Child language brokering: Spaces of belonging and mediators of cultural knowledge

Young interpreters are almost invisible within UK society but make a deeply important contribution family life, local communities and institutions. The work of young interpreters is very common but highly undervalued and unrecognised (Antonini, 2010). Child language brokers (CLBs) interpret or translate between family members/peers and officials (usually adults) who do not speak the home language. They are referred to as language brokers because the role often requires them to act as negotiators or intermediaries of cultural values, norms and knowledge, and positions them across different spaces of belonging. In other words, they literally "Translate Cultures". The aim of this project is to provide new understandings of how cultural knowledge and identities of belonging are narrated by the child language brokers.

Findings from the PIs previous work have indicated that child language brokers feel a great deal of pride in interpreting for family and peers but do not feel recognised, valued or fully understood outside of this immediate sphere of experience. This project will render their work visible in two novel ways: by researching how cultural knowledge and identities are mediated by language brokering and by producing a documentary film and web exhibition to enhance awareness of the valuable contribution made by young language brokers.

It will do this by using interdisciplinary methodologies combining digital film, ethnographic observations, voice recorded diaries, written diaries and art work e.g. self-portraiture. These combined methodologies have never been used in research with child language brokers and will provide unchartered insight into brokers' identities of belonging and contributors of cultural knowledge. As previously mentioned, a key output will be a documentary film that will bring together a set of non-linear arts activities in a summarising format that speaks to enhancing the awareness of a largely invisible group of young people. The film content will be led by the young people but is likely to include audio/video from the observational ethnography (with respondent's permission), video of a series of arts event activities with commentary about those activities by the young people themselves. Event activities include, but not exclusively so, script writing, suitcase method, and 'self in space' portraiture. Finally, these materials will be co-creatively curated with some of the participating young people into a web exhibition. This in itself is a part of the narrative journey.

The project draws on a range of expertise including the Young Interpreter Network and Routes into Language, who will assist in recruiting respondents. Alan Fentiman (film maker and web designer) has extensive experience working with vulnerable young people through film. Claire Robins runs arts workshops with young people and curates participatory museum exhibitions. Advisory group expertise includes specialist knowledge of children's identities, ethnography, child language brokering and bilingualism (Oxford Brookes University, Open University, University College London, IOE), participatory arts and museum studies (Media, Culture and Communication, IOE), and policy advice (Language Centre Cambridge/Speak to the Future). There will be three full team meetings and two network meetings that will involve the research team, interpreter/language specialists, policy advisors, film/photography makers, and some more 'mature' young interpreters. There will a web exhibition launch and conference event involving the young people, their parents, academics, language networks and policy advisors. We will ask a range of professional networks to show the film and web exhibition on their online sites/TV networks.

This project will raise awareness of child language brokers and in turn encourage the valuing of language use and bilingualism within society. In light of current lack of information, this project has the potential to influence key institutions like schools and healthcare, local authorities and their attention to multiple language use in policy and practice, and community organisations and groups. Children have been translating for family and friends throughout history, but perhaps because children have sometimes been overlooked in some areas of research, or maybe because of the stigma and intolerance associated with being a migrant to a new country, these young people have been largely ignored in academic, policy, education, and the arts. Despite language being a central feature of the literate arts, children as language brokers have not been part of artistic endeavours. Findings and outputs will bring this very important area of study into new arenas.

Children who language broker for their parents have reported feeling isolated, stressed, depressed and sometimes judged or 'spotlight' by others when carrying out their brokering. Carrying out this research gives value to young people for the work they do, strengthens their sense of positive identity, and alleviates stress by showing that they are valued, visible, and important. This project will optimise the connections with policy advisors (via Bernardette Holmes), language networks (YIN & RiL), schools/colleges (TeachersTV/Teachers Media), health sector networks (HealthSector TV) and using social media to promote activities.

The Young Interpreter Network (YIN) will also disseminate to its partner schools/colleges and organisations. We can build on the success of YINs Guardian Public Service Award to enhance the awareness of language broker activities through the documentary film and web exhibition. This includes taking these outputs to other local authorities and raising awarenss around the country. Writing for the Times Educational Supplement and Guardian Education will broaden the coverage to both a wide range of professionals, academics and lay people. We will disseminate via key Twitter feeds and other social media (e.g. @TCRU1973; @YIscheme, @Routesintolanguage, @AHRCpress and so on). We will use outcomes to contribute to the existing package of guidance developed by YIN to help train young interpreters and the PI (Crafter), who developed guidance from a previous project for using language brokers in schools.

The project will develop knowledge and outputs that will enhance the activities of Routes into Language (RiL) whose widening participation activities are crucial for promoting language use, giving value to young people's activities, cultural awareness days and ambassadorial programmes. Routes into Language is a regional consortia covering the whole of England and Wales. We will disseminate via their web pages, at individual events, via Twitter and social media. The PI will give talks at events such as the ambassadors progression presentation, career days and cultural awareness days.

The web exhibition, reports, presentations and academic publications will highlight the vital role that child language brokers play across many spaces and contexts. We know these young people's activities are largely invisible in the public consciousness and institutional settings. These research activities and the ensuing outputs will make those who do this activity feel recognised and valued.