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Translation and interpreting services

Our web content is available in other languages or can be easily translated. To read our content in another language:

• Navigate to the top of the page you want to translate and click ‘Translate’ at the top right corner.

• A row of icons will appear at the top of the page. Click the fourth icon, which looks like two tiles (with the first displaying the letter A).

• A ‘Translate’ pop-up will appear. Type your preferred language into the search bar or select from the dropdown box.

If you need help to communicate with us in your preferred language, you can also call the free Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450.

Our office is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays.

Translated resources

Our Service – In your language: This fact sheet provides a short description of the role of the VLSB+C in 23 languages.

‘Working with your lawyer’: This fact sheet provides tips on how you can develop and maintain a good relationship with your lawyer. This resource is available in English and is translated into the following 22 languages:

• Arabic
• Assyrian
• Chinese (traditional)
• Croatian
• Dari
• Dinka
• Filipino (Tagalog)
• French (colonial)
• Greek
• Italian
• Karen (Burmese)
• Khmer
• Macedonian
• Nepalese
• Persian (Farsi)
• Russian
• Serbian
• Spanish
• Thai
• Turkish
• Urdu
• Vietnamese

These languages were selected based on extensive consultation with community support services across Victoria, and an analysis of the Australian Bureau of Statistics data on English language proficiency within Victoria’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Communication Support

We are a communication accessible organisation and have been accredited with Scope’s Communication Access Symbol.

The Communication Access Symbol means:

• Our staff are welcoming and treat everyone with dignity and respect.

• Our staff are trained in how to communicate with people with a diverse range of communication difficulties.

• We use communication tools that have been developed specifically for the VLSB+C, such as a communication book.

When contacting us, just let us know of your communication needs and we will assist you to get your message across in a way that suits you.

Accessibility Support

If you need support interacting with us, let us know when you first contact us. There are many reasons why someone might need extra support, including:

• vision impairment or low vision

• hearing impairment or deafness

• health issues

• low literacy

• lack of digital access or literacy

• language barriers, for example, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds or speaking English as a second language

• adverse personal circumstances such as family violence, homelessness, relationship breakdown or loss of employment.

What we'll do

When you tell us what your support needs are we’ll:

• Talk to you and agree on what extra support you need and how we can help.

• Note it on your file so you don’t have to ask each time you contact us. You can ask us to remove this at any time.

• Accommodate this extra support for as long as you need it. This may be reviewed from time to time.

Reasonable adjustments we might provide

We can provide a range of reasonable adjustments to improve your access to our services, which can be discussed with our staff. For example:

• allowing more time to make submissions or provide information

• requesting an interpreter or to have information translated

• getting information in other formats such as Braille, audio or large print

• referring to the National Relay Service for assistance for someone who is deaf, deafblind or hard-of-hearing

• booking an Auslan interpreter for an in-person meeting or video conference

• providing simplified versions of written correspondence, including use of bullet points and highlighted key messages

• enabling opt-out of certain communication channels such as email, letter, telephone or a mixture

• allowing an authorised third party to represent you on your case, such as a family member, friend or support worker

• allowing you to bring a support person when you meet or talk to our staff.

If you need an adjustment that’s not listed, contact us and we’ll consider how else we can assist. In most cases we’ll be able to provide the reasonable adjustments you request but we are also governed by rules which may limit the adjustments we can reasonably make.

You can contact us at any time for assistance or if you have questions about the accessibility support we provide.