ATC Partners with Association of Community Interpreters

The ATC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Association of Community Interpreters (ACIS), marking a new strategic partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration across the public service interpreting supply chain.

The agreement brings together ATC member companies delivering interpreting services to the public sector and professional community interpreters working at Level 3 Community Interpreting, with a shared focus on quality, sustainability and professional standards. For ATC members, the partnership provides a structured channel for engagement with an organisation representing interpreters who are active across health, local government, social services and community settings.

The MoU reflects the ATC’s long-standing position that a sustainable public service interpreting ecosystem depends on closer cooperation between language service buyers, providers, and interpreters themselves. ACIS, founded to support and represent community interpreters, plays a key role in professional development, training pathways and advocacy for appropriate standards at Level 3.

Raisa McNab, Chief Executive of the ATC, welcomed the partnership as a practical step in aligning service provision with professional competence:

“This partnership with ACIS connects ATC member companies directly with a professional community of qualified community interpreters. It supports a more joined-up approach to public service interpreting and reinforces the importance of matching assignment requirements with appropriate qualifications and experience,” she said.

For ACIS, the agreement recognises the value of closer dialogue with language service companies operating in the public sector. Helena El Masri, Chair of ACIS and Founder of DPSI Online, highlighted the significance of the partnership for interpreters and service delivery alike:

“Working with the ATC allows us to bridge the gap between interpreters and the companies delivering public sector contracts. This collaboration supports professional recognition for Level 3 community interpreters and helps ensure that public services have access to qualified practitioners who understand the realities of frontline interpreting,” she said.

Under the MoU, the ATC and ACIS will explore opportunities for information-sharing, joint engagement on policy and procurement issues, and closer alignment on professional standards and career pathways. For ATC members, the partnership is intended to support more consistent, transparent and sustainable interpreting provision, while contributing to a stronger pipeline of qualified interpreters for public sector work.

The agreement reinforces the ATC’s commitment to collaborative working across the language services ecosystem and to promoting best practice in public service and community interpreting in the UK.