AIMS - Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support, Perth (2026)

04/08/2026

Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility

All who are interested in this topic are welcome to join us online on Monday August 24.

Tickets 🎟️ - https://events.humanitix.com/men-in-sign-language-interpreting-perspective-privilege-and-responsibility

What is it like to be a man in a profession where around 80% of sign language interpreters are women?

Join AIMS for an honest, thought-provoking live panel discussion featuring six experienced male sign language interpreters from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, the Netherlands and the UK. Together, they’ll share their experiences and discuss responsible allyship, privilege, professional relationships and supporting the Deaf community.

We’re delighted to welcome Dr Paul Michaels (London, England) as our special guest. Dr Michaels completed his PhD at Durham University in 2023, researching why men in the UK become sign language interpreters and their experiences within the profession.

Presenters

Host

* Alana Wiekart — Perth, Australia

Panel

* Dr Paul Michaels (Special Guest) — London, England
* David McQuiggin — Sydney, Australia
* Gabriel Kirley — Melbourne, Australia
* Alan Wendt — Aotearoa New Zealand
* Ramon van Renssen — The Netherlands
* Imran Ahmed — Perth, Australia

Topics include:

* Being a man in a predominantly female profession
* Opportunities and challenges experienced by male interpreters
* Understanding “male interpreter privilege”
* Allyship and respectfully supporting female colleagues
* Professional responsibilities
* Creating respectful and inclusive workplaces
* Advice for male identifying interpreting students

There will also be an opportunity for live audience Q&A.

Whether you’re a student, practising interpreter, interpreter educator or a member of the Deaf community, this discussion aims to encourage reflection, learning and meaningful conversation.

Presented in English with Auslan interpretation and live captions.

01/08/2026

🌏 Everyone is welcome at AIMS online events!

Whether you’re a sign language interpreter, interpreting student, Deaf community member, or simply interested in this topic, we’d love to have you join us.

The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters

Monday 10 August, 2026

What makes an interpreter truly great?

Join six Deaf Australians as they share what they value most in interpreters, including:
✨ What excellent interpreting looks like
✨ Common mistakes interpreters make
✨ How interpreters can help Deaf people feel respected, included, and empowered
✨ Giving and receiving feedback
✨ Looking after yourself while keeping Deaf people at the centre of the interaction

At AIMS, we believe that no matter the country or sign language, interpreters face many of the same challenges. Our vision is to build a global community where interpreters can connect, learn, and support one another.

🎥 Live on Zoom
📹 Recording and resource pack included
📜 Certificate of attendance available for interpreter professional development ticket holders

Panelists
• Thomas Doe
• Jason Alford
• Michelle Czyzowicz
• Jen Moloney Hyde
• Danica Pupich
• Danni Wright

Facilitator
• Alana Wiekart

Presented in Auslan with English voice-over and captions.

🎟️ Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/the-ideal-interpreter-what-deaf-australians-value-most-in-interpreters

30/07/2026

You can find more information and buy tickets to all of the AIMS upcoming professional development events here:

https://events.humanitix.com/host/aims-allied-interpreter-mentorship-and-support

29/07/2026

12 DAYS TO GO!!! 🤯😍
📣 Everyone is welcome to this online Zoom event, including Deaf community members, interpreters, interpreting students, and anyone interested in this topic.

🎟️ Tickets:
https://events.humanitix.com/the-ideal-interpreter-what-deaf-australians-value-most-in-interpreters

The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters

What makes an interpreter truly great?

Many interpreter training events focus on skills, ethics, and professionalism. But how often do we hear directly from Deaf people about what they value most in an interpreter?

Join six Deaf Australians from different backgrounds as they share their experiences working with interpreters in everyday life.

Topics include:

• What helps Deaf people feel respected, included, and empowered?
• What does excellent interpreting look like?
• What common mistakes do interpreters make?
• How can interpreters support equal participation in conversations and decision making?
• How can interpreters respond well to feedback?
• How can interpreters look after themselves while keeping Deaf people at the centre of the interaction?

This is a valuable opportunity to learn from Deaf people who work with interpreters regularly.

Panelists
• Thomas Doe
• Jason Alford
• Michelle Czyzowicz
• Jen Moloney Hyde
• Danica Pupich
• Danni Wright

Facilitator
• Alana Wiekart

Event Details
• Live online panel discussion
• Recording and resource pack included
• Certificate of attendance available for interpreter professional development ticket holders

Presented in Auslan with English voice-over and English captions.

We hope you can join us for this important conversation about what excellent interpreting looks like from a Deaf perspective.

28/07/2026

Get to Know Our Panelists!

Join six Deaf Australians for a live Q&A exploring the qualities, behaviours and attitudes they value most in interpreters. Drawing on their experiences as Deaf Interpreters, Auslan teachers and Deaf community leaders, they’ll discuss what truly makes an interpreter effective.

The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters
📅 Monday 10 August 2026

Presented in Auslan with English voiceover and captions.

🎟️https://events.humanitix.com/the-ideal-interpreter-what-deaf-australians-value-most-in-interpreters

JASON ALFORD

Deaf educator, Auslan teacher and father of three Deaf children. Jason will share insights into effective interpreting across education, healthcare, sport and community settings.

MICHELLE CZYZOWICZ

Deaf business owner, Auslan teacher and accessibility advocate. Michelle will discuss interpreter qualities, including accurately reflecting a Deaf person’s tone, personality and communication style.

THOMAS DOE

Raised in a Deaf and CODA family, Thomas is an Auslan teacher and interpreter. He’ll share insights into Auslan, Deaf culture and the interpreter’s role.

DANICA PUPICH

Deaf Interpreter, translator and advocate. Danica will explore respectful communication, Deaf culture and effective partnerships between interpreters and the Deaf community.

JEN MOLONEY-HYDE

Deaf professional and Auslan lecturer with 27 years’ experience educating interpreters. Jen will discuss cultural competence, collaboration and the skills that build trust with the Deaf community.

DANNI WRIGHT

Deaf director, actor and accessibility consultant. Danni will share how interpreters can help create genuinely inclusive spaces where Deaf culture, language and access are valued.

ALANA WIEKART

AIMS Director and NAATI Certified Auslan Interpreter with 20+ years’ experience. Join Alana as she explores what Deaf Australians really value in interpreters.

27/07/2026

AIMS (Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support) was founded by Alana Wiekart, a NAATI Certified Auslan interpreter, in May 2025.

With 2 decades of interpreting experience and 8 years of mentoring, Alana’s passion for supporting interpreters grew when she managed the Mentoring portfolio for the ASLITA (Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association) national board (2021-2023).

Alana is based in Perth, Western Australia, the world’s most isolated capital city, in one of the world’s most geographically isolated countries. After travelling to 11 countries in 2024, she realised the chronic sign language interpreter shortage she had witnessed in Australia was also a global issue. Regardless of country or sign language, interpreters were facing many of the same challenges. Inspired by this, Alana founded AIMS to create a global network where interpreters can connect, learn, and support one another holistically.

AIMS also connects Deaf community members with emerging interpreters and students, providing shadowing opportunities.

AIMS is important, because when we support interpreters, the Deaf community gains better access.

Pro tip from Alana: If you are about to sit your terp exam, make a big professional life decision or terp life is just getting a bit too much, take a day off and go cuddle some baby goats. 🐐 Stress levels tend to drop dramatically… or at least 99.99% of the time as demonstrated in the next pic. 😄➡️

24/07/2026

🎉 Our final special guest panellist has been revealed! 🇬🇧

We are incredibly excited to welcome Dr Paul Michaels (London, England) to our international panel for Men in Sign Language Interpreting: Perspective, Privilege & Responsibility.

Dr Michaels completed his PhD at Durham University in 2023, researching why men in the UK become sign language interpreters and their experiences within the profession. His expertise makes him a fantastic addition to this important conversation.

Join six experienced male sign language interpreters from Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), England and the Netherlands as they share their experiences, discuss allyship, privilege and responsibility, and explore how we can build a stronger, more inclusive profession.

💬 Topics include:
• Being a man in a predominantly female profession
• Male privilege and allyship
• Opportunities and challenges
• Creating respectful and inclusive workplaces
• Advice for the next generation of interpreters

🎤 Featuring
🇬🇧 Dr Paul Michaels (England)
🇳🇱 Ramon van Renssen (The Netherlands)
🇳🇿 Alan Wendt (Aotearoa/New Zealand)
🇦🇺 David McQuiggin (Sydney)
🇦🇺 Gabriel Kirley (Melbourne)
🇦🇺 Imran Ahmed (Perth)

Hosted by Alana Wiekart (Perth, Australia).🇦🇺

📅 Monday 24 August 2026
💻 Live on Zoom
🎟️ Join live or receive the recording

Presented in English with Auslan interpretation.

We can’t wait to bring together this outstanding international panel for what promises to be a thoughtful, engaging and meaningful discussion.

🎟️https://events.humanitix.com/men-in-sign-language-interpreting-perspective-privilege-and-responsibility

16/07/2026

SAVE THE DATE! This will be an interesting discussion!

What does it mean to be a man in a profession where around 80% of sign language interpreters are women?

Join a panel of respected male sign language interpreters from Australia, New Zealand and Europe (panelist announcements coming soon) for an honest conversation about the perspectives, opportunities, challenges and responsibilities of working in the profession as a male.

Together, they’ll explore the idea of a “male privilege check” and discuss how privilege can be used positively to work in solidarity with, and respectfully alongside, female colleagues and the Deaf community.

Whether you’re a student, an interpreter, an interpreter trainer or a Deaf community member, this promises to be a thought provoking discussion that encourages reflection, learning and meaningful conversations.

Presented in English with Auslan interpretation.

We can’t wait to introduce our panelists!
Coming soon!

11/07/2026

4 Weeks To Go!
📣 Everyone is welcome to this online Zoom event, including Deaf community members, interpreters, interpreting students, and anyone interested in this topic.

🎟️ Tickets:
https://events.humanitix.com/the-ideal-interpreter-what-deaf-australians-value-most-in-interpreters

The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters

What makes an interpreter truly great?

Many interpreter training events focus on skills, ethics, and professionalism. But how often do we hear directly from Deaf people about what they value most in an interpreter?

Join six Deaf Australians from different backgrounds as they share their experiences working with interpreters in everyday life.

Topics include:

• What helps Deaf people feel respected, included, and empowered?
• What does excellent interpreting look like?
• What common mistakes do interpreters make?
• How can interpreters support equal participation in conversations and decision making?
• How can interpreters respond well to feedback?
• How can interpreters look after themselves while keeping Deaf people at the centre of the interaction?

This is a valuable opportunity to learn from Deaf people who work with interpreters regularly.

Panelists
• Thomas Doe
• Jason Alford
• Michelle Czyzowicz
• Jen Moloney Hyde
• Danica Pupich
• Danni Wright

Facilitator
• Alana Wiekart

Event Details
• Live online panel discussion
• Recording and resource pack included
• Certificate of attendance available for interpreter professional development ticket holders

Presented in Auslan with English voice-over and English captions.

We hope you can join us for this important conversation about what excellent interpreting looks like from a Deaf perspective.

03/07/2026

5 Weeks To Go!
📣 Everyone is welcome to this online Zoom event, including Deaf community members, interpreters, interpreting students, and anyone interested in this topic.

🎟️ Tickets are now available:
https://events.humanitix.com/the-ideal-interpreter-what-deaf-australians-value-most-in-interpreters

The Ideal Interpreter: What Deaf Australians Value Most in Interpreters

What makes an interpreter truly great?

Many interpreter training events focus on skills, ethics, and professionalism. But how often do we hear directly from Deaf people about what they value most in an interpreter?

Join six Deaf Australians from different backgrounds as they share their experiences working with interpreters in everyday life.

Topics include:

• What helps Deaf people feel respected, included, and empowered?
• What does excellent interpreting look like?
• What common mistakes do interpreters make?
• How can interpreters support equal participation in conversations and decision making?
• How can interpreters respond well to feedback?
• How can interpreters look after themselves while keeping Deaf people at the centre of the interaction?

This is a valuable opportunity to learn from Deaf people who work with interpreters regularly.

Panelists
• Thomas Doe
• Jason Alford
• Michelle Czyzowicz
• Jen Moloney Hyde
• Danica Pupich
• Danni Wright

Facilitator
• Alana Wiekart

Event Details
• Live online panel discussion
• Recording and resource pack included
• Certificate of attendance available for interpreter professional development ticket holders

Presented in Auslan with English voice-over and English captions.

We hope you can join us for this important conversation about what excellent interpreting looks like from a Deaf perspective.

AIMS - Allied Interpreter Mentorship and Support

04/08/2026

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30/07/2026

29/07/2026

28/07/2026

27/07/2026

24/07/2026

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