Welsh Language Policy: Quick Guide

• All University ‘services’ must be available to students, staff and the public in Wales in Welsh.

• Services will be of the same quality in Welsh and in English by being equally visible, equally easy to use and equally effective. This applies to services provided:
  • Face to face
    - Reception services should always be available bilingually and staff should always greet visitors in Welsh and English.
    - Welsh speaking staff who work on reception should wear a ‘Iaith Gwaith’ badge to identify them as Welsh speakers.
    - Reception areas should have a sign indicating that people are welcome to use Welsh in the reception. The signs are available from the Corporate Communications department.
    Cymorth Cymraeg - Help with Welsh: Speaking
     
  • On the phone
    - Telephone calls to should be answered bilingually (Bore da, Prifysgol Bangor / Bore da John Jones etc.) - The Welsh Language Standards require us to make it explicit that a Welsh language service is available. It is, therefore, recommended that staff say: Fyddech chi’n hoffi derbyn y gwasanaeth yma yn Gymraeg? / Would you like to receive this service in Welsh?
    - If a caller wishes to speak Welsh, the call must be dealt with in Welsh as far as possible, until it becomes necessary to transfer the call to a non-Welsh speaking member of staff as no Welsh speaking member of staff is available to provide a service on that specific subject matter.
    - When advertising telephone numbers, you must state that the University welcomes calls in Welsh (Mae croeso i chi gysylltu gyda’r Brifysgol yn Gymraeg neu Saesneg / You are welcome to contact the University in Welsh or English).
    - Central and departmental answering machines messages will be bilingual and will explicitly state that it is possible to leave a message in Welsh.
    - Automated telephone services must be available bilingually.
    - Welsh speaking students (as recorded in Banner) should be called by Welsh speaking members of staff whenever possible.
    - When you call members of the public / representatives of public bodies in Wales for the first time, ask what language they would like to use on the phone when dealing with the matter in hand and keep a record of this.
    - Language preferences for telephone calls should be respected as calls are transferred between individuals / departments. If transferring a call, please let the other member of staff know that the call has been conducted in Welsh to that point.

    * these guidelines refer to calls in relation to University services

    Cymorth Cymraeg - Help with Welsh: Speaking
     
  • In writing
    - Corporate correspondence must be bilingual.
    - Emails / Letters / Notices sent to all students in a School must be bilingual.
    - Emails / Letters / Notices sent to individual students must be in their ‘language of choice’ (as noted in Banner)
    - Correspondence with members of the public / public bodies in Wales must be bilingual until you are aware of their preferred language.
    - Emails to groups of staff (e.g. heads of schools, administrative representatives, task group members) that relate to official matters (e.g. policy developments, important notices, formal meetings) must be bilingual.
    - If an email is sent to an individual member of staff with the intention of forwarding it to a group of staff (e.g. within a college) then the original email should be bilingual.
    - Correspondence in Welsh must be replied to in Welsh.
    Cymorth Cymraeg - Help with Welsh: Writing
     
  • Online
     
  • On self-service machines

Those responsible for organising events (e.g. Open Days, Concerts Public Lectures and Public Conferences) must ensure that the ‘services’ available (including signage) are bilingual. Welsh-speaking staff should be at hand to offer assistance. Welsh speaking staff are encouraged to wear ‘Iaith Gwaith’ orange badges to help identify them.

• Publicity should be in Welsh and English (e.g. venue, time and date).
• The title of any individual lecture should be in the language in which it is given. The title should be bilingual if a simultaneous translation service is to be provided
• The publicity for the lecture or the conference should note clearly whether a simultaneous translation service will be available or not.
• When organising a lecture or conference, the aims and objectives of the event should be carefully considered in the linguistic context. In order to be able to respond to enquiries, it is recommended, as an example of good practice, that a record is kept of these aims and objectives. In assessing needs, consideration should also be given to the following: a) the tone of the formal sessions, b) the tone of the discussion groups, c) the tone of the informal breaks, d) linguistic requirements with regard to chairing sessions, d) the subject matter of the lecture e) the likely audience for the lecture. Different linguistic models can meet various requirements, and the model most likely to achieve the desired aim should be selected. The following guidelines are offered as possible models.

Public Lectures

i. Departmental lectures
Public lectures are held with guest speakers, under the auspices of individual academic departments. For these lectures, Model D1 would usually be followed unless the lecture organisers opt for D2 on the basis of a needs assessment.

ii. University lectures
An annual series of public lectures is arranged, with prominent guest speakers, For these lectures, Model D1 is followed.

Public conferences