Ágata Castro Gonçalves, PG Cert, Mciol, RPSI, DPSI (Law & Health)

Ágata Castro Gonçalves, PG Cert, MCIoL, RPSI, DPSI (Law & Health) Office: 124 King Street, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Norfolk, NR30 2PQ - Tel: 07825 997370

PERSONAL PROFILE I am an experienced professional (CI & Translator) with just under a decade’s experience. Over the years I have developed a strong knowledge of both health and legal terms and feel at ease when working for clients within those areas. I have exceptional communication skills which were acquired during my time in management. I am self-motivated and methodical even when working to tight deadlines. My flexible outlook towards employment has enabled me to undertake different types of work with great success and I relish working within a challenging environment. I am keen to secure further positions which utilise my language skills.

KEY SKILLS  Fluent Portuguese and English languages  Strong administration skills  Management experience  Proficiency in Personnel Management EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Freelance Translator – Interpreter – Tutor Jan 02- Present My current role is varied and encompasses interpreting, translation and tuition from/into Portuguese.

Translator: As a translator I work directly with solicitors firms, companies and agencies, providing translation services between English and Portuguese and vice-versa, covering all aspects of Legal, Medical and Pharmaceutical Industries. My translation work includes solicitors’ letters, contracts, court orders, summons, tenancy agreements, tenders; general certificates, certified translations, to mention a few. I translate all areas of health, such as: information leaflets, procedures, medicine, equipment instructions, drug bullets or specifications and lab results (for professional use). I also translate Social Services and Education related docs, such as leaflets, care plans or reports. I work for companies such as ABBOT, VAX, ADMIT, INFARMED, Global Alliance, Kimberly Clark, Business Link, BAXTER, NHS, PCT to mention a few. Most recently translated books - Business’ Start-Up Guide from Business Link, papers on Biodiversity for the United Nations Development Programme. Most recently proofread books - “System BioArchieve™ from Thermogenesis®” (blood storage and conservation), “Drilling Down” (oil & extractive industries) and a Mental Health booklet for a local NHS agency.

My work is carried out based in the most trustworthy and up-to-date bilingual dictionaries, glossaries and translation software, including SLD TRADOS freelance, for which I undertook specific training. Personal glossaries have also proven to be an exceptional source of data, gathered over many years of research in the relevant areas of expertise.

Conference & Business interpreting: I provide Conference Interpreting Services from/into Portuguese, acting as a cross-cultural link, and facilitating multilingual communication. My experience in simultaneous interpreting and knowledge of many languages aid me to be self-assertive. I have interpreted for EWC’s, International Business Meetings, Assemblies, Health Updates, Training Sessions, Talks & Road Shows. I have worked/work for companies and organisations such as OXFAM, BERR, LUPP, Chatham House, Sonangol, Arcopol, Google, L.’ Ecole du Administration, MIND, HSE, National Construction College, Tribunal Services; i.e. Jean Charles de Meneses’ case. I am also an interpreter for McDonalds Training Department and BMW Group since 2010. Last conferences: for BMW in Frankfurt in the end July/beginning of August 2011. I was with Google Ideas in Dublin in the end of June 2011.

Public Services interpreting: Law: I interpret frequently in court settings, dealing with civil, family and criminal cases, so I have built up a great deal of expertise when dealing with legal terms and matters. I also interpret proceedings such as redundancy’s and appeals. I interpret at Prisons either for the Solicitors to collect instructions from their clients or for the Prison staff when in need of any procedures explained to the detainee. I also interpret PACE interviews at police stations or for the diverse fraud investigation teams, interpreting both questions and answers during the questioning and elaborating written statements in both languages. Health: I have to utilise my significant health knowledge and deal with general health issues in G.P. practices or home visits here language is an issue. I also cover hospitals & clinics; the various scenarios could include routine or review appointments, pre-op assessments or even surgical procedures, I also interpret for mentally impaired patients, a role for which I have undertaken special training. Local Government: My role here incorporates helping people fill in forms concerning benefits and entitlements, interpreting this forms for them. I also assist social services and the families with whom they deal interpreting and translating government procedures, I also attend, with the professionals to home visits, helping to asses people’s needs and helping with the resulting ongoing support. 1-2 - ACG Telephone Interpreting: I provide telephone-interpreting services in the most varied fields for business clients directly and through two agencies based both in the UK and US. This is a three way conversation where the Service Provider communicates with the Portuguese speaker and vice-versa thought the interpreter on the phone.

Interpreter’s Trainer & Language Tutor/Assessor: I provide language tuition to Portuguese students preparing to sit the DPSI Law/Health exams. The job involves developing an adequate syllabus, lessons planning, elaborating role-plays, exercises and also monitoring and evaluation programmes. I am a registered assessor of the MCIOL and also work as an assessor for interpreting and translation agencies, several schools, and governmenttal agencies, i.e. Newcastle PCT. Since 2007 I started providing Portuguese language tuition to professionals that desired to learn the language to better assist their Portuguese speaking clients. After the first successful contract with Norwich DAA Team through the “Train to Gain” program I moved on to delivering Portuguese tuition to the teaching staff of a local school where the Portuguese pupils were as much as 33% of the school population. At present working as an ESOL tutor for non-English speakers, at Great Yarmouth Community Trust. My former job as Educational Development Worker and my teaching qualifications, achieved both at Middlesex University and Norwich City College were crucial for my success as a tutor.

Educational Development Worker - Bilingual Jun 04/May 05 During 2004 I worked at Great Yarmouth High School as an EDW. This role was a multifaceted role in which I was required to liaise between the school, the pupils and their parents, translating and interpreting in both English and Portuguese such issues as to better integrate the pupils into the English Educational system. I was the key-worker of 32 Portuguese pupils, aged between 11 and 16, many of whom had a low level of English. This was a newly created role and I was responsible for setting up all the administration and internal processes. This role also included:  Coaching Portuguese pupils in basic English  Leasing between the school, parents and Children Services when a child was considered at risk.  Creating a strong support network for children in need. Achievements: Creation of a drop-in session that helped to built and effective working relationship and establish close links between parents, pupils and teachers which proved to be crucial in pupils’ educational development.

MOST RECENT EDUCATION: Institution: Norwich City College Qualification: Prepare to Teach in the Life Long Sector (PTLLS) June 2008 Institution: Middlesex University Qualification: PG Certificate Interpreters’ Trainer June 2007 Institution: Institute of Linguists Qualification: DPSI LAW & Health 2005 & 2006

TRAINING & CPD (some)

Contact with native language, Contract with TVCabo (PT Sky). Membership of PT 2002 to present and secondary languages. magazines. Frequent visits to home country. Tradulinguas Workshop on Legal Translation Oct 2009 SLD - ProZ “Hand’s on” – TRADOS for beginners April 2008 Immigration and Border Agency CIU –Immigration Directorate Training Day March 07 CIoL Language Services Conference Interpreting Nov 05 Norfolk ACPC Multi-agency training on Child Protection Oct 05 INTRAN Public Services Interpreting Assessment Jul 04 Bernard Matthews Interpreting assessment April 2002 ARS Human Systems Ltd People & Production Management Jul 00

References can be provided upon request.

LEISURE INTERESTS Reading, Swimming and volunteering as OXFAM Speaker in local shools.

2-2 - ACG