Category Archives: Iechyd

IEUAN WYN JONES’S COMMENTS CONFIRM THE NEED FOR AN

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Following Ieuan Wyn Jones’s comments in his book on his political career, Dyfodol i’r Iaith calls again for the establishment of an arms’-length Body to plan the future of the Welsh language.

According to Dyfodol i’r Iaith, extensive areas require urgent attention. The Government seems to be increasingly aware of the need for action on housing and the economy, the need to develop local communities, but implementation is lacking

Heini Gruffudd, Chair of Dyfodol i’r Iaith, said, “The lack of holistic planning is clear. The Welsh-medium education targets are becoming increasingly inadequate, there is a clear lack of funding to develop Welsh language learning for adults and in the workplace. The programme to teach Welsh to teachers is insufficient, with talk of introducing 60-hour courses, where 600-hour ones are needed.

“The establishment of an arm’s length body, with permanent specialist staff, who will be able to create a complete ongoing programme, to be accepted by various Government departments, is long overdue. Such a body would be able to give creative direction to language planning in Wales, with an emphasis on families and the community. It will be able to promote effectively and freely, and create plans over a long term. With intelligent regulation, and working with the Government’s Welsh Department, it will be possible to create robust conditions for the prosperity of the Welsh language.

“We look forward to discussing this with the Government, which, in all good faith, is slow in driving things forward.”

https://nation.cymru/culture/wales-needs-a-new-body-to-promote-welsh-says-ex-deputy-first-minister/

BILINGUAL WORKFORCE WELCOMED

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Dyfodol i’r Iaith has welcomed the Government’s commitment to create a bilingual worforce to serve the early years and child care and play in Wales.

The Government’s White paper recently published outlines a 10 year plan for this field.

Ond element in the White paper is to enhance the workforce’s bilingual skills, and Dyfodol i’r Iaith welcomes this.

Dr Elin Walker Jones, a clinical psychologist and Dyfodol i’r Iaith’s spokesperson on health commented, “We warmly welcome the commitment to create a bilingual workforce as part of the ten year plan for yearly years and child care. We are also looking forward to cooperating with the Government and other relevant bodies to put in place appropriate procedures to realise these plans.”

Dr Jones added, “It’s great to see the white paper’s statement that a bilingual workforce is a key element, but it does not detail how this will be brought about.”

Dyfodol i’r Iaith will respond formally to the white paper, and will offer to assist with establishing a procedure which will ensure a bilingual workforce.

Five Aims Acheived

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Five important steps have been taken to promote the Welsh language this year, according to Dyfodol i’r Iaith, the Welsh language lobby group.  Dyfodol i’r Iaith has held discussions in many fields, and this is starting to bear fruit, according to the Chair, Heini Gruffudd.

The five successes are:

  • Establishing  a National Entity for Welsh for Adults
  • Plans to establish four Welsh Centres in four towns in Wales
  • The possibility of two Welsh medium radio channels
  • Care Council for Wales’ resource  on using Welsh in social care
  • Carmarthenshire’s education policy, as part of a far reaching language policy for the county.

Heini Gruffudd, Chair of Dyfodol i’r Iaith, said “We have had a positive response from politicians and by many committees and bodies during the year, and it’s good to see that many of our suggestions are now being accepted.”

“All of the five steps involve extending the use of spoken Welsh and creating fair condition for acquiring new Welsh speakers.”

“It is crucial that those responsible for putting the five steps into practice do so effectively and with conviction, so that good operating models are established.”

During the next month we will concentrate on ensuring that Welsh is given proper recognition by the Planning Bill which is under consideration by the Government.”