VHIO strives to eliminate language barriers in healthcare settings by providing trained volunteer interpreters from UC Berkeley to healthcare organizations and facilities for underserved, limited English proficient (LEP) communities in the Bay Area.

Currently, we have official training and established volunteering opportunities for Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese interpreters; we are developing programs for Tagalog, Cambodian, and Japanese. In our goal to reach out to more populations, we welcome speakers of other languages to help us expand our language capacities.

VHIO Article in World Journal

The World Journal came to interview VHIO and our preceptor Dr. Yu at our hep B clinic at Chinatown Public Health Center. Click here to read the article about VHIO, what we do, the importance of interpretation, and our role in hep B clinics.

Spring 2012 Workshops

Please mark your calendars for the mandatory VHIO workshops!  We will review points about health care interpretation, have language practice sessions, invite a guest speaker, and all get to know each other better.  Refreshments will be provided.  

Workshop 1 – Feb. 26
Workshop 2 – March 18
Workshop 3 – April 8

Please note that other Events have been updated as well.

February 2012 Newsletter

Click here to read our February 2012 newsletter. Find out about the new volunteering opportunity for Cantonese and Korean volunteers at CEI, which is a great opportunity to work with the elderly population; an article about mammogram clinics in the Korea Times; and an alumni spotlight on Kenny See, now a medical student at UC Davis.

January 2012 Events

Mt. Zion Hep B Clinic
Saturday January 7th, 9am-12pm
2330 Post Street at Divisadero

Chinatown Public Health Center Hep B Clinic
Saturday January 14th, 9am-12pm
1490 Mason Street at Broadway

KCHS Mammogram Clinic
Saturday January 28th

November – December 2011 Events

November Events

VACCEB Hep B Presentation
Thursday November 3rd
Vietnamese outreach event

Mt. Zion Hep B Clinic
Saturday November 5th, 9am-12pm
2330 Post Street at Divisadero

SF Hep B Free Indonesian Festival
Saturday November 5th, 4-9pm
Golden Gate Park
VHIO will be sending a Cambodian interpreter and a Tagalog interpreter to provide Southeast Asian language support.

Chinatown Public Health Center Hep B Clinic
Saturday November 12th, 9am-12pm
1490 Mason Street at Broadway

Partners in D/Project Brown Bag Mission Creek Outreach
Saturday, November 12th, 9am-1pm
225 Berry St, San Francisco
1 Cantonese interpreter and 1 Mandarin interpreter needed

Walking Club
Saturday November 12th
Vietnamese outreach event

Multicultural Health and Wellness Fair
Saturday November 19th 10:30am-2pm
Regeneration Church in Oakland (238 E 15th Street)
The health fair will be at Regeneration Church at 238 E. 15th St. We will travel there as a group by bus, so please bring your student ID. Please meet at the Durant/Dana bus stop at 9:20am this Saturday morning. We will take that 1 (towards Bayfair Bart) and get off at International/2nd, arriving at about 10am. The health fair is scheduled to end at 2pm. They need help setting up for the health fair, which starts at 10:30.
Interpreters help at registration, screenings, health pac workshop, and possibly the dental workshop.

SRO-CHIP Healthy Marriage Workshop
Saturday November 19th
Women’s session: 10-12 pm, Men’s session: 1-3 pm
How VHIO can help: 1) translate & present, 2) develop & present skit, 3) help with child care center

December Events

Partners in D Housing Authority Outreach
Thursday, December 1st 5-6pm
2 Cantonese interpreters needed

Mt. Zion Hep B Clinic
Saturday December 3rd, 9am-12pm
2330 Post Street at Divisadero

SRO-CHIP Problem Gambling Workshop
Saturday December 3rd
How VHIO can help: 1) help with child care center

Chinatown Public Health Center Hep B Clinic
Saturday December 10th, 9am-12pm
1490 Mason Street at Broadway

Korea Times Article about VHIO Mammogram Clinic

There is an article featuring VHIO in the Korea Times. It talks about VHIO’s role in the monthly mammogram clinics at the Korean Community Health Services. Click here to view the article.

Spanish Spring 2012 Recruitment Update

Thank you to all who applied to the Spanish Department! You should have received an email confirming that your application has been received, and another email notifying you about your interview time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Spanish Recruitment Information

VHIO is recruiting for Spanish this spring!

Note: because of the importance of cultural competency, we only accept native speakers (you have learned Spanish as a heritage language from your family) or if you have lived in a Spanish-speaking country for at least 6 months.

(All other languages, please apply in the fall)

We strongly encourage prospective applicants to attend our info session on Monday Jan 30th from 7-8pm in 2032 VLSB to hear our presentation and ask questions.  Officers will speak about VHIO, their experience, and your involvement! Please bring any questions you have.

Important dates:
Mon Jan 23rd 7-8pm…………Info session 2032 VLSB
Sun Jan 29th 11:59pm……….APPLICATIONS DUE VIA EMAIL
Mon Jan 30th…………………Notifications for interview time
Wed Feb 1st – Sun Feb 4th…..In-language interviews
Mon Feb 5th…………………..Final notifications for acceptance
Wed Feb 8th 6:30-8pm……….First training

Responsibilities of volunteers include patient advocacy, interpreting at health fairs, and attending health related community service events that require interpreting services.

***Please note that volunteers are required to receive training from 6:30-8pm on Wednesdays, starting on Wed, Feb 8th.***

With the knowledge and skills you learn from the training, you will be able to interpret at clinics and health fairs, participate in patient education as health coaches, and outreach to form new collaborations.

Please click here for the application (due Sunday Jan 29th at 11:59pm)

<a href="http://calhbc.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/2012_vhio_spanish_info_session.ppt"Please click here for the Powerpoint presentation from the info session

Feel free to email any questions to cal.vhio@gmail.com

January 2012 Newsletter

Please click here to view VHIO’s January 2012 newsletter.  Read about VHIO’s latest news, what is planned for 2012, and an alumni spotlight featuring Janice Chow.

VHIO Officer Applications

The officer application to be an officer for the 2012-2013 school year can be found here. The directions, position descriptions, and an explanation of intern and officer roles are included.

The applications are due online by 11:59pm on Sunday January 29th. Please note that this is slightly earlier than the previously mentioned deadline of Tuesday January 31st.

Email us if you have any questions!