2020 was a tumultuous year in many ways, but we are extremely grateful for the continued dedication of the DELT committee. Ellen left big shoes to fill as Chair, but she continues to be a source of invaluable help and advice (and remains part of the committee as Treasurer). Huge thank yous go to John and Lin for all their work on the founding and first committee, and despite them stepping back at the end of 2020, they’ll no doubt continue to be strong voices within the organisation! Thanks also to Sinéad, who as Secretary is tasked with the bulk of the administrative duties. Hearty welcome to new committee members: Misha Hoekstra and Kyle Semmel.
Throughout 2020, the committee has met monthly (previously quarterly) via Skype to discuss various goals for DELT, as well to deal with general duties to strengthen and maintain the association. Following our AGM in 2019, the committee spent significant time identifying and allocating the various committee tasks and roles in part to make it easier for future committee members to carry on the work of the committee seamlessly. We have also been using a number of digital tools that will ensure the committee has a strong foundation going forward including Slack and Google Drive. We are proud that our first virtual AGM and julefrokost was successful in December 2020!
Mentoring was one of the new Chair’s priorities this year. DELT hosted two online events for members on mentoring in 2020 to establish how to help members at various stages of their translation career, including how members can share their experience with each other, and how we might support them as a committee. DELT hopes to formalise this mentorship process in 2021. We are proud that our Chair Paul Russell Garrett has helped secure funding for Danish workshops at the BCLT Summer School in 2020 and 2021, as well as having a Danish mentorship as part of the NCW (National Centre for Writing) Emerging Translator Mentorship in 2020/21.
- Read more: A summer of virtual activities
- Read more: DELT virtual meetings 2020
DELT has a core group of active members, but we would always welcome and encourage further engagement among members, including more involvement in planning and running events, mentoring, and sharing useful resources on our website and Facebook page. We’ll continue to plan regular online meet-ups and professional development sessions for members. We also welcome new members – please spread the word among your networks about our supportive and informative community for Danish to English literary translators!
- Read more: How to join DELT
(This news post is based on Paul Russell Garrett’s Chair’s Report for DELT’s AGM, December 2020)