Staff guidance to the Welsh Language Scheme

 Introduction

 

• The Welsh Language Scheme for the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) was approved by the Welsh Language Board in September 2003.

• The Scheme was prepared in accordance with the Welsh Language Act 1993 and sets out how UWIC will treat the English and Welsh languages on the basis of equality when dealing with the public in Wales

• Simply, this means that the public in Wales has the right to receive a service from UWIC in Welsh or English according to the public’s wishes

• UWIC has created a Welsh Language Unit to deal with the implementation of the Scheme and has a dedicated officer, The Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator, who is responsible for the Language Scheme. It is emphasised that he is available to assist and advise with any aspect of the Scheme should you require help with its interpretation or in taking steps to conform with any requirements

 

1. UWIC’s Commitment to the Welsh Language Scheme

• The Welsh Language Scheme has been approved by the Academic Board and the Governing Body prior to its submission to the Welsh Language Board.

• The scheme has the full authority of UWIC for its implementation

2. New Policies and Initiatives

• You should ensure that any schemes, initiatives or policies with which you are involved conform with the requirements of this Scheme wherever possible

3. Written Communication with the Public (including communication via e-mail)

• When instigating correspondence with members of the public in Wales, you should do so in the recipient’s chosen language if it is known to you, otherwise you should correspond bilingually

• When replying to correspondence in Welsh from a member of the public, that reply should also be in Welsh

4. Telephone Communication with the Public

• Calls to the main switchboard and to any departmental reception areas should be answered with a bilingual greeting. However, only a limited number of staff across UWIC can speak Welsh therefore callers to departments may have to speak English in the initial stages of their enquiry

• In such circumstances, the calls should be transferred to a Welsh speaker within the department wherever possible. A directory of Welsh speaking staff within UWIC has been created to aid staff in transferring calls, for a copy of this directory contact the Welsh Language Unit

• If there is a Welsh speaker able to deal with an enquiry, but that person is unavailable at the time of the call, the caller should be given the choice of a Welsh speaker phoning back, or continuing the call in English

• If there is no Welsh speaker in the department who can deal with the enquiry the caller should be given the choice of continuing the call in English or receiving a written reply in Welsh

• In cases where an enquiry is particularly complex or specialised and the only members of UWIC able to answer the query are non-Welsh speakers, the caller will be given the option of receiving a written reply in Welsh

• In the case of difficulty in following the above guidelines, calls should be forwarded to the Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator

• Training is available to all members of staff on how to deal with Welsh medium enquiries

5. Public Meetings and other Meetings

• Any literature publicising public meetings in Wales must invite people, prior to the meeting, to let us know which language (English/Welsh) they wish to adopt

• When arranging any public meeting in Wales, consideration needs to be given to providing a simultaneous translation service. The Welsh Language Unit can help you with this

• When a meeting is arranged with an individual or group and when he/she/they have expressed a wish to conduct the meeting through the medium of Welsh, the meeting should either be held in Welsh or translation facilities should be provided

6. The Public Face of UWIC

• UWIC’s name, logo and associated corporate identity information should be in both Welsh and English on all signs, publications, vehicles and other forms of public display material in Wales

• All permanent information signs in and around UWIC’s buildings should be bilingual

• Stationery and related materials such as fax headers, compliment slips, ID cards and the like should be bilingual

• You should prepare forms and explanatory materials for the public in Wales totally bilingually (such material also used outside Wales may be produced separately so that the English versions only be may distributed)

• Posters for Public UWIC events should include details of date, time and place in both Welsh and English, irrespective of the fact that the event will be conducted through the medium of Welsh or English including courses, lectures and career guidance

• Press releases that relate to Wales should be produced bilingually and targeted at the Welsh and English media. Other press releases should be produced in English

• Official and public notices (including job advertisements) circulated in Wales should be bilingual

7. Welsh Medium Education

• The main function of UWIC’s Welsh Language Scheme is to sustain and develop our Welsh medium provision

• Each School has a designated Welsh Language Co-ordinator to aid in the implementation of the Scheme

• For information on the Welsh medium provision within each School refer to the Welsh Language Scheme or contact the Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator

8. Welsh Medium Assessments

• UWIC will offer Welsh Medium assessments, (including written assignments, examinations, projects and theses) to all students

• UWIC will offer and establish the need for Welsh medium assessment as part of its registration process

• Where there is no appropriate Welsh speaking tutor/assessor the Welsh Language Unit will arrange for ‘subject sensitive’ translation of the relevant documents

9. Learning Welsh

• UWIC intend to arrange Welsh lesson for those members of staff who wish to learn, be they novice learners, experienced learners or bilingual members of staff wishing to polish their written or verbal skills. Any person interested in lessons should contact the Welsh Language Unit

10. The Translation Service

• Please refer all translation work to the Welsh Language Unit who will arrange for the work to be done to a high standard, quickly and at a competitive rate

• For more information on the Translation Service access the Translation Service section of this web site or contact the Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator

11. Monitoring/Implementing the Scheme

• The Pro Vice-Chancellor will have overall responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the Scheme. Day to day management of the scheme will be the responsibility of the Welsh Language Unit

• The Welsh Language Unit will produce an annual report to the Academic Board and the Governing Body and half-yearly reports to the Vice-Chancellor and Principal’s Board

• Any comments or complaints regarding the Scheme should be sent to the Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator and will be dealt with by the Use of Welsh Committee. This procedure replicates existing protocol regarding dealing with complaints

12. Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator

UWIC has a Welsh Language Scheme Co-ordinator (Daniel Tiplady) who is based in the Welsh Language Unit (7236: e-mail: dtiplady@uwic.ac.uk He is responsible for managing and developing the Welsh Language Scheme, which includes the translation service. Should you require any guidance, assistance or clarification with the content of this booklet or with any element of the Scheme in general, you should contact him. Complete copies of the Language Scheme are also available from the Co-ordinator.

Note: This booklet provides a summary of the key features contained in the scheme and has no legal status. Should you feel that this leaflet fails to provide you with the guidance that you require or you wish the full details of the statutory commitments please refer to the scheme itself.