Shape the Future of Sign Language Interpretation: Editorial Roles with WASLI
Landing an editorial role with the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters (WASLI) or with national associations is a chance to help shape how the global interpreter profession sees itself, connects, and grows.
Why this role matters
The WASLI newsletter is the heartbeat of the association’s communication, carrying stories, research, and updates between interpreters in the Global South and Global North. It sits alongside the website, conferences, and joint work with the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) as one of the key ways WASLI shares information and supports the profession worldwide.
As editor, you become part curator, part advocate: you decide which voices and issues are amplified, and how they are framed for a truly international readership. This is especially important in a community where policy, access, and linguistic rights are constantly evolving on the global stage.
The media brain: more than “good English”
The ideal editor does not just tidy commas; they design a coherent story for a multilingual, multicultural audience.
Key strengths include:
- Multicultural communication: Writing in clear, “International English” that is kind to non‑native readers, avoids idioms, and respects regional variation.
- Visual storytelling: Thinking like our Deaf and signing communities by valuing layout, images, and graphic elements as part of the message, not decoration.
- Content strategy: Knowing what should lead the issue, what works best as a short brief, and how to spot gaps where you can solicit contributions from regions that are under‑represented.
If you have ever shaped newsletters, blogs, Mailchimp campaigns, or social‑media round‑ups, you already have much of the media toolkit this role rewards.
The organiser: quiet project manager of every issue
Every edition of the WASLI newsletter is a small international project with moving parts across time zones.
You will likely enjoy this role if you:
- Manage deadlines across regions: You can gently chase that last update from Africa or Latin America while keeping layout and publication dates realistic.
- Keep things findable: You like naming files properly, tracking who wrote what, and keeping past issues, photos, and contacts in order for future use.
- Are comfortable with platforms: Tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, CMS back‑ends, Canva or Adobe products feel like allies rather than enemies.
In many newsletter editor posts, this blend of editorial judgement and production discipline is the difference between “nice idea” and a reliable, respected publication.
The secret sauce: lived and learned expertise
You do not need interpreter certification to be effective, but the role calls for someone who genuinely “speaks the language” of the field.
What makes you stand out:
- Deaf awareness and respect: A grounded understanding of Deaf culture, visual languages, and the politics of access is non‑negotiable in a WASLI context.
- Policy and partnership literacy: WASLI works in formal partnership with WFD; together they issue joint statements, guidelines on hiring interpreters, and shared positions at UN‑level events. As editor, you help translate that high‑level work into readable, motivating stories for practitioners.
- Regional insight: WASLI has always aimed to be truly international, and recent calls for newsletter editors explicitly mention gathering content from all regions and diversifying the voices in their publications.
If you are “someone from the region,” this is not a small detail; it is a strategic asset. WASLI is actively trying to widen whose experience is visible, and your local lens can reshape how global narratives are told.
Do you recognise yourself?
Here is the kind of profile that tends to thrive in a role like this:
Professional
Around 2–5 years in journalism, PR, internal comms, or a similar writing/curation role where you have owned a regular publication.
Educational
A background in Communications, English, Linguistics, International Relations, or related fields that train you to handle complex information clearly.
Technical
Comfort with CMS tools, email platforms and basic graphic design (e.g. Canva, Adobe); an eye for clean, accessible layouts.
Soft skills
High emotional intelligence, cross‑cultural sensitivity, and the ability to give and receive editorial feedback with care.
If you are already writing for your national association, mentoring younger interpreters, or helping coordinate conference communications, you likely have more relevant experience than you think.
Why you (especially) should consider it
For many of us, WASLI has been a reference point for standards, research, and international collaboration in sign language interpreting. Stepping into the newsletter editor role lets you:
- Build a global network: You will be in regular contact with regional reps, Deaf leaders, academics, and policy‑makers.
- Shape professional memory: What goes into each issue becomes part of how our field remembers its milestones, debates, and shifts.
- Grow your own leadership: Many newsletter editors later move into board, conference, or advisory roles because of the visibility and trust they gain.
If you are reading this and thinking “I’m almost there, but not perfect,” that probably means you are exactly the kind of reflective professional this work needs. What part of this role description most excites you—media storytelling, organising the process, or championing Deaf‑centred content? This part may just be the beginning of a productive journey.
