Volunteering Experiences and Professional Identity Development Among Translators and Interpreters in Peru

Abstract

Translation and interpreting studies have examined the construction of professional identity within institutional, work and training settings. However, and despite it is often seen among translators and interpreters, volunteering work has been overlooked as per its impact in professional identity development. This study then sought to explore the influence of volunteering in the development of professional identity. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology was applied by interviewing 16 Peruvian translators and interpreters (8 senior university students and 8 professionals). While students indicated that volunteering programs provided opportunities, such as job placement and integration to the professional community, professionals highlighted opportunities for continuous education and the chance to reflect upon the social impact of their practice. The results of this study offer a way to understand volunteering as a professional development experience for translators and interpreters at different stages in their career, and a tool that promotes the articulation of training and professional practice, as well as the insertion of a profession within society.