Bilingual Cardiff

Billingual Cardiff Translation Request Portal 

• Registering
  • The first time you use the system you will need to register and create a password
  • You will receive an email to confirm you are registered and you will need to click on the link in the email to activate your account
  • You will then be directed back to the homepage where you will need to log in using your email address and password to start a new request

• Using the Service
  • Click the link above and enter your log in details
  • You will need to enter your cost code, the title of your document, and the number of words
  • There is a space for comments
    • In this space, please add information for the translation team – what the document is and who it is for. Explain any acronyms or abbreviations. You can also say if you just need certain pages or sections translated
    • You can also mark in the Comments box if it is an urgent translation – but please give them a reason. The service will do their best to turn these around as soon as possible
  • Tick the relevant data protection box
  • You can set your deadline. Please allow at least one working day for every 500 words
  • Tick how you want to receive your documents – either secure download or return email
  • Click next and then upload your document on the following page
  • Click Finish. You will receive a confirmation email from Bilingual Cardiff immediately with your reference number. You can use this reference number to check the progress of your translation

How do I know what needs to be translated?

• What needs to be translated
  • Any correspondence you are sending to several people at the same time must be bilingual
  • Any correspondence you are sending to a customer who has confirmed they wish to receive correspondence in Welsh
  • Any updates or new content on the website must be translated. You must update the Welsh site at the same time as the English
  • Any social media content must be translated to be sent simultaneously from English and Welsh accounts
  • Any information or materials you are sharing with the public or displaying to the public must be available in English and Welsh
  • Any invitation sent to the public or external body for a meeting must be bilingual
  • Any application form or document you create or make available must be translated 
  • If you have separate English and Welsh documents or forms, you must include the following:  This document is available in Welsh / Mae’r ddogfen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg or This form is available in Welsh / Mae’r ffurflen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg
  • Any policies relating to behaviour in the workplace, health and wellbeing at work, salaries or workplace benefits, performance management, work absences, working conditions, and working patterns must be translated
  • Any other document, form or policy related to someone’s employment must also be available in Welsh

• What doesn't needs to be translated
  • If you receive an application, letter, form, or grant in English and the person has confirmed there is no need to reply in Welsh or that their language choice is English, you do not need to translate your replies or reply in Welsh
  • Internal operational policies that do not relate to: behaviour in the workplace, health and wellbeing at work, salaries and workplace benefits, performance management, work absences, working conditions, or work patterns
  • Pages, documents, and videos from third parties that you link on your webpages or share on your social media. If there is a Welsh language version available, use that on your Welsh pages but if there isn’t, you do not have to translate someone else’s documents/videos
  • Highly technical data within reports. Please check with the Welsh and Inclusion Officer first

• Top Tips

  Only send what needs to be translated.

  • If you only need certain sections of a document translated, put these in a table or separate document. Include the page number or reference to make it easier for you to add the translated sections back in when it’s returned. You can then let the translation service know which column needs translating. Make sure to include sentences rather than odd words, to ensure the translation is correct and relevant

   

  Keep your English clear and simple – use Plain English.

  • This will make it much easier for the translation team and also ensure the Welsh is clear and simple too.

   

  Give the translation team some help.

  • Let them know in the Comments section what your document is, who it is for, where it will be placed or used. This helps them know if they need to use more formal language, whether to use the singular or plural ‘you’ – the singular is more informal and often used for children too. Explain any acronyms, abbreviations, and legal/technical terms.

• Bear in mind...

   If you’re unsure or need more information, check the Welsh Language Standards.  

   

• Social media posts or short messages

  Do you have a Welsh speaker in your team? You could ask if they would be comfortable writing or translating short messages or social media posts for your team. You can use Welsh language software tools to check spelling and grammar. This isn’t advisable for formal documents or longer correspondence as we have a formal agreement to use Bilingual Cardiff for our translation needs, but we want to utilise staff’s Welsh skills when and where we can.  

   

If you have any queries, please contact Elyn Hannah, Welsh and Inclusion Officer.

Simultaneous Translation

You can also request simultaneous translation with Bilingual Cardiff via the translation portal. There is a simple form to complete with details about your meeting or event. A member of the translation team will be in touch with your translator’s contact details – this is sometimes an external contractor.

Bilingual Cardiff have given some advice on a workaround using a decoy interpreter.

Make sure to let guests know that there is simultaneous translation available and how to set their language choice. It is also useful to mute all guests and have videos on, as this makes it easier for the interpreter.

You need to offer and provide simultaneous translation at public meetings or if any invited guest has indicated they will be speaking Welsh.

Welsh Language Standards

For more information about the Welsh Language Standards and how they impact the Council’s work, visit the Welsh Language Standards page.

Schools

Our Welsh Language Standards compliance notice does not apply to our schools. As such, schools are not under the same requirements when it comes to translation. Newsletters, letters, texts, and other communications to parents do not need to be bilingual or in Welsh. Welsh medium schools may obviously prefer to send communications bilingually or in Welsh though!

For most internal translations in schools, you should use your Welsh speaking staff or available resources from CSC and Hwb.

For job advertisements and communications that are from the Council rather than individual schools (e.g., admissions, term dates, governor applications), Learning and Skills will handle translations from a corporate perspective.

For other instances, please contact the Welsh and Inclusion Officer with details of your translation request: what it is, what it is for, and why it is needed.