About our Association

Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters (STPJM) is a very young organization. It was established in 2009 to address the needs of both interpreters of Polish Sign Language who want to expand their knowledge concerning interpretation and develop their professional skills as well as their customers who want to be provided with high quality services.

STPJM was created to support the former and the latter in the development of their mutual relations based on ethical rules, quality and professionalism, and to care about the good name of interpreters and satisfaction of their customers.

Our philosophy

Polish Sign Language (PJM) is the first language for about 50 thousand people. It is their means of communication, just like the Polish language is the means of communication of the hearing Poles. Alike sign languages all over the world, PJM is a complete, natural language which can be characterized by its own grammar and vocabulary independent from the Polish language.

Deaf people constitute a complex social group with its own language, culture, as well as history, social norms, values and needs. And despite the stereotypical belief that deaf people are disabled, their community should rather be perceived as a linguistic and cultural minority.

The assumption that Deaf community is a linguistic and cultural minority, the language of which is the Polish Sign Language, is fundamental for the functioning of STPJM. According to the adopted philosophy concerning language and culture of the Deaf, STJPM accepts the right of deaf people to access to information, knowledge, culture, art and communication by means of high quality interpreting services in their natural language.

Our mission and goals

Associations of sign language interpreters exist worldwide to provide interpreter communities, as well as their Deaf and hearing customers a multi-aspect support. Association of Polish Sign Language Interpreters is the first one that came into being for a similar purpose. It is the answer to a strong need to improve the current state of sign language interpreting services.

STPJM wishes to offer a new look at the profession of a sign language interpreter, his/her role and duties, to organize knowledge about sign language interpreting, to make individuals using interpreting services aware of their rights and possibilities and to develop the art of interpreting at a professional level.

The goals of STPJM are to:

  1. perform the function of a professional organization for Polish Sign Language interpreters and represent them at national and international level;
  2. raise the prestige and comply with ethical rules of the profession as well as protect professional, moral and substantive rights of interpreters;
  3. guarantee a high standard of interpreting performed by STPJM members by continuously mastering their professional skills;
  4. support research and teaching initiatives aimed at development of Polish Sign Language interpreting;
  5. provide support in acquiring and improving the command of Polish Sign Language as well as spread knowledge about Deaf Culture;
  6. break communication barriers between the Deaf and the hearing community by providing interpreting of high quality.

STPJM intends to pursue its goals by:

  1. helping STPJM members to continuously improve their interpreting technique;
  2. providing workshops, trainings, courses for interpreters and individuals cooperating with them;
  3. organizing conferences, congresses, symposia and lectures on the issues connected with the sign language interpreting;
  4. providing language and terminology consulting related to interpreting;
  5. participating and representing members in international interpreter organizations.