STRIVE aims to understand whether effective translation practices can reduce the impact of linguistic differences as factors determining inequalities in the vaccine uptake between migrants and local populations in Italy. The lack of trustworthy information in a language that migrants can understand, coupled with cultural beliefs causing distrust in the health system and/or vaccines, greatly contributes to migrants’ low engagement with the vaccination campaign. STRIVE focuses on how different actors (NGOs, activists, health workers) employ multilingual practices such as translation/interpreting to overcome these inequalities and vaccination hesitancy.

The project is organized into 3 areas (each one a work package including specific objectives). Work package 1 (WP1) focuses on the methodological aspects of the research, and in particular on the survey data and the language maps. WP2 Ethnography focuses on strategies that reduce language-related inequalities and barriers that condition migrants’ vaccine engagement. WP3 is dedicated to organizing the analysis of the data collected into videos, reports, and publications to disseminate the findings of our project.

The project will use a VAX scale questionnaire, supported by a survey and semi-structured interviews to capture migrants’ language needs in relation to COVID-19, and the translation strategies addressing those needs. STRIVE will compare translation practices in the Emilia-Romagna region and in Rome to assess their validity and inform responses to future crises, as well as communication strategies underpinning regular vaccination campaigns.