Author Archives: Golygydd

Succesful Conference in Merthyr

A very sucesful conference was held in Merthyr to dicusss investing in the Welsh language on 21 May.Cynhadledd 2014

Leaders of three of the political parties in the Assembly – Kirsty Williams, Leanne Wood and Andrew RT Davies as well as Keith Davies from the Labour Party. Their speeches were very supportive of the Welsh language and we hope that the Assembly and the Government will act soon in response to the results of the Census.

Also there were interesting addresses by many speakers including Paul Bilbao from the Basque country.Cynhadledd 2014 Paul Bilbao

Summaries of the addresses are available below.

Paul Bilbao –  Paul Bilbao Address

Pressure for the Prime Minister to act in support of the Welsh language

Representatives from Celebrating our Language met the Welsh First Minister, Carwyn Jones, to call for a strong response to the worrying results of the Census and to act with measures to promote the Welsh language. Concern was expressed that there are no clear steps in mind to meet the challenge of securing the future of the Welsh language. A number of reviews on the state of the language which were commissioned by the Government have now been published and the clear recommendation is that additional resources are required to promote the Welsh language.

Tegwen Morris, Director of  Merched y Wawr said, “There was a flurry of ideas and enthusiasm in the Great Conference held last year to consider the disappointing Census results but we are still waiting for the Government to act. Welsh-speaking communities suffer from a lack of resources and social activities”.

Rebecca Williams, Policy Officer UCAC, expressed concern about the impact of local government cuts on Welsh education. “The cuts in transportation services will affect the ability of parents to send their children to Welsh-medium education. The Government needs to ensure that their policies will give everyone a fair chance to be educated in their language of choice. There is also a need to ensure that training is available to provide a workforce for the increasing demand for Welsh education in our schools.”

According to Penri Williams, Chairman of Celebrating our Language, “We need to be confident about the future of the language, we can not afford further delays before tackling the issues. There is support from all sides of the Welsh Assembly and it is important that the County Councils also ensure equitable provision .

“The Prime Minister clearly recognizes the seriousness of the situation and is considering the most effective ways of implementing the recommendation of the reports.

“There is no lack of ideas or vision ” said Penri Williams , “We have compiled a list of over 50 actions that can be implemented, many by working with existing funds and other actions requiring additional investment to provide further opportunities to use the language.”

Celebrating Our Language – Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg believes that more resources are needed to ensure that the Welsh language thrives in the future.  We believe that current expenditure should be diversified to ensure that a fair share of the budget can be used to develop and strengthen opportunities to use the language.

Celebrating Our Language is organizing a conference in May with the expectation that the Government plans will have been announced by then. The aim of the conference will be to explore how we can ensure that the Welsh language is central to the provision of government, county councils and other public bodies.

Petition to Support the Mentrau Iaith

Mentrau Iaith Cymru

The mentrau iaith provide a valuable service across the whole of Wales, to Welsh speakers and learners of all ages, who would otherwise have fewer opportunities to use the language.
However, a recent report comissioned by the Welsh Government has confirmed that the mentrau are under-resourced and that they need to be better funded.
It is vital that the Welsh Government should take this report seriously and respond positively to it.
The language lobby, Dyfodol, has therefore submitted an electronic petition to the National Assembly for Wales, calling on it to support the mentrau – and to bring pressure to bear on the Welsh Government.
Please sign the petition!

Welsh Language Commissioner Standards Investigation: Gathering public opinion

The Welsh Government published its document ‘Proposed standards relating to the Welsh language’ on 6 January 2014. The Welsh Government stated that it expects that the Welsh Language Standards will be made law by November 2014. The Welsh Language Commissioner’s standards investigation is based on the Welsh Government’s proposed standards.Comisiynydd y Gymraeg

You should visit the Welsh Government’s website to see the ‘Proposed standards relating to the Welsh language’ document. You can do this by clicking on the link below:

http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/140106-consultation-on-standards-relating-to-the-welsh-language-cy.pdf

The 26 organizations which are part of the initial standards investigation are the:

– 22 County borough councils and county councils in Wales – 3 Welsh National Park Authorities – Welsh Ministers.

In carrying out the standards investigation the Welsh Language Commissioner will consult with each relevant organization, the Advisory Panel, and the public. The Welsh Language Commissioner wishes to hear the views of as many members of the public in Wales as possible.

The questionnaire on this page gives you an opportunity to note what you believe is reasonable for organizations to undertake and provide in the Welsh language.

Standards investigation period The start date for this standards investigation is 27 January 2014. It will come to an end on 18 April 2014.

Grants to Promote the Welsh Language

Rt. Hon Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales

Following Y Gynhadledd Fawr last summer, I made a statement (12 November) outlining early actions to address the challenges identified.  Our strategy A living language: a language for living continues to underpin and drive our approach and some important progress has been made.  The challenges are critical and there is no case for slowing the pace.  Although I plan to make a full policy statement in the spring it is timely to offer Members an update on progress now.

The first set of draft standards under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 were published on 6 January.  The Welsh Language Commissioner has begun an investigation into the standards with county councils, national park authorities and the Welsh Government.  We in government are already reviewing our procedures to strengthen the use of Welsh across the organisation, and we are examining, too, how to measure the impact of policy and financial decisions on the Welsh language.

Appointment regulations are now in place for the Welsh Language Tribunal, and we have begun the process of appointing the President. The Tribunal will be in place by the end of the year and I see this as a significant part of the institutional architecture surrounding the Welsh language.

Education has played a significant part in promoting the Welsh language and in creating new Welsh speakers.  It continues to be vital to the language’s future.  The School Standards Act (Wales) 2013 placed the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans onto a statutory footing, and the related regulations now require local authorities, in particular circumstances, to measure the demand for Welsh-medium education.  In parallel we have also launched an awareness campaign to remind parents that they can choose Welsh-medium education for their children in every part of Wales.

In planning, we have revised Technical Advice Note (TAN) 20, and guidelines are being developed to help planning authorities to assess the impact of proposals on the Welsh language. The guidelines will be published in the spring.

A number of important reviews have concluded their work in recent months:

  • Mentrau Iaith, Language Action Plans and Welsh Language Promotion Scheme in Aman Tawe was published last week – and the Welsh Government will respond in due course.
  • We have recently announced an extra £90,000 for the National Eisteddfod this year  to help with implementation of recommendations made by the Eisteddfod Task and Finish Group which reported in October.
  • We have accepted the recommendations of the independent group which reviewed the Welsh for Adults provision. We have already started implementing those changes.
  • We have received the report on Welsh Language Communities, which aims to increase the number of communities where Welsh is the main language, and are considering our response.
  • An independent group, chaired by Professor Sioned Davies, has reviewed the provision of Welsh as a Second Language at Key Stages 3 and 4. The recommendations of the report One Language for All will be fed into a wider review of the curriculum.
  • The Welsh Language and Economy Group will report shortly.

All of these reports serve to add depth to the picture gathered at Y Gynhadledd Fawr. Naturally, I believe that action, not words, will drive forward the agenda but it is important that we move policy ahead on a basis of sound research and clear-sighted understanding of the real challenges.  Otherwise, we risk incoherence and lack of direction in our work.

I have already emphasised the vital importance of education.  Since 2009 we have invested around £135 million to deliver 17 major projects for Welsh medium school buildings.  In addition, through the Twenty-First Century Schools Programme we aim to deliver approximately 25 projects in Welsh medium schools over the next 5 to 6 years. We have also invested capital funding towards new accommodation at the Urdd camp in Llangrannog.

I can confirm today £3.5m grant funding for promoting the Welsh language in the year 2014-15. Thirty-six organisations from the voluntary sector will benefit directly from this fund, details are attached.

Our challenge is to promote the use of Welsh in every day life across the whole of Wales, and everything the Welsh Government does is directed towards that aim.  The issues remain serious, but there is also much to celebrate.  A recent report from the Council of Europe recognises the Welsh Government’s commitment to the language, and this determination will not falter.

The Welsh Government does not have a monopoly on the future of the Welsh language.  Many other bodies, both national and local, societies, schools, employers, families and individuals, all have their parts to play.  The language is part of who we are and it belongs to everyone.  All of us have a part to play in advancing its future.

I plan to make a further statement in the spring outlining our proposals for the future in greater detail.

Grants to support the Welsh Language 2014-15

Rhieni dros Addysg Gymraeg (RHAG)   £35,140

Menter Abertawe £102,145

Menter Bro Ogwr £59,435

Menter Brycheiniog £28,451

Menter Caerdydd (gan gynnwys Menter y Fro a Tafwyl) £134,591

Menter Iaith Caerffili £95,552

Menter Castell Nedd Port Talbot £77,415

CERED £103,068

Menter Iaith Conwy £97,678

Menter Dinbych £81,583

Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint £72,043

Menter Iaith Maelor £36,540

Menter Maldwyn £72,591

Menter Merthyr Tudful £58,400

Menter  Môn £89,132

Menter Iaith Dinefwr £93,000

Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Cyf £87,791

Menter Gorllewin Sir Gar £66,921

Menter Iaith Sir Benfro £90,279

Menter Iaith Rhondda Cynon Taf   £107,768

Menter Iaith Blaenau Gwent £64,200

Menter Iaith Casnewydd £25,550

Hunaniaith £83,715

Mentrau Iaith Cymru £61,500

Merched y Wawr £84,205

Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru   £46,036

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru £543,000

Cynllun Hybu Ardal Aman Tawe (Menter Bro Dinefwr) £38,000

Cynllun Hybu Ardal Aman Tawe (Menter Castell Nedd Port Talbot) £38,000

Gwobr Dug Caeredin £20,300

Dyffryn Nantlle 20/20 £3,000

Ffederasiwn Clybiau Ffermwyr Ifanc Cymru £89,719

Sefydliad Cerddoriaeth Gymreig £12,165

Urdd Gobaith Cymru £852,184

Gwallgofiaid £23,000

Plant yng Nghymru £3,000

TOTAL   £3,577,097

SHWMAE SUMAE Day October 15th, 2014

Happy New Year. First of all THANK YOU to everyone who worked so hard to celebrate the Welsh language in 2013, the success of the first Shwmae Su’mae Day has inspired individuals young and old in communities across Wales.Shwmae Sumae 15Hydref

FSo how about doing the same thing again this year and rembering to encourage people and societies yn your village/ town/area to join the celebration. We can succeed to spread the message that the Welsh language is for everyone and enourage its ownership by all.

This is a bottom – up campaign, a positive campaign to promote the language.

  • Remember to contact us with news and your plans so that we can give add it to our record of events.
  • Keep an eye on our Facebook/twitter/website

https://www.facebook.com/groups/502197179857025/?fref=ts

@ShwmaeSumae

www.shwmae.org

Standards

 

The first set of standards in relation to the Welsh language have been published on 6 January 2014) following an announcement by the First Minister on 21 October 2013.

The Welsh Language Commissioner will now use these standards as a basis for a standards investigation with the following:

  • county borough councils and county councils
  • national park authorities
  • Welsh Ministers.

 

£100 million for Wales, an appeal to develop the Welsh language.

Organisations supporting the Welsh language have called on the First Minister to use a part of the finance that is coming to Wales as a result of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget Announcement to invest in Welsh language projects that will improve the skills of children and workers.

The budget which was recently approved by the Welsh Government includes cuts to Welsh language projects of more than £1.5 million over the next two years.

The umbrella group ‘Celebrating our Language’ represents 25 organisations which promote and work in the Welsh language. In a letter to the First Minister and the Finance Minister today, the Chairman of Celebrating our language, Penri Williams, said:

“The recent Census results showed that the Welsh language is facing a crisis and there is a need for the Government to act urgently to prevent a further fall. Recently we had a constructive meeting with your officers where it became apparent that there was a desire to act on practical proposals if additional funds were available.

“We appreciate that the current financial situation is challenging, but we also note that this additional funding provides an opportunity to assist the Welsh language and improve skills and the standard of care in our health service.

“We suggest therefore that the following can be implemented with the additional funding:

  • establish centres for pupils wishing to transfer to Welsh language education (based on the Gwynedd model) in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Ynys Môn;
  • provide funds for the Welsh for Adults Centres to provide additional Welsh courses for teachers and health workers;
  • additional support for organisations that provide community training opportunities for adults and young people.”

Grants awarded to promote Welsh-language technology and digital media

This is the Minister for Education and Skills’ action plan for the Welsh-language Technology and Digital Media
The Welsh Government has awarded grants to six projects under its 2013-14 programme.

The grant was open to applications for funding from public, private and third sector bodies. Applicants were asked to detail how the activities set out in their applications would contribute to delivering the Welsh Language, Technology and Digital Media Action Plan objectives. The grants for 2013-14 were awarded to the following projects:

Canolfan Bedwyr – GALLU: Gwaith Adnabod Lleferydd Uwch

This project will further strengthen the current Welsh language technology infrastructure by delivering a new Speech to Text module. Canolfan Bedwyr’s Language Technologies Unit, Bangor University, will work on the next stage in the development of Welsh language speech recognition technology by crowd-sourcing a corpus of Welsh language speech. Strategically, this is a much needed resource which could facilitate the inclusion of Welsh in future developments of speech-recognition based products such as office suites and voice-activated products. The project is in cooperation with S4C.

JOMEC – StoriNi – Creating and Sharing News

Cardiff University’s School of Journalism will facilitate communities to collect, publish and gain access to digital news and information through the medium of Welsh using an app and software which will be offered free of charge in the Welsh language. These tools will allow geographical as well as interest-led communities to engage with each other online and increase the volume and consumption of the Welsh language online.

Penrhys Partnership – Technoleg Mawr mewn Dwylo Bach

Penrhys Partnership will employ an apprentice, under the guidance of a national software development consultancy, to create two new apps focussed on developing Welsh language skills for children under 7 years old. The apps will be designed to be used by Welsh-medium primary school children during their school classes as well as at home with parents who want to engage with their children through the medium of Welsh. The project will hold Rhondda Coding Club workshops for under 25s to transfer programming and coding skills. The project will increase the provision of Welsh language material available as well as providing training for young people interested in coding apps.

Aberystwyth University – Welsh Learning App Creation Software

Aberystwyth University’s Department of Computer Science will develop framework software to facilitate the creation of a number of new Welsh Language learning apps. This will enable organisations to compile material for new Welsh learning apps at low cost. The project will make it easy to develop and deliver more Welsh learning apps by sharing a basic template.

Urdd Gobaith Cymru – Ap Urdd

The Urdd will create an app (and partner website) which will allow young people to post, find and review Welsh language events and activities within their communities. The app will also encourage young people to discuss the experiences gained through the Urdd’s activities through the medium of Welsh and increase the amount of Welsh language content available online. The Welsh Government’s Technology and Digital Media action plan has set out to encourage the use of technology amongst the 11-25 age group and this app will provide a tool to popularise the use of Welsh online.

Nwdls Cyf

Nwdls Cyf will provide a web service that will collate Welsh language Twitter content in one place thus, increasing the prominence of the use of the language and its users. Twitter is increasingly becoming an important platform for discussing news, culture and society in real time. The site will highlight Welsh language trending topics, hot topics and links to Welsh language content being shared via the platform, encouraging the sharing and consumption of Welsh online.

The 2014-15 grant will open in the new year, details of the grant and how to apply will be posted on the grants to promote Welsh-language technology and digital media page.

Call for a ‘big’ response to the ‘Big Conversation’

The Celebrating our Language – Mudiadau Dathlu’r Gymraeg umbrella group is glad to announce that the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has responded positively to their request for a meeting to discuss the draft budget. The group is confident that this can be carried out before the vote on the draft budget on 10 December.

This comes as the First Minister prepares to deliver a statement in the Assembly regarding his initial response to the Big Conversation.

Penri Williams, Chairman of the Celebrating Our Language group said,

“As a group we were concerned that the draft budget showed a reduction in the finance for the Welsh language, specifically in terms of teaching Welsh. We are of the opinion that spending on promoting the Welsh language should be prioritised, as we as a country respond to the disturbing census statistics and as we look forward to seeing the Government’s response to the Big Conversation on the Welsh language held in the summer.

“We are keen to see a ‘big’ response to the ‘big’ conversation.

“When the Big Conversation was held, Celebrating Our Language called on the Government to increase, over a period of time, it’s spending on projects specifically for the Welsh language to 1% of the total budget, arguing that investment in the language should match those seen for the Basque language in the Basque Country. So any cuts in the opposite direction would, at this time, be severely damaging to the Welsh language, particularly as reviews, commissioned by the Government, call for further spending on specific items.”