As the new academic year begins, young people aged 16-25 and
school staff across Wales have the opportunity to learn Cymraeg
for free.
The free Welsh language lessons scheme, funded by the Welsh
Government, has been running for two years, with over 3,200
people benefitting from it in 2023-24.
Prif Weinidog said: “Through this scheme,
we're making it easier than ever for people to learn Welsh and
pass the language on to others. I'm delighted that so many have
already signed up for the courses.
“The Welsh language belongs to us all, and whether you're looking
to gain confidence in using the language in your daily life or to
connect more with Welsh culture, now is the perfect time to give
it a go.”
In July, the Welsh Government introduced the Welsh Language and
Education Bill in the Senedd. The legislation aims to ensure that
all pupils are independent Welsh language users, at least, by the
time they reach the end of compulsory school age, equipped to use
the language in both personal and professional settings.
For young people aged 16-25, the free lessons offer those who
didn't learn to speak the language at school a second chance to
become Welsh speakers.
One young person who has benefitted from the scheme is
23-year-old American-born Isabella Colby Browne who moved to
Flintshire at a young age. Actress Isabella won the Bobi Jones
prize for Welsh learners at this year's Urdd Eisteddfod. She
said: "I started learning Welsh three years ago. I mainly learn
the language through weekly online lessons, and last year I went
on an an exciting trip to Nant Gwrtheyrn for an intermediate
residential course. These sessions are all free to me because I'm
under twenty-five, and I feel incredibly blessed for the
experiences and opportunities open to me. Having won the Bobi
Jones Medal at the Urdd Eisteddfod, I feel my hard work has paid
off and I can't wait to see what's next.”
A teaching workforce able to teach Welsh and through the medium
of Welsh is crucial to achieve the goal of one million Welsh
speakers by 2050.
Joshua Morgan is a teacher at Greenfield Special School in
Merthyr Tydfil. He has only been learning Welsh for 21 months,
and so it was a massive achievement that he was recently a
finalist in the Welsh Learner of the Year competition at the
National Eisteddfod. He said: "At Greenfield, it's really
important for us that our pupils have the opportunity to learn
Welsh, use their skills confidently, and appreciate the culture
and heritage of Wales. I teach art, Cymraeg, and music at the
school, often combining these subjects to introduce the language
in an engaging way. My class has created a Welsh book called Lles
(Wellbeing), and every week we produce a video to teach Welsh to
the rest of the school.
“Learning Welsh has been a fantastic experience for me – both
personally and professionally. If you're thinking about taking up
a new skill this September, my advice would be to consider making
that learning Cymraeg – I can guarantee you won't regret it.”
The free Welsh lessons are provided through the National Centre
for Learning Welsh. The Centre's Chief Executive, Dona Lewis,
said: "The number of people learning Welsh is increasing. The
Centre is pleased to be able to continue to offer opportunities
for young people to learn for free. They can do so by joining
lessons in class or virtually. The Centre has also introduced the
Education Workforce Learning Welsh programme, which offers a
range of courses for teachers and teaching assistants. We look
forward to implementing these programmes over the next year and
welcoming more people to join us to learn Welsh."
Click here to sign up for the free courses and explore all
available learning options online, in your workplace, or in the
community: COURSES | Learn Welsh
Notes to editors
