WELSH LANGUAGE USE

THE IDEA

Students wanted to see more Welsh Language use in both the University and the SU.

ACTION

• The Education Officer this academic year is a Welsh speaker. Promoting the use of the Welsh Language was on their elections manifesto, therefore they will be working on this throughout the year.

UPDATE

NOVEMBER 5TH

• The Education Officer is preparing an update statement on their work so far in this matter. The Marketing and Communications Manager is also providing a statement on the Welsh Language use in the Students' Union.

NOVEMBER 11TH

• The Students’ Union now employs a part-time translator and is working towards providing bi-lingual communications.
• Where possible, new printed and digital communications are now created bilingually, including all Freshers material, events posters, campaign collateral, SVR and Course Rep handbooks and digital signage. The Marketing Communications Department is working towards creating a fully bi-lingual website and hopes to launch this during the Spring Term.  
• The Students’ Union actively promotes and celebrates national days including Dydd Gwyl Dewi (St David’s Day), Dydd Santes Dwynwen (St Dwynwen’s Day) and Dydd Miwsig Cymru (Welsh Language Music Day) through campaigns and on our social media channels.  This years’ Freshers’ campaign also included a ‘First Welsh Words’ short video to help Freshers’ pick up key Welsh phrases. You can view the video here.
• The Education Officer has been promoting the Mae Gen i Hawl (I Have the Right) campaign which aims to promote the services that students have a right to request through the medium of Welsh.

NOVEMBER 19TH

• Our Education Officer has been working with one of the Coleg Cymraeg Branch Officers that work within the Welsh Language Unit to promote Welsh language right students have at the University. As of 2018, students have the right to:
• Counselling service in Welsh
• Meetings in Welsh
• Certificates in Welsh
• Submit written work in Welsh
• Forms in Welsh
• Our Education Officer is trying to encourage Welsh-speaking students to take advantage of their rights and to submit their work through the medium of Welsh if they wanted to, despite the course not being delivered through the medium of Welsh. Our Education Officer, the Coleg Cymraeg Branch Officers and the Welsh Language Officer will be meeting in the upcoming weeks to discuss what more can be done to promote the Welsh language across the University.

NOVEMBER 25TH

• These discussions were raised again during the Course Rep Assembly for Production and Performance, and the feedback will be passed on to the Education Officer to contribute to her existing plans.
• The SU President will be working on an event during his campaign 'Talent Month' (which will be running again in February 2020) that champions the Welsh language.

WHAT YOU SAID

"Translation from English to Welsh in a lot of areas of the University is awful."

"More Welsh Language in the SU. It feels as if Welsh speakers are discriminated against, nowhere near enough Welsh in the SU, need more pride in being Welsh."

HOW IT WORKS

1. Students submit ideas during Change Week.

2. Teams of students gather to hack solutions to the biggest problems.

3. Teams pitch their ideas to a panel of University big wigs.

4. SU Officers and teams work with staff to make the ideas a reality.