Agenda item

To give an update on the progress of the project to the Members.

To accept the report and note the observations received.

The report was presented by the Welsh Language Learning and Development Officer, and she briefly drew attention to the following main points:

-          The background of the language designations project was reported upon, confirming that it derived from the discussions of the Language Committee in 2015, before the new language standards came into effect in 2016. As a result of this project, the Council has a better understanding of the different language skills the workforce has and can offer more suitable support to foster the language skills of staff. 

-          It was confirmed that the project had also been developed to place language designations for the Council's various posts. As a result of this, officers would have more awareness of the required skill level to be able to deliver the work effectively.

-          It was explained that the project had been pivotal to establish an internal language system that retains information about staff language skills and to establish a process to share information about courses, share feedback and successes with the different departments. Also, as part of the project, an internal language site was developed.  Different sections of this language site were shown to members. 

-          Attention was given to the questions that arose during the previous discussions and the following information was noted:

o   It was explained that the process of gathering information via a self-assessment survey was varied. It was reported that some people were happy to complete this on-line and others wanted to receive a hard copy. It was explained that the manager provided information for the project in situations when workers did not have easy access to a computer, or they are front-line workers. The intention was for the information to be gathered in the simplest way possible for everyone to have an opportunity to complete this.  It was also explained that project officers understood that some people were suspicious of completing questionnaires and language skills were a sensitive issue for many.

o   It was thought that the number of people who speak Welsh was higher in some departments than what had been noted in the findings.  It was noted that some people could speak Welsh but did not reach the language designation and therefore had not been included in some figures.  It was confirmed that this was the main aim of the survey to ensure an understanding of the different skill levels that exist in different teams in order to ensure that the relevant support was available for officers.

-          A copy of the survey was shown as an example to the members.

-          It was noted that the formal project would come to an end in the next few months. It was confirmed that the process of gathering information about staff language skills was on-going, however, the main focus of the officers had moved to ensure that staff received support to develop their language skills.

-          The formal project would come to an end in the next few months.  Staff support and gathering information was continuing but the focus had moved to staff support.

Members of the committee were given an opportunity to ask questions:

-      It was asked if the language self-assessment was completed within the Education department as it was a process that was being developed across the Council.

o   In response to the enquiry, the Welsh Language Learning and Development Officer noted that the self-assessment was available for department staff, and some department officers had completed the survey.  Recently the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan had been established and more work would be undertaken to get information about the language skills of officers in the Education department as a result of this.  This strategy and the recent Welsh Government plan enabled department officers to receive more support and Welsh lessons should the need arise.

-      Gratitude was expressed for the report.

RESOLVED

-          To accept the report and to note the observations received.