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Presentation for Vale of Glamorgan Employees to Celebrate Work Welsh Success
Presentation for Vale of Glamorgan Employees to Celebrate Work Welsh Success
Employees from varying departments attended a presentation in the Leader’s Office to celebrate completing their Work Welsh course (a combination of on-line and tutor-led learning) and share their learning experiences.
Work Welsh offers diverse, flexible, fully funded training to employees which forms part of the working week.
The aim of the Work Welsh programme is to strengthen Welsh language skills in workplaces across Wales.
The courses are delivered by Work Welsh Co-Ordinator Sarian Jones-Thomas through the National Centre for Learning Welsh.
Work Welsh courses are available during working hours. You can also study independently, online and courses are available at all levels of learning. Other courses are available in the community in the evenings as well, face-to-face or in virtual classrooms, through Learn Welsh.
At the presentation the group were encouraged to share their experiences about the course with each other and asked why learning the Welsh language was important to them.
Head of Finance, Matt Bowmer said: “Living and working in Wales, I felt it was important to learn Welsh especially when working in local government. If you’re thinking of signing up to the sessions – just go for it!
“Learning Welsh alongside your full-time job is possible with Sarian and the Cymraeg Gwaith courses, as the online sessions makes the course easily accessible.”
Operational Manager for Social Services, Sharon Miller added: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Cymraeg Gwaith sessions with Sarian over the past year. She instils a lot of confidence in her learners which makes such a difference when learning a new - and often difficult – language.
“I’ve also bonded with my course mates, forming friendships with people who work across different service areas who I wouldn’t normally cross paths with within my day-to-day work.”
Once experiences were shared and complimentary refreshments finished, speeches and certificates were handed to participants by the Chief Executive Rob Thomas and Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council Lis Burnett.
Cllr Lis Burnett said: “We are very proud of those that have taken the time to learn or develop their Welsh language skills.
“Welsh is very important because it’s part of our culture, society and economy in the Vale and it helps us communicate with a wider audience.
“Sarian and the Work Welsh courses are fantastic, and we would recommend staff who are looking to learn or develop their Welsh language skills to get in touch.”
The Cymraeg Gwaith / Work Welsh courses are free for all Vale Council staff. You can view and sign up to the 2023/24 courses on the Work Welsh Hwb. A friends and family discount is available for 50% off lessons with the code Q23 with Learn Welsh, The Vale.
You can also join Sarian and other Welsh speakers across the Council for informal coffee mornings every Monday and Tuesday via Zoom. This is an opportunity to speak conversational Welsh with fellow learners and practice outside your Cymraeg Gwaith / Work Welsh sessions. These are also suitable for fluent speakers who just want to have a chat in Welsh. The Work Welsh programme offers 10-week sessions aimed at Welsh speakers to encourage the greater use of Welsh in the workplace.
Learner Testimonials
Matt Bowmer, Head of Finance: “Living and working in Wales, I felt it was important to learn Welsh especially when working in local government. If you’re thinking of signing up to the sessions – just go for it!
Learning Welsh alongside your full-time job is possible with Sarian and the Cymraeg Gwaith courses, as the online sessions makes the course easily accessible.”
Nick Farnham, ICT Officer: “My dad’s family are Welsh speakers, which is what first inspired me to start the Cymraeg Gwaith courses three years ago. Through studying both with Sarian and in my own time, I can hold my own in conversations with my fluent speaking family and am in the process organising a Welsh language games night.
“With the Cymraeg Gwaith courses, I have now worked my way up to the Uwch (Higher) courses and can’t wait to continue my learning further.”
Sharon Miller, Operational Manager for Social Services: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Cymraeg Gwaith sessions with Sarian over the past year. She instils a lot of confidence in her learners which makes such a difference when learning a new - and often difficult – language.
"I’ve also bonded with my course mates, forming friendships with people who work across different service areas who I wouldn’t normally cross paths within my day-to-day work.”
Maria Loe, Neighbourhood Assistant in Housing: “When I lived and worked in Germany, I spoke German. Since returning to Wales, I thought, ‘if I’m living and working in Wales, I should speak Welsh!’ What made me nervous was that I hadn’t learnt any Welsh since leaving school, but Sarian is such an enthusiastic and patient teacher that it makes learning the language so much more accessible and enjoyable.”
Ellyn Berman-Jones, Assistant Education Psychologist: “Although I studied Welsh up until A Levels, in the years since I haven’t had much of a chance to speak Welsh. After learning about the Council’s Cymraeg Gwaith sessions, I saw this as an opportunity to re-immerse myself into the Welsh language again which was made possible by the support of Sarian.
“From my experience in Education Psychology, I’ve noticed there are a lack of Welsh Medium Education Psychologists in the field which limits the support Welsh speaking children and families can receive. So, for me, learning Welsh provides me with the opportunity to provide Welsh medium support to the families I work with.”
If you are interested in signing up for the Work Welsh courses, you can do so through this link:
Cymraeg Gwaith Courses
If you would like more information or are not sure which level you need, please contact:
sthomas-jones@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk
More information about the Work Welsh scheme is available on the Learn Welsh website:
Learn Welsh Website