Social and interpretation services become more professional

The work of ministers for deaf people had included a lot of social work. They did not have sufficient training in relation to the demands and responsibilities placed on them, with one of the most challenging tasks being interpreting. When deaconesses for the deaf started their work, the deaf people’s access to social services improved. The demand for services increased and people knew to ask for them. Because of this, the Finnish Association for the Deaf hired a social advisor, Anni Jokelainen, in 1954. She worked as an interpreter, visited homes and ill people and met with people at deaf associations in various parts of the country.

In the course of the 1970s, social welfare and health care services  were gradually taken over by the public sector. The Association for the Deaf also received funding from Finland’s Slot Machine Association, which allowed it to hire advisors or social workers for the deaf. They assisted deaf people in matters related to social services and acted as interpreters when necessary.

Discussion on the need for sign language interpreters began after the wars. The first interpretation training course was arranged in 1962 and over the years it expanded and was made a degree programme at university of applied sciences. The right of deaf people to have interpretation services was first mentioned in the Act on Disability Services and Assistance passed in 1979. When interpreting tasks were gradually taken over by trained interpreters, church workers had more time for spiritual work.