Poll: Do you usually offer your translation/interpreting services for the benefit of a good cause?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
Feb 9, 2016

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you usually offer your translation/interpreting services for the benefit of a good cause?".

This poll was originally submitted by Anne-Sophie Cardinal. View the poll results »



 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 16:12
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other Feb 9, 2016

I don't usually around offering my services free of charge, but if approached I don't mind weighing up the possibility. A few years ago, a spinal injury sufferer got in touch and asked me to translate the text of a fundraising website for promising research. As there was no deadline, I agreed. Having said that, I'm usually too busy with paid work to do this kind of thing.

 
Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 08:12
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
I said "never," but ... Feb 9, 2016

The truth is that I have helped people out on a few occasions. The problem is that for the last several years I haven't had any breathing space between jobs. If I'm working for a client with jobs in my inbox, I'm not in a position to do volunteer work. If I were in between jobs, it might be another story.

 
Odile Breuvart
Odile Breuvart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:12
Member
English to French
+ ...
Once Feb 9, 2016

I did offer my services free once to a political organisation. It was charitable for its community-minded objectives. But I have not replicated this since.
I would again in extreme circumstances, like a life-&-death situation symbolically speaking. But I would prefer a reduced fee, like GBP 10.00 for a volume of 1,000 words so as not being taken for granted.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 15:12
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Other Feb 9, 2016

I'm usually not available with paid work but over the years I have charged a preferential rate to one or two ONGs and I have done pro bono work for Translators Without Borders, Médecins sans Frontières and Online Volunteer Service/UN Volontaires.

 
Kay Denney
Kay Denney  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:12
French to English
whenever I'm asked Feb 9, 2016

provided it's a cause I believe in (and I believe in plenty)
and I can fit it in easily.

I just translated a website for an NGO I volunteer for in another capacity, and now I'm rewriting a press kit for a couple of penniless musicians who have just arrived in France but who are brimming with talent and deserve promotional materials on a par with that talent.

I'm lucky to not need to earn heaps of money so I can afford to be generous. And everybody is so much more
... See more
provided it's a cause I believe in (and I believe in plenty)
and I can fit it in easily.

I just translated a website for an NGO I volunteer for in another capacity, and now I'm rewriting a press kit for a couple of penniless musicians who have just arrived in France but who are brimming with talent and deserve promotional materials on a par with that talent.

I'm lucky to not need to earn heaps of money so I can afford to be generous. And everybody is so much more helpful when you're doing it for free, you don't get taken for granted and there's no need to worry about billing and checking that the payment went through! and of course
Collapse


 
Eckhard Boehle
Eckhard Boehle  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 16:12
English to German
+ ...
Some regular, other if asked Feb 9, 2016

I do not really offer my services for a good cause or charitable organizations, but I actually do free translation services for an organization that fights female genital mutilation in Kenya about once a year - and get a calendar for this as a present.
I also did free translations for a colleague of my brother from Iran and the daughter of a friend etc.
There is always time for some hours doing this for people in need, that is no real problem to me.


 
Yetta Jensen Bogarde
Yetta Jensen Bogarde  Identity Verified
Denmark
Local time: 16:12
Member (2012)
English to Danish
+ ...
Yes, Feb 9, 2016

well, once in a while I have done work for 2 large humanitarian organizations at a reduced rate.

 
Gianluca Marras
Gianluca Marras  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 16:12
English to Italian
yes Feb 9, 2016

I have done translations for free for people who needed and I had to refuse their payments.
I mean they were willing to pay, but I felt better after they gave me a hug and said "thank you"


 
Serena Basili
Serena Basili  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 16:12
English to Italian
+ ...
Not yet! Feb 9, 2016

I haven't had the opportunity yet, but I would like to. EDIT Unfortunately, Italian as a target language is of no use for the causes I care about, AFAIK.

For now I'll stick to teaching English to my 7-years old nephew whose school teacher doesn't even know how to properly spell "Thursday"
... See more
I haven't had the opportunity yet, but I would like to. EDIT Unfortunately, Italian as a target language is of no use for the causes I care about, AFAIK.

For now I'll stick to teaching English to my 7-years old nephew whose school teacher doesn't even know how to properly spell "Thursday"

Funny is that after watching Burnistoun "Voice Recognition Elevator" he pronounces 11 the Scottish way

[Edited at 2016-02-09 16:33 GMT]
Collapse


 
Mario Chavez (X)
Mario Chavez (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:12
English to Spanish
+ ...
Humanism, one of the best causes out there Feb 9, 2016

In 2014, I approached a non-profit humanism organization here in the USA to propose the Spanish translation of their 3-leaf brochure. They were convinced of the potential of reaching to Latinos with their message of humanism, so they gave me the commission.

After finishing the project, which involved translation and InDesign typesetting, I sent them a letter asking for a donation letter. In it they would state the services I provided and the value thereof. Then I used that donation
... See more
In 2014, I approached a non-profit humanism organization here in the USA to propose the Spanish translation of their 3-leaf brochure. They were convinced of the potential of reaching to Latinos with their message of humanism, so they gave me the commission.

After finishing the project, which involved translation and InDesign typesetting, I sent them a letter asking for a donation letter. In it they would state the services I provided and the value thereof. Then I used that donation letter to get a tax deduction.

I do care about humanism, being a humanist and atheist myself. Whenever a service is provided for free to an organization, especially a charity or non-profit organization, the service is never for free. At least in America, there's a powerful financial incentive to give to charity. Why do you think powerful CEOs, aspiring politicians, Hollywood actors and others announce what they do for a charitable cause? They may sincerely support a charity, but they get a tax break in return as well.
Collapse


 
svetlana cosquéric
svetlana cosquéric  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 16:12
Member (2008)
Russian to English
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
So have I, I feel better too! :) Feb 9, 2016

Gianluca Marras wrote:

I have done translations for free for people who needed and I had to refuse their payments.
I mean they were willing to pay, but I felt better after they gave me a hug and said "thank you"


 
Marlene Blanshay
Marlene Blanshay  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 11:12
Member (2009)
French to English
+ ...
occasionally Feb 9, 2016

I've done some probono work for a local literary festival (got free passes to a couple of events) as well as a shelter for at-risk youth, and one or two others. If i have time, I don't mind.

 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 12:12
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
A few times Feb 10, 2016

I was able to do it a few times. But most of the times I offered volunteer services, I wasn't called. It seems the supply is mostly higher than the demand, which is pretty good.

 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

Moderator(s) of this forum
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Do you usually offer your translation/interpreting services for the benefit of a good cause?






Trados Business Manager Lite
Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio

Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.

More info »
Trados Studio 2022 Freelance
The leading translation software used by over 270,000 translators.

Designed with your feedback in mind, Trados Studio 2022 delivers an unrivalled, powerful desktop and cloud solution, empowering you to work in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

More info »