Lack of interpreters halts deaf man's dream

DON SCOTT/The Press

ALL BOOKED OUT: Marlin Flanagan wants to train as a mechanic, but a shortage of sign language interpreters in Christchurch has put his dream on hold.

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A severe shortage of sign language interpreters in Christchurch means a deaf student has to put his dream of training as a mechanic on hold.

Marlin Flanagan, 20, wanted to enrol in a Certificate in Motor Industry programme at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), starting today.

The polytech has estimated the cost of interpreters and note takers to assist him in his studies to be more than $60,000.

However, the bigger issue is that of interpreters.

Tui McBeath is manager of an employment support service for disabled people. She said Christchurch had just four interpreters to service the whole city.

She said the Emma Agnew murder trial, which is expected to start in October, meant almost all of the interpreters were booked for much of that time. This, along with their other commitments, made getting support for Flanagan impossible.

Flanagan would need two interpreters with him in class, eight hours a day for six months to complete the course.

Workbridge would be able to assist the polytech with funding, but making ends meet was always a stretch, McBeath said.

Deaf people were assigned $15,600 in government funding for a lifetime of tertiary study, but providing support for a full-time tertiary student could cost about $100,000 a year.

"It would be good if disability resources had an increase in funding because there's disabilities that cost an awful lot to support."

McBeath said she would like to see an interpreting course start in Christchurch. There was only one in Auckland which meant rural areas and the South Island in particular had a severe shortage of interpreters.

In an email to The Press, Flanagan said his disappointment at missing out on his long-held ambition was tempered with sympathy for CPIT's situation.

"It's not the polytech's fault, it is the fault of funding because there is a lack of funding for the disabled and deaf. ... I know some people in the South Island that want to become interpreters but are unable to study due to family commitments and are unable to get new jobs as it means moving to Auckland for two years."

He felt there was inadequate support for the deaf in Christchurch.

"There is not enough time or support for the deaf people in Christchurch. There are only four interpreters in the whole of the South Island. Also, there is no course in the south either. In September Christchurch will be getting one more interpreter but that is still not enough for the large deaf community in Christchurch."

Flanagan, 20, hopes he will be able to study at the polytech next year.

CPIT chief executive assistant Ralph Knowles said it received an annual grant of $148,000 to help all disabled students at the institution.

CPIT also received a special grant of $43,000 to help deaf students because of the Van Asch Deaf Education Centre being based in Christchurch.

That money was already being used to support the deaf and disabled students studying at the polytech, Knowles said.

"We are always open to putting a particular (funding) case forward for particular students, but we have never been successful in the past."

Flanagan was being encouraged to apply for the course in 2009, he said.