Scheme helps 40,000 to use Welsh in work

AN ORGANISATION set up to encourage the use of Welsh has supported more 40,000 employees to use the language in the workplace.

- SION BARRY

Since establishing its Work Welsh programme in 2018 the National Centre for Learning Welsh said more than 2,000 employers have participated to create bilingual working environments for their staff.

Scheme participants include the Football Association of Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union, Wrexham AFC and rugby region the Ospreys.

‘The centre, which was set up in 2016 and is solely funded by Welsh Government with a budget of more than £16m annually, has been praised by education and training inspectorate Estyn for its workplace language programme. Its other activities include community-based courses, held in person and online.

Estyn said growing demand for the Work Welsh scheme - for which the centre has a funding allocation of around £2.6m in the current financial year - is playing a key role in efforts to expand and normalise the use of Welsh in key sectors vital to the language’s future.