Welsh Government sets out plans to create more opportunities to speak Welsh

Nation.Cymru Staff

The Welsh Government has accepted all recommendations from a report on the future of the Welsh language, with plans to make it a bigger part of everyday life in communities across Wales.

In the government’s response to the recommendations of the second phase report of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, published today, a strong emphasis was placed on creating more opportunities to use Welsh in everyday life.

The recommendations focused on strengthening Welsh in communities with medium and lower densities of Welsh speakers.

Accepting all 31 of the Commission’s recommendations, either in full or in principle, the Welsh Government highlighted that they will help shape the new strategy for the Welsh language and wider work to increase opportunities to hear and use Welsh across the country.

A consultation on this strategy, a new National Framework for Welsh-medium Education and Welsh Language Learning, and a Code to Describe Welsh Language Ability, will take place later this year.

Opportunities

The Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan, said: “Welsh is a language for the whole of Wales. It belongs to all of us, regardless of who we are, where we live or however much Welsh we speak.

“We want to take Welsh to people where they already are and make it part of the things they do every day, in local clubs and activities, on the playing field, through culture, at work and online.

“There is strong support for the Welsh language across Wales. By working across government and alongside our partners, our ambition is to turn that support into greater day-to-day use of Welsh, and to see the language heard and used more often in communities across Wales, while creating more opportunities to use it in areas with medium and lower densities of Welsh speakers at present.”

To coincide with publication of the response, the Minister visited Cymric Netball Club in Cardiff, where Welsh is used by over 50 members in training sessions, matches, and social activities.

Club coach, Megan Price, said: “When we established Cymric Netball Club ten years ago, our aim was to create an opportunity for women to socialise through Welsh while doing something they enjoyed.

“Some of our members use Welsh every day, while others had not used it very much since leaving school. Through the club, we have seen people gain confidence in Welsh, make new friendships and discover the value of the language in a new way.”

Commission

The Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities was established in 2022 to advise the Welsh Government on the future of Welsh as a community language.

It has since published three reports, and work is already underway following the first phase of the Commission’s work on communities with higher densities of Welsh speakers.

The Commission also looked at communities with medium and lower concentrations, and the relationship between the planning system and the language.

A final report looking at Welsh beyond Wales is expected in due course.

A Welsh Government survey, National Survey of Welsh Language Use, will also be conducted over the next two years to strengthen the evidence base on how people use Welsh.

The Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities is available to view here.