Many beginning translators would like to volunteer their services in order to gain some experience before applying to translation companies and/or direct clients. This is a great idea because it benefits both the translator and the client, and pro bono projects are often less stressful than projects for a paying client; for example the pro bono client may be able to give the translator a much more extended deadline than a paying client would.
If you’re interested in volunteering your translation services, you can either go through an established service that matches volunteer translators with clients, or you can seek out work on your own. If you’d like to use a service, the two main portals I’m aware of are:
–Translators Without Borders works mainly with international humanitarian organizations. Prospective volunteer translators go through an application and testing process, and TWB’s main languages seem to be English<>French.
–Translations for Progress is more of a job board for volunteer translators, with a wide range of languages. They include a disclaimer that the translation must be for not-for-profit purposes. Once you create an account, it seems that you can directly contact the non-profits that are looking for translators.
If the options above don’t appeal to you or your languages are not represented, consider finding some volunteer translation work on your own. Obvious possibilities include legal aid agencies, public health clinics, NGOs, international development organizations, etc. Really, almost any small business might be interested in a high-quality pro bono translation, and I think it’s acceptable to ask up front whether the business would mind serving as a reference for you as long as they are happy with your work.
Great idea, Corinne. I did get an inquiry by a friend who runs a women’s shelter a year or so ago, but unfortunately, I was busy. I should contact her, as I would be delighted to help her deserving organization out. I think I am going to sign up with Translations for Progress.
This is awesome. Have you heard about Translators for Obama?
Thanks for your comments! Jon, Translators for Obama looks really interesting, thanks for mentioning it. Judy, let me know what you find out from Translations for Progress!
Hi Corinne,
Great idea! Another possibility is the Lingua Project, which translates articles at the citizen media project Global Voices into over a dozen different languages, largely through the efforts of volunteers. (For background, see this article at Translation Journal.)
Another project in a somewhat similar vein that I would suggest is a Paris-based international translation community called Cucumis, which was written up in TechCrunch a while back.
Good information. Thank you !
I’ve often found the local chapter of the United Way is a good resource for knowing what charities and organizations in the community might have a need for translators, interpreters, and general language help.
Thanks to Chris and Clint for these other suggestions, those are excellent ideas, thanks for sending them in!
The Kiva Translators Program is another option for volunteer translation (www.kiva.org/volunteer).
One of the New York Times Magazine’s “Top Ideas of 2006,” Kiva.org is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to an entrepreneur in the developing world.
The Kiva Translation Program offers the opportunity to use your skills to make a direct contribution, improve language skills, network with other Kiva volunteers and build your resume.
Volunteering from their own homes, Kiva volunteers translate entrepreneurs’ profiles into English, which are then posted for funding at Kiva.org. It provides the main content that connects the lenders to the borrowers.
Translators are currently needed for:
Bahasa Indonesia
French
Mongolian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Vietnamese
Future needs: Arabic, Armenian, Dari, Pashto, and Tagalog
@Tamara, thank you for your comment, I had no idea that this opportunity existed, it sounds fantastic!
Hi Corinne,
I saw that you registered on Kiva. We look forward to having you as a volunteer translator!
Cheers,
Tamara
Hi Tamara and all
I am Tarie from Indonesia.
I am eager to be a volunteer translator. Still needed?
Just contact me at YM: magicpie2005 and I’ll help in translating in English and bahasa Indonesia.
If you are interested in crowdsourced translation or social translation you may volunteer your services at http://wikitranslation.org .
If you only know one language but are good at coding check out the open source project http://www.worldwidelexicon.org