Hywel Dda University Health Board is delighted to have received the Welsh in the Workplace employers’ award from Aberystwyth University today (Tuesday 2 August 2022).
Hywel Dda Health Board was awarded the best employer for teaching the language in the workplace.
As part of the Board’s efforts to encourage everyone to use the language, it has developed the ‘Rho Gynnig Arni’ brand and a series of resources to assist staff and learners to communicate in the language while at work
Jane Westlake, a vaccination centre worker, is one of the 150 members of its staff who has benefited from the lessons.
She said: “When I am working in the vaccination centre, the patients come into an unusual building and are scared because of COVID. It’s better for me to speak to them in their mother tongue to try to help them relax and feel safe.”
Steve Moore, Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “The Health Board is extremely proud to receive this award today. Supporting our learners is one of the goals within our Bilingual Skills Policy, as we try to increase the number of staff who can use Welsh with our service users and at the same time, contribute to the Welsh Government’s strategic goal of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050. Congratulations to all our learners.”
Congratulating everyone on their success, Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, said: “Very many congratulations to everyone on their success in learning Welsh. I would like to thank everyone for making that effort, and for being so enthusiastic in their efforts. Wales’ unique language is a special national treasure, and a gift to everyone who lives here.
“We are also especially grateful to the tutors who have helped so many learners over the years. Thanks to them all for their excellent work, and to everyone in the Learning Welsh team.”
Aberystwyth University’s Learn Welsh Department provides courses in Ceredigion, Powys and Carmarthenshire, with specific provision for learning Welsh in the workplace and for families.More information is available by going to: https://learnwelsh.cymru/about-us/providers/aberystwyth-university/
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