Building the plane while flying it: Community interpreting in crisis during the Ukrainian refugee response in the Czech Republic

Martina Pálušová; Olga Čadajeva

doi:10.4312/stridon.5.2.101-132

Authors

Martina Pálušová martina palusova? upol cz Palacký University Olomouc, Czechia
Olga Čadajeva (Primary Contact) olga cadajeva? upol cz Palacký University Olomouc, Czechia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/stridon.5.2.101-132

Keywords:

community interpreting in crisis response, professionalization of ad hoc interpreters, role boundaries, Ukrainian refugee crisis, interpreter ethics

Abstract

The large-scale displacement caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 exposed the Czech Republic’s systemic unpreparedness for delivering professional community interpreting. This article presents a qualitative case study, forming part of a larger research project on interpreting during the Ukrainian refugee response. Focusing on a Regional Assistance Centre (KACPU) in Olomouc, the study draws on ethnographic observation and 17 interviews with interpreters, coordinators, and psychologists, including follow-up interviews with six interpreters conducted three years later. It explores how interpreting was organized in the absence of formal infrastructure, how interpreter networks emerged, and how the role and status of community interpreters evolved over time. Thematic analysis reveals blurred role boundaries, ethical dilemmas, and emotional strain as interpreters navigated encounters in law enforcement, healthcare, and social services. Although many interpreters remained active in the field, often in precarious roles, systemic support structures have lagged behind. The article concludes by calling for reforms in training for both interpreters and providers, ethical frameworks, and institutional recognition to strengthen resilience in future crises.

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