Category Archives: The Assembly

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE BEYOND THE CRISIS

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During this time of unprecidented anxiety and uncertainty, keeping positive and looking forward to a better future become increasingly important. Over the coming months, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis, Dyfodol i’r Iaith with continue to work creatively and proactively for the good of the Welsh language to ensure that it is not ignored at this difficult time.

We will be publishing our policy document, Planning the Regeneration of the Welsh Language online this Friday (April 3) and sharing our findings with Assembly Members and organisations that support the Welsh language. This is our strategic blueprint for the language, and all of our recommendations are based upon the principle of comprehensive language planning and the need for strong and appropriate structures to carry out the work.

Through our website and social media, we will also be publishing a series of discussion topics arising from Planning the Regeneration of the Welsh Language. We will be asking for ideas and comments and encouraging discussion on what the priorities and needs of the Welsh language are.

This is a difficult time, but we also believe that it provides an opportunity for us all to think, reflect upon, and hope for a better world. We therefore extend an invitation to you all to imagine and plan for the regeneration of the Welsh language within a world that is free of the threat of Covid-19.

 DOCUMENT SUMMARY:

Planning the Regeneration of the Welsh Language proposes an approach to the challenge of language growth by using the acknowledged principles of comprehensive language planning to reverse language shift and create communities of Welsh-speakers. It notes that the following areas are essential to this work:

  • Disseminating wide understanding of the importance of the Welsh language
  • Creating Welsh-speakers through early years education and care provision
  • The rôle of Statutory, Further and Higher Education
  • Developing the Welsh language amongst parents and within the workforce and the workplace
  • Promoting the use of the language in all aspects of day-to-day life
  • Protecting the Welsh language as the normal medium of communication in those areas where it is at its strongest
  • The use of technology and media to support the language
  • Language planning – utilising this methodology and co-ordinating expertise creatively and with continuity
  • Insisting upon an appropriate and powerful organisational structure to carry out the work.

A CALL FOR A NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMWORK WHICH CONTRIBUTES THE SUCCESS OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE

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The National Development Framework 2020-2040 is expected to be published this summer. This document will set the direction for town and country planning throughout Wales, and according to Dyfodol i’r Iaith, it will have a significant implications for the Welsh language.

Wyn Thomas, a member of Dyfodol’s Board said:

“This Framework will provide a blueprint for planning over the Welsh Language Strategy’s timetable, and so one would expect it to make a positive contribution towards the Government’s aim of creating a million Welsh speakers. Unfortunately, the document in its present form misses several opportunities to do this.

The Framework gives no special consideration to Welsh-speaking areas and communities for example, and unlike the environment, the language has no Statutory Consultee to defend it. We believe that the Welsh Language Commissioner should be supported and enabled to take on this important and highly specialised duty.

As the Senedd discusses the Framework over the coming months, we are concerned that this lack of protection and expertise will undermine the consideration given to the Welsh language and the opportunity to safeguard its future within the planning system. It does not bode well that that the Housing and Local Government Minister is unwilling to discuss our concerns.

We fear that the detailed scrutiny that is necessary in relation to the language implications of the Framework will fall upon a very small number of committed Assembly Members. The relationship between town and country planning and the Welsh language is far to important to be overlooked – it is a significant issue for the whole nation.

Dyfodol have written to all the Assembly Members to draw attention to this and raise awareness of the basic principle of a planning system which supports the Government’s own committment to the Welsh language.”

A CALL TO INCREASE SPENDING ON TEACHING THE WELSH LANGUAFE IN THE COMMUNITY

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Ruth Richards, Chief Executive of Dyfodol i’r Iaith said:

“As an organisation, we are concerned about comments made in the Senedd on 28 January by Eluned Morgan, The Welsh Language and International Relations Minister..

“Eluned Morgan seem to question the value of learning the Welsh language within the community. We need to celebrate that 12,680 learners are doing just that all over Wales under the guidance of professional tutors.

“We need to strengthen the provision of learning the language within the community, and it would be good to see the Government following the example of the Basque Country and investing in this this key area.

“In the long-term, spending on the teaching of Welsh in the community and the workplace need to increase threefold, but for the time being, we would press the Government to protect and increase the spending in real terms.”

Eluned Morgan said in the Senedd, 28 January 2020:

“I wanted to look closely at teaching Welsh to adults – they receive £13 million and they teach about 12,000 people. I just want to look at this, and it takes up a lot of the budget; I want to ensure that this money is spent correctly.”