Coleg Menai Welsh Language Scheme

Background

 In accordance with the statutory requirements of the 1993 Welsh Language Act, Coleg Menai operates a Welsh Language Scheme, which was approved by the Welsh Language Board on November 25 th 2005. This is Coleg Menai’s second Welsh Language Scheme and the college has been implementing language schemes since June 2000. This scheme sets out how the college will adopt the principle of equal treatment for the Welsh and English languages and promote the use of Welsh in all aspects of its work.

This document summarises the main points contained in Coleg Menai’s most recent Language Scheme. Its purpose is to provide guidelines to college staff regarding their role in implementing the scheme and how to get further information and help if needed. It also provides information for students, customers and external bodies as to what they can expect in relation to the Welsh language.

 

The Present Linguistic Situation

• The college employs 327 permanent staff of which 80% are bilingual in Welsh and English
• 72% of permanent lecturers and 82% of permanent instructors are bilingual
• 83% of college managers are bilingual
• 83% of support staff are bilingual

Education and Training Provision

• The college’s general policy is to provide bilingual education in order to develop skills in both Welsh and English and prepare learners to play an active role in a bilingual community and economy
• 77% of the college’s full-time programmes offer opportunities to study bilingually
• The Language Scheme includes a Bilingualism Development Programme in order to increase the percentage of bilingual provision within designated programmes across the college curriculum
• The college employs a Language/Bilingual Learning Officer and 5 Bilingualism Mentors to promote this work
• Staff are supported on an on-going basis by means of training in bilingual teaching, ‘gloywi iaith’ and courses for Welsh learners

Delivering the Service

• A fully bilingual service will be available to the public when providing information about the college and its services or when responding to enquiries
• The quality of the service will be equally high in Welsh and English
• All official correspondence and publications will be fully bilingual, including circulars and standard letters to students
• The external college website is fully bilingual
• The college welcomes correspondence in Welsh and English and all letters/e-mails will be answered in the language of the sender
• External telephone calls will be answered by reception and administrative staff with a bilingual greeting and individuals will be responded to in their chosen language
• Individuals will be entitled to speak Welsh or English, according to their choice, in public meetings organised by the college. Instantaneous translation services will be provided at Corporation and other meetings where necessary
• Prospective students may be interviewed for entry to the college in their preferred language

The Public Face of the College

•   The public face and corporate identity of the college shall be fully bilingual
• The college name and logo will be in Welsh only
• All college publications will be bilingual, including the college prospectus, annual report, student newspaper and marketing leaflets
• All public material shall also be bilingual e.g. cheques, cards, receipts and invoices
• All worded college signs shall be bilingual
• Wherever practicable, documents and signs will be produced bilingually, rather than producing separate Welsh and English versions
• College advertisements and publicity materials will be bilingual or Welsh only (with the exception of those relating to the English for Speakers of Other Languages provision)
• In the case of marketing and publicity materials, the Welsh version will appear above the English version, or, where the texts are side by side, the Welsh version will be on the left

Implementation and Monitoring of the Scheme

• All vacant posts advertised will indicate that the ability to communicate in Welsh and English is either essential or desirable
• Those posts which necessitate the postholders coming into regular contact with the public will be earmarked as posts where the ability to communicate in Welsh is essential
• Individual staff development needs for learning or improving Welsh language skills will be discussed as part of the performance review process and appropriate support will be provided
• Information on the Language Scheme will be provided to all new staff during their induction to the college and a full copy will be available on the Coleg Menai website
• The implementation of the Scheme will be overseen by the college Language Panel, which has responsibility for monitoring progress towards the targets and objectives set the Action Plan
• Any individual or body wishing to make a complaint against the college on the grounds that it has failed to comply with its Language Scheme should do so in line with the normal college Complaints Procedure

Obtaining further Information and Guidance

• A full copy of the Language Scheme can be obtained from the college website.

If you need further information or guidance on any of the points listed above, you should contact the college Language Officer at Coleg Menai, Ffordd Ffriddoedd, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2TP, 01286 370125 or by e-mailing iaith@menai.ac.uk