Interpreters’ Resilience and Self-care During Pandemic Restrictions in Australia and New Zealand

Abstract

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought about abrupt and lasting changes to the way community interpreting is organized and delivered in Australia and New Zealand. This paper reports on a qualitative study conducted among community interpreters in these two countries, especially those based in Auckland and Melbourne, as both cities went through several periods of strict lockdowns. The study attempts to understand the experiences of the interpreters working remotely or in-person between early 2020 and late 2021, focusing on how they coped with such significant challenges. The findings of the study point to practitioners’ conscious efforts in their self-care behavior and resilience-building strategies, both of which were key to maintaining professional and personal wellbeing. It is argued that self-care practices should be embedded in pre-service training and professional development, and appropriate working conditions should be monitored on an ongoing basis.