily operations of your program. Points of contact worksheet This Points of contact worksheet is pdf document that you can utilize as a tool for […]

Tools Advocates play an important role in creating greater access for individuals with LEP to other community systems and resources. This work is critical because it decreases barriers for the individuals that you work with, makes approaching the same resource easier the next time, and decreases barriers for others in similar […]

Translated written material It is important that vital documents are translated into the languages commonly spoken throughout your community. Translated materials already exist on many websites and can be downloaded and used in your area (some may require the addition of local service information). For example, this site contains a large […]

Identifying spoken language Languages that you have never heard before might be hard to identify—an important first step in finding an interpreter! There are a few strategies to try. Language identification posters If you are working in person with a survivor who is unable to tell you the English name for […]

Strategies for language accessibility There are many ways to increase language accessibility. This section of the toolkit explores strategies to enhance how you provide access (interpretation and translation) to the languages spoken by survivors in your area. Note: interpretation and translation should not be used interchangeably. Interpretation involves conveying information orally […]

Document your work Programs should keep a record of their Language Access Plans, policies, and the steps they take to put them into action, as proof that they’re meeting Title VI requirements. Being able to clearly show the steps you take to support survivors with Limited English Proficiency while fully respecting […]

Resource building The federal guidance notes that a small program “where contact is infrequent, [or] where the total cost of providing language services is relatively high” may not have the same obligations to meaningful access as do larger, better-resourced programs. However, because sexual and domestic violence programs provide services considered “crucial […]

Implementation Use the Language access plan template, Sections 1C “Capacity-Building” and 3 “Monitoring” for building staff work plans: Assign responsibility for all tasks: direct services tasks, that is, how to provide language access services to survivors with LEP management tasks such as selecting, procuring, and organizing translated written material; selecting and […]