The Multilingual Outreach Volunteer Effort (MOVE)

a program of the Center for American English Language & Culture at the University of Virginia

Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions

Do you speak, read, or write in another language? Join our active group of volunteer translators!

MOVE invites anyone to join, regardless of which language you speak, read, or write. However, we currently need more translators for our Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Pashto, and Swahili language teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be bilingual?

You do not need to have native-level proficiency or be bilingual to participate. Our volunteers have a wide range of translating skills and our translations are done collaboratively. Some people even involve their fluent families! You can always ask others for help. MOVE seeks to help our community with language resources while promoting multilingualism at UVA.

Do translators have to be fluent in the target language?

MOVE does not expect fluency or perfection; we do our best to get basic information to the community in the language they understand best. Some of our volunteers are completely bilingual, while others are committed language learners!

What is the time commitment for volunteers?

Volunteers decide how frequently they want to participate. Each request is sent to all volunteers who speak the language needed; it is up to the volunteer to choose which translating/interpreting requests to accept.

How often does MOVE receive translation requests?

Translation requests occur up to a few times a week; however, the requests fluctuate throughout the year. We send out requests as we receive them from our partner organizations. Some languages are requested more than others, based on our partners’ needs.

What is the process for translating a request?

  • When MOVE receives a request, we will send it out to the appropriate language team(s). Volunteers from that team step up to help translate as they are able.
  • Work is done collaboratively through a shared online document. 
  • Volunteers have access to an English version of the document, as well as translating guidelines and resources. 
  • Translators log their work on our “Translation Log” so we can see who has participated and when a project is completed.

What are the expectations of MOVE volunteers?

  • We expect volunteers to be realistic when committing to a project.
  • We expect volunteers to complete projects to the best of their ability. 
  • We expect volunteers to try to complete projects by the specified deadline.
  • We expect volunteers to communicate about any aspect of the project that is unclear, to ask for help when needed, and to keep us updated about progress.

Which languages receive the most translation requests?

During the 2021-2022 academic year, MOVE had a high demand for the following languages:

  • Arabic
  • Dari
  • Farsi
  • French
  • German
  • Mandarin
  • Nepali
  • Russian
  • Spanish
  • Swahili
  • Turkish
  • Vietnamese

What are some examples of past translations/interpretations?

  • Volunteers worked with a group of UVA medical students translating StreetSheets (a monthly document with resources including unemployment relief, emergency housing, food, etc.) for people with limited English abilities and computer access.
  • Volunteers interpreted at Albemarle High School’s Open House event welcoming families who speak other languages and introducing them to community resources.
  • Volunteers provided language help to organizations including Blue Ridge Health District, UVA Equity Center, International Family Health Clinic, and many others.
Volunteer with MOVE