[multikulti-tech] Multikulti site new translations

[lasa]

Lasa Multikulti Website Update
 February 2004
 
 http://www.multikulti.org.uk 
 
 * 8th Round of Translations now uploaded to site
 The new documents include information on 'Bullying', 'Choosing your child’s school', 'Special Educational Needs', 'Community care grants', 'Immigration information on spouses and partners', 'Immigration rules on people who sponsor visitors', and 'Immigration rules on relatives who come to the UK' (all these documents are from Coventry Law Centre). The Spinal Injuries Association have provided information on their organisation and activities and a leaflet on 'Spinal Cord Injury – early days'. We have also uploaded Mind’s booklet 'Understanding Schizophrenia'. 
 
 * New and Improved Unicode Version of Multikulti
 The Multikulti site now delivers all information as text in different languages including non-Roman scripts like Chinese and Arabic. This makes Multikulti documents easier to access and to edit, and also enables Multikulti to comply with accessibility standards like the Web Accessibility Initiative, and the Disability Discrimination Act. The ‘Unicode’ content is also searchable, so Multikulti’s resources are now easier to find via Internet search engines. Making this possible across all Multikulti languages is a pioneering achievement in web technology. Other new features include a site search facility, navigation aids, a sitemap, help page, and a local agency finder if you want to contact a local adviser who speaks your language. An article describing all the gory details of the trials, tribulations and technicalities involved in creating the Unicode version of Multikulti is available in lasa computanews. 
 
 Because the new site is at the leading edge of multilingual technology we expect some teething troubles particularly with Bengali and Gujerati. We will continue to deliver PDF’s for these languages as well as Unicode. 
 
 * New Language – Urdu
 We get much useful feedback on the Multikulti site (please keep it coming in) and as a result of numerous requests received from users we’ve decided to add Urdu to the 10 Multikulti languages. Translations into Urdu will be underway soon and we’ll let you know when the first documents appear. If you are a bi-lingual adviser with experience of translating community documents into Urdu then please get in touch with us at 020 7247 7226 or email nkartallozi at lasa.org.uk. 
 
 Lasa’s Multikulti website provides information, advice and learning materials in 10 community languages (with an 11th language, Urdu, in preparation). The website contains translations of leaflets covering 7 key areas: immigration and asylum, welfare benefits, employment, housing, health, debt, and education. Content so far has been translated from material provided by Age Concern, Carers UK, Coventry Law Centre, Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau, Islington Law Centre, MIND, National Debt Line, ROAP, Shelter, the Spinal Injuries Association and Lasa. 
 
 Lasa’s Multikulti project has been funded by the New Opportunities Fund, a National Lottery good cause distributor, through the Fund’s nof-digitise programme. 
 
 * Multikulti User Group
 If you would like to become involved with the project, you can become a Multikulti User Group member. The User Group provides feedback to the Project Team on how the digitised Multikulti material is experienced by agencies and their clients. You will also be able to access Lasa’s free IT Helpline service and receive a free subscription to our magazine Computanews. For further information about the project or if you would like to provide feedback on the site, please email nkartallozi at lasa.org.uk. 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
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