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Title of Report (limit to 10 words) Subtitle of Report Like This Do Not Use Full Caps

Welsh Language Scheme

Natural Resources Wales Welsh Language Scheme

Contents Page

1. Introduction 2

1.1 Vision 21.2 Background to the organisation 3

2. Service Delivery 4

2.1 Correspondence 42.2 Telephone communication 42.3 Personal meetings 42.4 Public meetings and events 52.5 Conferences, seminars, lectures and training courses 52.6 Publicity and advertising 52.7 Exhibitions 52.8 Publications 62.9 Forms 62.10 Websites and information technology 62.11 Signage 72.12 Notices 72.13 Grants and loans 82.14 Contracts awarded to third parties 82.15 Translation arrangements 82.16 Face to face service 82.17 Partnerships 92.18 Incident response 9

3. Policy 9

3.1 Policy making process 93.2 Mainstreaming 93.3 Staffing - implementation 103.4 Recruitment - implementation 113.5 Training - implementation 113.6 Public image and corporate identity 12

4. Operations 12

5. Promoting the Welsh Language 13

6. Monitoring and Record Keeping 13

Annex 1 Action plan for implementing the Scheme 2013-14 15

Annex 2 Bilingual skills strategy 17

Annex 3 Internal bilingual policy 26

This document is available in other formats upon request2

1. Introduction

This Welsh Language Scheme describes how Natural Resources Wales, including its officers and Board, will treat the Welsh and English languages on a basis of equality, so far as is both appropriate in the circumstances and reasonably practiced. The Scheme will be in place until Natural Resources Wales is subject to Welsh Language Standards under the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011.

This Scheme will contribute to the implementation of the Welsh Government’s strategy for a bilingual Wales, A Living Language, A Language for Living (2012). The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 established the post of Welsh Language Commissioner. The Commissioner currently supervises Welsh Language Schemes and will supervise the impending language Standards when applicable to organisations. Two principles underpin the Commissioner’s work:

In Wales, the Welsh language should be treated no less favourably than the English language

Persons in Wales should be able to live their lives through the medium of the Welsh language if they choose to do so.

We will seek to implement these two principles through this scheme, not only in our dealings with individuals, organisations and various bodies in Wales, but also in respect of our own staff. Our action plan for this is attached at Annex 1.

In this Scheme, the term “public” means individuals, legal persons and corporate bodies. It includes the public as a whole, or a section of the public, as well as individual members of the public, voluntary organisations and charities, plus Directors and others representing limited companies. It does not, however, include persons who are acting in a capacity which is representative of the Crown, Government or the State. Consequently, persons who fulfil official functions of a public nature, even though they are legal persons, do not come within the meaning of the word public when they are fulfilling those official functions.

In this scheme reference to language preference relates to either Welsh or English.

1.1 Vision

Our vision for the Welsh language for the next five years is to:

Work towards establishing ourselves as a naturally bilingual organisation in all our workplaces, when providing services to the public, when working with partners and in our internal administration

Encourage our workforce to take pride in the Welsh language and our commitment to establishing Natural Resources Wales as a bilingual organisation

Steadily increase the proportion of staff at all levels who have the ability and confidence to speak and write Welsh in order to fulfil the measures of this Scheme

Foster more Welsh speaking specialists in the environmental and scientific areas relating to our work, and thus seek to increase the use of Welsh in specialist areas

Seek opportunities to promote and develop the use of Welsh proactively by working with partners and individuals across the environment sector and beyond, and encouraging good bilingual practice

This vision reflects the combined longer term objectives of the three former environmental agencies in Wales in relation to the Welsh language. At the same time it reflects the move towards the forthcoming language Standards as well as the implementation of the Welsh Government’s strategy for a bilingual Wales. 

This Welsh Language Scheme covers the period between April 2013 and the introduction of the statutory Standards. The action plan for implementing the Scheme is challenging, in terms of the expected progress to be made towards the vision during the relatively short time-span of the Scheme.

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This will be a period of significant change as the functions of three former agencies are brought together within Natural Resources Wales. Each has adopted different approaches to the Welsh language and the aim of this Scheme is to bring a clear focus for Natural Resources Wales's approach to Welsh during a time of significant change.

1.2 Background to the organisation

Natural Resources Wales was created by legal order in July 2011 and established in April 2013. The following is an extract from Article 4 of The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Establishment) Order 2012:

(1) The purpose of the Body is to ensure that the environment and natural resources of Wales are:(a) sustainably maintained; (b) sustainably enhanced; and (c) sustainably used

(2) In this article - (a) “sustainably” means -

(i) with a view to benefitting; and (ii) in a manner designed to benefit,

the people, environment and economy of Wales in the present and in the future; (b) “environment” includes, without limitation, living organisms and ecosystems.

Natural Resources Wales combines the legal functions of three former agencies in Wales: Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency Wales, and Forestry Commission Wales. These functions include:

Conservation of the natural beauty of the countryside including the conservation of its flora, fauna and geological and physiographical features;

Provision and improvement of facilities for the enjoyment of the countryside;

Establishment, maintenance and management of nature reserves;

Provision of advice to Government on the development and implementation of policies for or affecting nature conservation.

Reducing the harm caused by flooding and pollution incidents;

Reducing industry’s impacts on the environment and enforcing pollution controls;

Overseeing the management of waste, water resources and freshwater fisheries;

Cleaning up rivers, coastal waters and contaminated land;

Improving wildlife habitats.

Promoting the interests of forestry, the development of afforestation and the production and supply of timber and other forest products;

Promoting the establishment and maintenance of adequate reserves of growing trees;

Advising Government on and implementing forestry policies in Wales;

Managing the national forest estate in Wales to deliver public benefits.

2. Service Delivery4

2.1 Correspondence (Electronic and Paper)

We welcome letters and electronic correspondence in both Welsh and English. We will respond in Welsh to correspondence received in Welsh, if a reply is required. Our target time for replying will be the same as for English correspondence.

When initiating correspondence we will use the preferred language of the recipient(s) if that is known to the author. If the recipient’s language preference is not known, the correspondence will be initiated bilingually. Following face-to-face or telephone conversations in Welsh, we will write in Welsh unless we know that the recipient would prefer to receive correspondence in English.

Standard letters and circulars intended for the Welsh public will be bilingual. If Welsh and English versions of any standard or circular correspondence have to be published separately, our normal practice will be to ensure that both versions are available at the same time.

Our stationery will be bilingual, including titles, addresses and logos.

Enclosures sent with bilingual letters will be bilingual when available in bilingual format. Enclosures sent with Welsh letters will be Welsh or bilingual, when available in Welsh or in bilingual format.

Maps and other inserts that are borrowed or used under licence will be provided in the language in which they were originally published.

New Legal documents and new legal agreements with individuals, organisations or groups will be offered in the recipient's preferred language (Welsh or English), with discussions and negotiations conducted in the preferred language of the recipient. Guidance is available on appropriate translation arrangements and drafting.

Official written correspondence that we issue will include a by-line to convey the message that people are welcome to use Welsh in their dealings with us. E-mail auto-signatures, disclaimers and out-of-office replies will be bilingual.

Our staff will be able to use either a Welsh or English form of e-mail address. Individual e-mail addresses for departments, or specific policies or initiatives, will be in both Welsh and English.

2.2 Telephone communication

We welcome telephone enquiries in Welsh or English. All our incoming calls will be answered with a bilingual greeting given first in Welsh and then in English. Callers will be dealt with in their preferred language. If they speak in Welsh, our staff will reply in Welsh or, if they are unable to do so, will transfer the call to a Welsh speaker without delay. When available, our internal telephone directory will indicate where staff work, their job titles, and who are fluent Welsh speakers and learners.

Our telephone call centres, help-lines or similar facilities, giving information, services or support to the public, will provide a Welsh language service. We will advertise this alongside the English language service.

Our office and staff answering machine and voicemail messages will be bilingual. With the Welsh message preceding the English.

2.3 Personal meetings

When we arrange personal meetings with members of the public, we will proactively offer the choice of a meeting in Welsh or English. We will ensure a suitable Welsh speaker deals with those whose prefer to speak in Welsh.

Staff guidance will be offered on delivering language choice for personal meetings.

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2.4 Public meetings and events

We will hold all public meetings and events bilingually, issuing bilingual invitations and advertisements, and providing simultaneous translation from Welsh into English. At drop in meetings, we will have Welsh speaking member of staff available to deal with enquiries.

At all our public meetings and events, the Chair will open proceedings with a bilingual greeting, draw attention to the availability of the translation service, and explain how the equipment works. We will encourage attendees to contribute in Welsh and papers at these meetings, and subsequent reports, will be available in Welsh and English.

We will select suitable Welsh speaking members of staff to address or contribute to public meetings and we will encourage them to contribute in Welsh. When “breakout sessions” are held at a public meeting or event, we will facilitate contributions in Welsh. We will arrange at least one Welsh-medium breakout session whenever possible and appropriate. Our staff will give bilingual greetings at the reception desks of all public meetings and events, and will give directions and other responses in either Welsh or English, according to the preference of attendees. Welsh speakers will wear language badges or lanyards to identify themselves.

When arranging or delivering walks or talks we will ensure that the choice of a service in Welsh or English or bilingually is offered, or that duplicate provision is made in each language. Any accompanying materials will be made available bilingually.

All meetings/events with an open invitation to the public are considered public meetings, including those using video-conferencing and similar facilities. Further guidance on what constitutes a public meeting and how they should operate is available to help those chairing or arranging them.

2.5 Conferences, seminars, lectures, training courses, and other events

When we arrange conferences, seminars, lectures, external training courses or similar events in Wales with an invited audience, we will assess the need to deliver them in Welsh or bilingually by inviting the participants to let us know their preferred language in advance of event. This covers the need for any reports and papers to be produced bilingually. Any identity badges we provide at these events will be bilingual, with the Welsh above the English.

2.6 Publicity and advertising

All publicity and advertising materials we produce which is intended for publication, display or broadcasting in Wales will be produced bilingually. If the Welsh and English versions have to be published separately for practical design reasons, both versions will be equal with regard to size, prominence and quality. Both versions will be available simultaneously and will be equally accessible.

Materials aimed at a limited and specialised audience will be assessed for the need to produce these bilingually, covering the nature of the audience and the subject in question.

Advertisements placed in English language newspapers and periodicals, distributed mainly or wholly in Wales, will be bilingual, or will appear as separate Welsh and English versions. Both versions will appear simultaneously and be equal in size, prominence and quality. In Welsh language publications advertisements will be in Welsh only. Advertisements placed in publications circulating mainly outside Wales can be published in English only.

2.7 Public exhibitions

All our exhibition materials intended for public exhibitions in Wales will be produced bilingually with the Welsh appearing above or to the left of the English.

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We will provide at all times an appropriate number of fluent Welsh speakers and learners at public exhibitions and major shows and events held in Wales.

At local shows and smaller scale events, including those held jointly, we will make every effort to ensure that Welsh speakers and learners are among the staff in attendance. In areas with a higher proportion of Welsh speakers, a higher number of Welsh speakers will be required..

2.8 Publications

Our publications and written materials intended for the public in Wales will normally be published bilingually, with the Welsh and English versions together in one document. Technical documents, scientific/technical reports, or documents with limited or specialist distribution will be subject to an assessment of the need for bilingual publication, taking into account the nature of the audience and the subject being dealt with. Guidance for carrying out assessments and help/advice is available from the Welsh Language Officer/s In all bilingual publications Welsh will appear to the left or above the English, or be equally prominent (e.g. ‘tilt and turn’). If versions have to be published separately for practical reasons because of the size of the document, both versions will be of equal size and quality. Each version will contain a message stating that the publication is also available in the other language.

Publications and written material, whether available in hard copy and/or electronic format, include things such as, brochures, leaflets, cards, certificates, reports, consultation documents, posters, guidance notes, codes of practice, public notices, circulars and smaller items like cards, visitor badges, conference passes, parking permits, stickers, goods bearing text, cheques, invoices and purchase orders/receipts.

If not available free of charge, the price of a bilingual publications and written material will not be greater than that of a single language publication. When we charge for separate Welsh and English versions they will have the same price and will be published simultaneously.

Any technical documents, scientific/technical reports, or documents with limited or specialist distribution published in English will have a summary in Welsh. Details of recommended translators or editors can be provided. Scientific or other specialist articles based on our work and published in specialist journals, periodicals or publications will be subject to the language rules of those publications.

2.9 Forms

Forms and associated explanatory material for use by the public in Wales will normally be fully bilingual. Where forms are normally printed, the Welsh and English versions will be together in one document. Where forms are normally filled in electronically, they may be published as separate Welsh and English versions.

If Welsh and English versions of any forms have to be published separately, such as for practical reasons because of the size or design of the document, both versions will be of equal size and quality; be available at the same time and be equally accessible. Each will note a message that the form is also available in the other language.

2.10 Websites and information technology

We have identified the need to acquire and develop Information Communication Technology resources to deliver bilingual services to the public, as well as increasing opportunities for staff to work bilingually. We will carry out a review of the current resource, and draw up an action plan to develop the bilingual provision.

We will continue to use existing technology. When we create new or modify existing technology, we will be guided by the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Bilingual Software Guidelines and Standards.

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Wherever we offer transactional services, such as registration or bill paying, the same guidelines will be implemented, and a language choice will be offered at all points.

Our website will be fully bilingual with English and Welsh content appearing simultaneously and being equally accessible at all times. We will resolve technical difficulties to the same timetable for both the Welsh and English. Publications and Forms on our website will be as per 2.8 & 2.9 above

Where our web pages are set up to allow other organisations - schools for example - to display material, they will be available bilingually. Guidance for users will be offered.

Where we are a partner on private or other public sector technology project or websites, we will encourage our partners to adopt the Welsh Language Commissioner’s guidance.

Our normal practice will be to adopt the above principles for other social media.

2.11 Signage

All of our permanent and temporary signage, and electronic or computerised signage, that gives information to the public will be bilingual with Welsh and English text treated equally for size, legibility and prominence. Welsh language text will to the left of or above the English text.

Where there is a relationship between a number of signs – for example at the same location – they will employ the same method of distinguishing between Welsh and English.

Signage in the field will be bilingual, including legal notices, and material displayed on notice boards and information and interpretation boards, as well as identifying signs on buildings and at entrances to reserves, directional signage and warning notices.

Within buildings, all our official notices placed on walls and notice boards will be bilingual.

In all those buildings and premises where we are a tenant or lessee, we will request bilingual signage.

2.12 Notices

Official notices, public notices and staff recruitment notices placed in English language newspapers (or similar media) distributed mainly or wholly in Wales will be bilingual or appear as separate Welsh and English versions. The Welsh and English versions will be equal in terms of format, size, quality and prominence. For Welsh language publications, the notices will be in Welsh only.

In English language media, posts where the ability to speak Welsh is essential may be advertised in Welsh with a brief summary description in English.

Recruitment notices placed in English language journals circulating throughout the UK or outside the UK may be in English, unless the post is one where the ability to speak Welsh is essential, in which case the notice may be fully bilingual, or in Welsh with a brief summary in English explaining the essential need for Welsh language skills.

Any official notices, public notices or staff recruitment notices placed elsewhere in Wales, such as job centres, will be bilingual.

Bilingual official notices, public notices or staff recruitment notices will be posted simultaneously on Welsh and English language web-pages.

Notices to individuals will be issued in the preferred language of the recipient(s) when known. If it is not known, the notice will be issued bilingually.

Notices in the press for which there is a legal requirement to place a notice, will be bilingual. Notices in Welsh language publications may be published in Welsh only.

Maps included in or appended to any such notifications and agreements will be based on the original OS maps with a bilingual key added.

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2.13 Grants and loans

When we award grants or loans for activities to be undertaken in Wales, we will include conditions with regard to the use of Welsh. We will adopt an approach to meeting this requirement which is commensurate with the characteristics of the partner, the size of the grant and the Welsh Language Commissioner’s guidelines on awarding grants. Those overseeing any programme or project that we support with a grant or loan will monitor compliance with the conditions.

Our grant procedures will follow this Scheme, including the application, assessment, offer, payment monitoring and reporting elements. We will provide staff involved with relevant training.

2.14 Contracts, agreements and arrangements with third parties

Any contracts, agreements or arrangements with third parties which relate to the provision of services to the public in Wales that would have otherwise been provided by ourselves, will comply with the relevant parts of this Scheme.

Our procurement policies and procedures will ensure that Welsh language considerations are incorporated as appropriate. In particular, contract specifications will include language requirements relating to any specific aspects of public service that they will deliver. We will be guided by the forthcoming Welsh Language Commissioner’s guidelines and by previous Welsh Language Board guidance on public service contracts.

2.15 Translation arrangements

We will provide an in house translation service to manage the provision of any required text translation and simultaneous translation. We will use external providers to meet demand or specific need.

Guidance is available for the use of the translation service and encourages staff to make greater use of their written Welsh with editing assistance. Internal translators will also provide assistance and guidance on signage wording, textual accuracy, specialist terms and arranging bilingual meetings.

In order to facilitate our business use of Welsh and ensure there is cost effective bilingual capacity in our services and workplaces, we will prepare and operate a programme of rolling out the language tools software Cysgliad . Training will be provided on the use of the software.

2.16 Face to face service

Our reception areas, enquiries desks and help desks will be staffed by bilingual staff who will provide a service in the service user’s preferred language. The public will be greeted with a bilingual greeting and provided with a service in their preferred language.

If a Welsh speaker is not immediately available to deal with a Welsh speaking member of the public a Welsh speaking colleague will be called upon to deal with the enquiry without delay.

Managers of face to face services will ensure that accessing a service in Welsh does not incur more delay or inconvenience than accessing the service in English.

When we undertake public surveys, we will do so bilingually, using bilingual forms, and offering a choice of taking part in either Welsh or English.

Announcements we make over public address systems (including those in lifts) will be made in Welsh and English. We will ensure that all of our sound broadcasts or audio-visual broadcasts transmitted in Wales are bilingual.

2.17 Partnerships

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Where we use partnerships to deliver our services to the public in Wales we will seek to promote and share good bilingual practice as follows:

When we are the strategic and financial leader within a formal partnership, we will ensure that any public service aspects comply with this Scheme in a manner reflective of the partner and partnership, and that this is an integral part of the partnership.

When we join a formal partnership which another organisation is leading, our input to the partnership will comply with this Scheme and we will encourage the other partners to comply in a proportionate way.

When we are a partner in a consortium, we will encourage the consortium to comply with this Scheme. When acting in the name of the consortium, we will operate in accordance with this Scheme.

When we are in partnership with organisations based outside Wales, we will ensure that it complies with this Scheme for any services provided to the public in Wales.

In all our partnership work we will seek to identify ways in which the partnership outcomes will actively promote Welsh.

2.18 Incident response  

We are a Category One Responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, providing civil protection and emergency incident management.  We are subject to the full set of civil protection duties established in Part One of the Act and supporting Regulations and Emergency Preparedness statutory guidance.

Where reasonable and practicable, we will provide a bilingual incident response. We will provide standard translations for use by incident response staff. We will incorporate improvements to bilingual incident response arising from post incident reviews.

3. Policy

3.1 Policy making process

Where we formulate new, or amend existing policy it will be in accordance with this Scheme.

In making policy decisions, we will use an Equality Impact Assessment, to assess the positive or adverse effects it would have on opportunities to use the Welsh language. This will consider how the decision can:

Have positive effects on opportunities to use Welsh Have no detrimental effects on opportunities to use Welsh Ensure that the Welsh language is treated no less favourably than the English language.

Consultation documents will reference the Welsh language in relation to their subject. Consultation samples will be made representative of Welsh speaking service users. If a consultation is restricted we will involve appropriate language planning bodies in the process.

3.2 Mainstreaming

We will mainstream the Welsh language into all aspects of our policy decision-making processes, and language issues will be included in crosscutting elements of all policy development.

When planning and preparing new projects and initiatives, project managers will ensure compliance with this Scheme, including the use of appropriate project specification clauses,and will monitor compliance.

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3.3 Staffing - implementation

Our workplaces and services that have written or spoken contact with the public in Wales will at all times have sufficient and appropriately skilled staff available to deliver a bilingual service to the public.

We will operate a Bilingual Skills Strategy (Annex 2) for managing our skills resource in line with the Welsh Language Commissioner’s document “Recruitment: Welsh Language considerations”. This strategy will identify the level of Welsh required for each post.

The Welsh Language Officer/s will work with the recruitment team to continuously monitor the development and implementation of the Bilingual Skills Strategy and to produce regular progress and monitoring reports.

All staff transferring to Natural Resources Wales will retain their existing terms and conditions in their current role. They will not be required to undertake Welsh language training but will have the opportunity to improve their language abilities if they desire it.

Team leaders will assess the language skills requirements of posts, using guidance in the strategy. Welsh Language Officer/s will confirm this. If the level can not be determined the relevant senior manager or director will make the assessment.

The strategy will lead to all posts having a designated language level. New recruits to posts will be expected to meet the designated level for the post. If current post holders do not meet the designated level they will not be required to improve their Welsh language skills, but they will be encouraged to do so and will be supported should they voluntarily choose to pursue this.

For all our posts we expect the ability to pronounce Welsh place names and personal names, and the ability to understand and use basic phrases of Welsh, so that bilingual informal greetings, when opening and closing meetings, or answering the phone can be used.

Where there is a sound business justification posts will require fluency, either in spoken Welsh, or in both spoken and written Welsh. In cases where the need for bilingual skills is immediate, an officer should be fluent on appointment. For other cases, it may be acceptable for a non-Welsh speaker or Welsh learner to be appointed on condition that Welsh is learned within a clearly defined timescale to the standard required for the post. In such cases post holders will follow a specified training plan over a set period that will lead to them achieving the required standard by the end of the training period, and temporary arrangements will be put in place under which Welsh language services will be provided.  Posts with an essential Welsh language ability will include those involving significant direct contact with the public and stakeholders whose preferred language of communication is Welsh and those providing Welsh language expert services. We will do our utmost to meet our stated targets when appointing to these posts. In all areas and service situations, we will aim to ensure, by implementing the Bilingual Skills Strategy that service provision is of equal quality and equal availability in Welsh and English.

Where fluency in Welsh is not essential for a particular post, we will follow a proactive policy of encouraging staff to learn and use Welsh in order to promote a bilingual ethos throughout the organisation.

We will also seek to ensure an increasing proportion of Welsh speakers among our senior managers and team leaders, to encourage and enable the public, other organisations and our staff to communicate with senior management and team leaders in their preferred language.

In areas where a high percentage of the public are Welsh speaking, there will be a requirement for teams to include a high proportion of Welsh speakers. Team leaders will need to ensure there is sufficient capacity for holding face to face meetings in Welsh. Non-Welsh speaking members of teams in such areas will be encouraged to learn Welsh.

Where a member of staff is managed into a move either on a compulsory basis or as a result of being redeployed and the post is Welsh essential NRW will provide intensive training in order to help the member of staff achieve the appropriate level required.

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3.4 Recruitment - implementation

Information for applicants will be bilingual and the level of Welsh language skills required for any post will be clearly indicated in the contribution statement. Any subsequent details of the post and other relevant employment documentation will be in the applicant’s preferred language.

We will invite all job applicants to indicate their preferred language for interview. We will respond to the applicant’s preference and may provide simultaneous translation facilities for the benefit of non-Welsh speaking panel members. Where Welsh is the preferred language for interview, proficiency in English will also be tested.

Where fluency in Welsh is an essential requirement for a post, the interview panel will include sufficient fluent Welsh speakers to test the candidate’s level of ability in Welsh. A separate language assessment may need to be conducted before or after the interview. For other posts every effort will be made to include at least one Welsh speaker on the interview panel. Written guidance is available for interviewers on the assessment and evaluation of skills in Welsh.   Where it can be difficult to recruit suitably qualified Welsh speaking staff into posts, particularly scientific posts we will proactively address this by: 

contributing to the AmNawdd scheme for sponsoring Welsh speaking students on environment-related higher education courses and providing work placements to those taking part in the scheme,

playing a lead role in the Welsh Language Environmental Partnership, which draws together representatives from across the environmental, higher education and voluntary sectors, and,

providing trainee posts for Welsh speaking graduates to increase their opportunity to start a career in the environment.

In cases when it is not possible to recruit at the required level of Welsh, the aim will be to recruit a Welsh learner with skills at no more than one level below that required. We will provide appropriate support to successful candidates in order to develop their Welsh skills to the required level as early as possible after taking up the post.

3.5 Training - implementation

We will provide support and training to staff and Board members who wish to develop their Welsh language skills for use at work. Guidance is available to staff and managers on Welsh language courses and learning options plus relevant time requirements and targets.

All those who are required to learn Welsh to a specified level as a condition of appointment will follow a Welsh training plan. Our staff and managers may include Welsh language proficiency in annual staff assessment targets. Training needs for our new recruits will be identified as part of the induction process and incorporated in personal development plans.

Managers / team leaders will support the efforts of Welsh learners and will provide practical support and opportunities to encourage Welsh speakers and Welsh learners to make use of their spoken and written Welsh wherever practical.

We will provide training to all new and existing staff/Board members with no previous knowledge of Welsh as part of a language awareness training programme. This is to ensure they are able to pronounce personal names and place names in Welsh, and can use and understand basic Welsh phrases.

We will develop the ability of our Welsh-speaking staff to operate in Welsh by providing vocational training in Welsh where appropriate.

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3.6 Public image and corporate identity

We have a bilingual corporate identity and public image. Our name, contact details, logo, slogans and other standard information will appear in Welsh and English on all materials which display our corporate identity. Section 2 of this scheme on Service Delivery provides full detail, but this includes our stationery and all printed materials including those used on vehicles, buildings and displays. Welsh text will appear to the left or above the English text. The size, quality, legibility and prominence of the text on all material must adhere to the principle of equality.

We have specific guidance on the corporate style required by this Scheme for use by staff, contractors and designers.

In exceptional circumstances we may use Welsh only branding and Welsh language only versions of our public image and corporate identity, these may include events, displays or publications targeted specifically at Welsh speaking audiences.

4. Operations

We offer our staff the choice of carrying out their work in Welsh or English, in the same way as language choice is offered to the public. We will take action to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh in our internal activities, and to build on the good practice that has been established by our predecessor organisations.

By enabling and encouraging staff to make full use of their Welsh skills and by building up good practice internally, we will make an important contribution to the Welsh Government’s strategy for a bilingual Wales, Iaith Fyw: Iaith Byw / A living language, a language for living. This identified the use of Welsh in the workplace as one of the specific means to achieve the sustainability of the Welsh language: ‘Our aim is to provide more opportunities for those who can speak Welsh to use the language at work – in their dealings with each other, with their customers and with their employers’.

Our Bilingual Skills Strategy (Annex 2) gives equal emphasis to, managing our bilingual skill capacity for both the benefit of our service provision for the public in Wales, as to our provision for staff.

We will achieve this by:

mainstreaming Welsh into internal procedures, systems and practices. developing the ability of staff to work bilingually. encouraging staff to make full use of their oral and written skills, and, facilitating our staff’s use of their preferred language.

We will take positive measures to continually increase the opportunities for staff to use Welsh at work, including those in the action plan for implementing the bilingual skills strategy. We will monitor progress and include it in our annual report to the Welsh Language Commissioner.

We will promote and facilitate the use of Welsh by our staff by:

Adopting an internal bilingual policy as part of this scheme (Annex 3) and making all staff aware of the policy

Creating a supportive environment to foster the use of Welsh by making managers and team leaders responsible for encouraging, wherever practical, Welsh speakers and Welsh learners to make increased use of their spoken and written Welsh in all aspects of their work, and for encouraging Welsh speakers to support the efforts of Welsh learners.

Ensuring staff in all our offices and teams are able to use their Welsh skills to carry out their work wherever possible and practical, and implementing measures to eliminate barriers to the use of Welsh.

Using our bilingual skills strategy to ensure sufficient bilingual skills capacity in offices and teams to respond to other staff wishing to use Welsh, as well as providing a bilingual service to the public.

Seeking to increase the proportion of Senior Managers and team leaders who are able to communicate in Welsh with staff to encourage and support staff in using their bilingual skills..

Increasing opportunities for staff to work bilingually through internal IT systems by considering language at the outset of development, design and purchase of IT products and services, whether

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internal or external facing. Where possible and practical, existing systems will be adapted or enhanced to enable the use of Welsh. Our intranet system for staff will be bilingual.

Providing all staff with a choice of a Welsh or English interface on their computers and making available Cysgliad software, the Welsh spellcheck, grammar check and dictionary software.

Using our internal translators to encourage staff to develop their Welsh writing skills by offering guidance on the wording of messages, textual accuracy, specialist terms and so forth. Our guidance on the translation service will include encouragement for Welsh speakers to make greater use of their written Welsh, with the assistance of the editing and proofreading services of the internal translators.

Conducting seminars for all staff, or large groups of staff, bilingually and encouraging staff to contribute using their preferred language supported by simultaneous translation. The use of Welsh will be similarly encouraged at other internal meetings where practical,.

Providing guidance for staff on the use of Welsh at internal staff meetings that encourages and enables staff to contribute in either Welsh or English. Managers will make appropriate arrangements to facilitate this and all team meetings will be opened and closed bilingually.

Delivering Welsh language awareness training for new staff and groups of existing staff to ensure awareness of our commitment to developing as a naturally bilingual organisation.

Fully supporting and encouraging those staff who wish, or are required, to undertake training to develop their Welsh skills, and who use their skills in carrying out their work.

Encouraging feedback on any difficulties staff experience in using Welsh at work to support continuous improvement to our internal bilingual arrangements and systems.

5. Promoting the Welsh Language

We will take positive steps to promote the Welsh language more widely when dealing with others, as well as internally across our organisation. We will also seek to promote or facilitate the broader use of Welsh in the community.

In promoting Welsh we will particularly consider how we contribute to delivering the aims and objectives of the Welsh Government’s Welsh Language Strategy. All reasonable and appropriate steps will be taken to promote opportunities to use Welsh in the following areas:

Working with communities, voluntary bodies, and specified target groups, Encouraging businesses to use the Welsh language in their dealings with us, and, Creating contacts with Welsh language specific interest groups and other partners to

strengthen Welsh as a community language.

Some of the activities in this scheme which support this are:

including appropriate requirements to comply with the Scheme in contract specifications or grant conditions,

encouraging staff to lead by example and use as much Welsh as possible in their communications and meetings, and,

offering our help and support and sharing good bilingual practice where appropriate.

We will actively seek ways to raise public awareness that we are a fully bilingual organisation through our communication and publicity activities, and we will identify ways to raise awareness and promote Welsh through our educational events and activities, conferences and exhibitions.

6. Monitoring and Record Keeping

We will allocate strategic responsibility for this scheme to a Senior Officer.

We will monitor progress in delivering this Scheme against targets in an Annual Action Plan. This will cover the Scheme’s operation and any further steps needed to achieve our long term vision.

We will set up a Welsh Language Monitoring Group to oversee and monitor Scheme implementation.

Our Welsh Language Officer/s, support staff and Translation service will be important in helping to implement this scheme and providing necessary advice and support.

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Our Board and Executive will be presented with an annual report on the implementation of this Scheme with a copy sent to the Welsh Language Commissioner and published on our website.

We will maintain an up to date and adequate record of information relating to the Scheme’s implementation, allowing us to monitor and report on:

All matters relating to the organisation’s compliance with the Service Delivery, Operations, Policy Making and Promotional measures set out in this Scheme,

The findings of any compliance monitoring exercises or reviews carried out on the implementation of the Scheme’s measures, and,

Any complaints we receive regarding our Welsh language provision and what action/s we take in response

Progress in implementing the Scheme’s Annual Action Plan and the Bilingual Skills Strategy Progress in mainstreaming the Welsh language in new policies, initiatives and services How the development and procurement of new IT systems complies with the Scheme Actions taken to proactively offer and record the language preference of service users.

Should you have any suggestions in relation to this scheme or complaints about implementation of the scheme you can contact us at the following email or postal address:

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Natural Resources WalesTŷ Cambria29 Newport RoadCardiffCF24 0TP

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Annex 1

Action Plan for Implementing the Scheme, 2013 -14

Section Action(s) Target Date Responsibility

2 SERVICE PROVISION

2 Ensure all members of staff have access to staff guidance relating to service provision

July 2013 Welsh Language Officer

2.10 Set up a bilingual systems programme group

Carry out a review of the bilingual capacity of current IT systems

Agree an implementation plan

July 2013

Dec 2013

Feb 2014

Head of ITC / Welsh Language Officer

Head of ITC / Welsh Language Officer

2.15 Prepare a programme for rolling out the language tools software Cysgliad to staff

Ensure that choice of Welsh and English interface is available to all members of staff on their computers.

Sept 2013

Sept 2013

Head of ITC / Welsh Language Officer

Head of ITC / Welsh Language Officer

3 POLICY MAKING

3.1 Include assessment of the effect on Welsh language as part of the decision making process with regard to new and changed policies.

From April 2013

Heads of Policy / Welsh Language Officer

3.3 Bilingual Skills Strategy and timetable to become operative, together with Scheme sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.5.

April 2013 Heads of Policy / Welsh Language Officer

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4 OPERATIONS

4Agree and implement measures to encourage and enable Welsh speakers and Welsh learners to increase their use of spoken and written Welsh in all aspects of their work wherever practical.

Prepare and implement an ongoing Welsh language awareness programme.

From April 2013

June 2013

Welsh Language Officer / Heads of Units and Team Leaders

Welsh Language Officer

5 PROMOTING THE WELSH LANGUAGE

5Raise awareness of our bilingual corporate aim by ensuring that staff are adequately informed through guidance and Welsh Language Awareness Training briefings on the aims and objectives of this scheme.

Provide guidance to staff on promoting and facilitating the Welsh language when dealing with partners, communities, voluntary organisations and others.

April 2013 – December 2013

September 2013

Welsh Language Officer / Heads of Services, Senior Managers and Team Leaders

Welsh Language Officer

MONITORING AND RECORD KEEPING

6Record and report on compliance with the measures in this Scheme.

Set up Welsh Language Monitoring Group to monitor implementation and compliance of this scheme.

Annual report to Senior Management Team and Welsh Language Commissioner on Scheme implementation

From April 2013

From April 2013

May 2014 onwards

All relevant officers under the supervision of Service Heads

Welsh Language Officer/Representatives from each Unit/Office

Welsh Language Officer

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Annex 2

Bilingual Skills Strategy

1. Introduction

2. Purpose of the Strategy

3. Aims

4. Communication

5. Developing and Implementing the Strategy

6. Monitoring and reporting

7. Five year plan 2013-2018

8. Guidance for determining level of Welsh required for posts/teams

9. Communication in Welsh skills framework

1. Introduction

This strategy supports our Welsh Language Scheme and sets out how we will deliver our aim to increase bilingual provision, both for the public and for staff, over the next 5 years. The strategy will contribute to the Welsh Government’s strategy for a bilingual Wales, Iaith Byw: Iaith Fyw,. Section 3 of our Scheme includes a commitment that we will operate a Bilingual Skills Strategy for managing our skills resource in line with the methodology recommended by the Welsh Language Commissioner. Our Scheme sets out how we will provide services to the public in Wales in both Welsh and English on the basis of equal quality. This strategy will enable us to plan and develop our bilingual skills resource in order to provide the best possible service to the public, as well as providing a bilingual working environment for staff. The scheme includes a vision for the next 5 years to operate increasingly as a naturally bilingual organisation, and to forward plan to increase the proportion of staff with Welsh language skills.

2. Purpose of the strategy

to set out in a clear and transparent way how we will plan, develop, and manage our bilingual skills resource

to ensure we have sufficient bilingual capacity and capability to deliver the commitments in our Scheme

to assist managers in determining the bilingual skills requirement for posts to provide a clear statement about how we implement our vision to develop and promote ourselves

as a bilingual organisation.

3. Aims

The strategic aims which support our vision as a bilingual organisation are to:

increasingly enable the people of Wales to interact with the most appropriate member of our staff in their preferred language

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provide our staff with skills to use Welsh confidently in their day to day work increase the number of our staff, at all grades, who can consistently chose to use the Welsh

language within and outside the workplace, and can manage and be managed through the medium of Welsh

This strategy includes a 5 year plan for increasing the proportion of Welsh speakers in our organisation.

Currently the numbers and percentages of our staff with Welsh skills in *:

Level 4/5 (fluent spoken/written Welsh) 25% (500 staff)Level 2/3 (basic spoken/Welsh learner) 17% (320 staff)Level 0/1 (None/pronunciation/phrases 58% (1140 staff)

* Approximate figures based on combined 2012 data from CCW, FCW and EAW

Our target by 2018 is to increase to at least 30% the number of staff able to use Welsh with confidence in everyday work situations both internally and externally (Level 4/5). We will also aim to steadily increase the proportion of staff able to use some Welsh in their work (Level 2/3).

4. Communication

We consider it important that our managers and staff understand that language use needs to be dealt with sensitively, are familiar with the aim and principles of this strategy, and are made aware of the broader context of why a public service in Wales offers services bilingually. By raising awareness and increasing confidence and understanding, we are more likely to achieve success.

The action plan for implementing our Scheme includes an implementation plan for this Bilingual Skills Strategy. This includes carrying out an audit of post and team requirements together with an audit of the bilingual skills of staff. This will be done in full consultation with staff and managers, and based on a process of self-assessment using agreed criteria and procedures.

5. Developing and implementing the strategy

We will adopt the following steps which are recommended by the Welsh Language Commissioner in developing a strategy for managing the bilingual skills resource:

Carry out an audit of posts, teams and workplaces in order to identify the bilingual skills required, together with an audit of the bilingual skills of existing staff, and keep these audits updated,

Compare bilingual skills needs with the bilingual skills of existing staff and consider the options for meeting any skills requirement, and,

Prepare an implementation programme which includes strategies for:- recruitment - training and development- redeployment

5.1 Audit of the bilingual requirements of Posts, Teams and Workplaces

Language skills needs for each workplace, team and post will be assessed in accordance with guidance incorporated in section 8 of this Strategy. Team leaders will make the initial assessment of the language skills requirements of posts. Welsh Language Officer/s will confirm this. If the level can not be determined the relevant senior manager or director will make the assessment.

For some posts the level of skills required will be job related, yet for other posts there may be a team requirement to ensure sufficient capacity to provide a bilingual service. For all new posts the required language level will be noted in the contribution statement for each post.

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Posts for which Welsh language ability is essential are those involving significant direct contact with the public and those providing Welsh language expert services. We will do our utmost to meet our stated targets when appointing to these posts.

The audit information will be held on the HR information system and updated as required. Where there are changes in the duties of a post or in the team requirement, the level of Welsh will be reviewed and the information updated.

5.2 Audit of Bilingual skills of Existing Staff

An audit will be carried out to establish the level of Welsh skills of all staff as defined in the language skills level competency framework (section 9). The audit will be carried out through self-assessment by each member of staff against the defined levels of ability in the competency framework, and the levels will be confirmed by team leaders. The audit information will be entered into the HR information system and updated as required. For all new staff the level of Welsh entered into the HR system will be as recorded in their application form. For staff who are developing their Welsh skills the information will be updated annually.

5.3 Comparison of bilingual skills needs with skills available

The results of the two audits will be compared in order to identify areas where skills are needed but not currently available either for the post or within a team. This will also provide a means of identifying where there are bilingual skills that are currently under-used and will enable us to maintain a strategic overview of our capacity for deploying bilingual skills to provide services to the public.

Options will then be considered for meeting any skills requirement for particular posts or teams. This may involve recruitment, training, or redeployment of duties, depending on the nature of the requirement. A implementation plan will be drawn up for each team/office/unit and this will be reviewed and updated at regular intervals to take into account any changes in personnel or duties.

The options available for meeting our staffing objectives in delivering bilingual services fall into three categories:

recruitment and selection; skills acquisition or improvement; Reorganising duties and responsibilities/ job redesign

All posts will have a designated language level and new recruits will be expected to meet the designated level for their post. If current post holders do not meet the designated level they will not be required to improve their Welsh language skills, but they will be encouraged to do so and will be supported should they voluntarily choose to pursue this. The procedures we will adopted to address any skills requirements following the audit are as follows:

5.4 Recruitment to specific posts / teams / workplaces

When an existing post becomes vacant, the level of Welsh required will be checked against the bilingual skills audit and verified with the manager in discussion between the Welsh Language Officer/s and HR. The level will be as identified in the audit of posts, and is not dependent on the level of Welsh of the previous post holder. When the need for bilingual skills is in relation to the team rather than post specific, consideration will need to be given to including fluency in Welsh as an essential competency when recruiting a vacancy with the team. Other options can also be explored such as giving opportunity for another staff member to learn to a higher level.

5.5 Skills acquisition or improvement by means of staff learning / development / support

Where learning or improving Welsh is required in order to meet the skills requirement of the post or team, we will provide appropriate support in time and cost and be prepared to invest in additional support if necessary including more intensive learning. A training plan with set targets will be agreed by

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HR with the member of staff and their manager. Progress will be monitored and reviewed annually.

Staff already in a post which has been identified in the audit as requiring a specific Welsh language skill will given support if they wish to develop their language skill, however this will not be a requirement.

Where staff wish to develop their bilingual skills for personal or career development appropriate support will be available in time and cost, subject to satisfactory progress and use of the skills learnt. Guidance is available to managers on time allowance and targets for staff to learn Welsh.

All staff who are learning Welsh will be encouraged to use and practise their skills in their work and with colleagues. We will make every effort to provide opportunities in the workplace to use Welsh and staff who are learning will be encouraged to make full use of these opportunities.

When bilingual skills are needed to make up the ability in the team, it may be decided to increase the support for one or more members of the team. This includes learners currently making good progress or fluent Welsh speakers who wish to develop their skills further.

5.6 Organising duties and responsibilities

It is not always possible to have an appropriately bilingual member of staff in post in the short term in order to provide a fully bilingual service. It may therefore be necessary to arrange for other Welsh speaking staff to carry out certain tasks e.g. dealing with telephone calls or conducting public meetings. It will be the responsibility of managers to ensure that a structure is in place within their teams to support this service. Posts may be redesigned in some part to accommodate specific duties requiring bilingual service delivery.

A strategic view of staff redeployment to meet bilingual skill requirements may be taken when necessary. This would not be done in isolation of other business requirements and the aim would be to provide development opportunities for staff. Bilingual skill would be one consideration when looking at staff development requirements and the need to develop other competencies and knowledge would also be important factors to meet business requirements.

6. Monitoring and reporting

This Bilingual Skills Strategy is a key element of our Scheme, and will be included in all monitoring and reporting of Scheme implementation. The following indicators will be included in the reporting process and measured in both numbers and percentages:

Progress against the overall target for increasing the percentage of staff able to use Welsh in their work

Posts for which Welsh language competence is required that have appropriately skilled staff in post

Posts that have been advertised as ‘Welsh essential’ and have been filled by staff who are bilingual

Staff receiving training in Welsh to a specific level Staff who have received language awareness training Staff who are able to speak Welsh according to location, team or unit, and skills level

In addition, during the initial stages of implementation of the strategy, the following will be included in the annual reporting process:

New and vacant posts filled during the year together with any post changes Level of Welsh required for post as noted in the bilingual skills strategy Level of Welsh of new post holder; Any shortfalls in the skills required for the post and how this is being addressed

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The implementation of the strategy will be continuously monitored by the Welsh Language Monitoring Group. HR will also monitor those parts of the strategy relevant to their functions. We will maintain a strategic overview, and take action as necessary to ensure continued progress against the targets.

7. Five year plan 2013-2018

In order to develop as a bilingual organisation we plan to increase the proportion of staff with bilingual skills over the next 5 years. This includes staff who are fluent in spoken Welsh and staff who have written Welsh skills (target 30%), as well as staff who have learnt Welsh and can use Welsh with confidence in some work situations e.g. in meetings or on the phone.

The following action will be taken in order to achieve these targets and the plan will be reviewed annually, with further action taken if necessary to ensure good progress.

7.1 Recruitment

Every effort will be made to recruit Welsh speakers to posts requiring Welsh skills. In limited cases when this is not possible, we will aim to recruit a Welsh learner with skills at no more than one level below that required. We will provide appropriate support to successful candidates in order to develop their Welsh skills to the required level as early as possible after taking up the post.

We will also seek to ensure an increasing proportion of Welsh speakers among our senior managers and team leaders, to encourage and enable the public, other organisations and our staff to communicate with senior management and team leaders in their preferred language.

In carrying out the bilingual skills audit, posts will be identified where Welsh skills are required for the purpose of building stronger internal as well as external relations and encouraging the use of Welsh, and for mainstreaming the Welsh language in a more comprehensive way into our activities.

For every Welsh speaker who leaves the organisation, or moves to another post within the organisation, we will aim to replace them by a person who is able to communicate at least to the same level of Welsh wherever possible. This will apply particularly in the case of posts where the post-holder provides the Welsh speaking capacity within a team.

When posts become vacant that have been identified in the bilingual skills audit as requiring fluency in Welsh, they will be advertised as requiring fluency in Welsh as an essential competence.,.

Trainee posts will be offered annually to Welsh speaking graduates and post-graduates in the environmental field. During their employment they may apply for posts that may become vacant within the organisation.

We will work with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol to provide work placements for Welsh speaking students following environmental courses. They may apply for summer seasonal posts.

7.2 Training and development

Priority for Welsh training will be given to those staff in Welsh essential posts. They will be encouraged to use their Welsh at every opportunity in their work.

We will give additional support to Welsh learners (Level 3 and above) and will encourage line managers to promote the use of Welsh in the workplace in order to develop the ability and confidence of their staff. We will monitor and assess progress on a regular basis.

All staff at Level 1 will be encouraged to further develop their understanding of the Welsh language and culture, and to increase their ability to use Welsh at a basic level.

Staff already in posts which have since been identified as Welsh essential (Level 4 or 5) will not be obliged to become fluent in Welsh, however they will be encouraged to develop Welsh skills to at least an intermediate level (Level 3).

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Managers of Welsh essential posts in predominantly Welsh speaking areas who are not currently Welsh speaking will be encouraged to develop their Welsh skills.

Managers will be expected to give appropriate support and encouragement to members of their teams to develop and use their Welsh skills.

Staff who are fluent Welsh speakers will be encouraged to develop their written Welsh skills to Level 5 standard in order to reduce dependency on our translators, and to enhance their personal development and capacity.

In cases when it is not possible to recruit at the required level of Welsh, the aim will be to recruit a Welsh learner with skills at no more than one level below that required. We will provide appropriate support to successful candidates in order to develop their Welsh skills to the required level as early as possible after taking up the post.

We will aim to support at least 4 Welsh learners per year to pass the ‘A’ level exam (Defnyddio’r Gymraeg Uwch).

Bilingual Skills Strategy - Implementation

Action Who When

1. Bilingual skills audit

1.1 Carry out bilingual skills audit of posts and staff

1.2 Provide guidance to managers in identifying Welsh skills requirements for posts

1.2 Continuously update bilingual skills levels in HR database

1.3 Ensure Welsh speaking capacity of teams is at least maintained at the level agreed in the bilingual skills audit when staff changes occur 1.4 Monitor increase in proportion of staff able to use Welsh in their everyday work, including managers and team leaders 1.5 Prepare and agree a plan for each group/region to reach target of Welsh ability for posts and teams, as identified in bilingual skills audit

Group/regional heads, team leaders, Welsh Language Officer

HR

HR

Group/regional heads, team leaders, Welsh Language Officer

Welsh Language Officer

Welsh Language Officer/ Group heads

By Dec 2013

By Sept 2013

Ongoing

From Dec 2013

Ongoing

By March 2014

2. Recruitment

2.1 Check that language category in job descriptions for advertised posts matches the agreed level for posts in the bilingual skills audit.

Obtain senior management approval if the level does not match

2.2 Take proactive measures to increase the number of suitable applicants for posts requiring bilingual skills when the field of applicants is limited

2.3 Ensure all candidates selected for interview

HR recruitment/Welsh Language Officer

Group/regional Heads

HR recruitment/team leader, Welsh Language Officer

HR representative/

Ongoing

Ongoing

By March 2014 and ongoing

Ongoing

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have the appropriate level of Welsh as defined under essential criteria in job descriptions, and that successful candidates meet these criteria

2.4 Agree a contractual condition to ensure that staff required to learn Welsh to a specified level meet their obligations, and ensure they are given the required support.

2.5 Ensure all new recruits are made aware of the purpose and aims of the bilingual skills strategy

line manager at interview

HR recruitment team/Welsh Language Officer

Welsh Language Officer

By June. 2013

From April 2013 and ongoing

3. Training and development

3.1 Provide additional training support to Welsh learners to develop confidence in using the language at work. Agree set targets in training plan and assess progress in order to continue support if targets are met.

Aim for at least 4 Welsh learners to achieve A level standard each year.

3.2 Support Welsh training requests and include targets in personal development plans for staff who wish to develop bilingual skills (spoken and written)

3.3 Actively encourage staff at all levels of Welsh to use their skills in their day to day work, and provide opportunities for them to do this

3.4 For new post-holders without the required level of Welsh, seek attendance at appropriate courses at the start of their period of employment. 3.5 Ensure all new staff, Board Members and volunteers receive Welsh language awareness training

Welsh training team

Line managers

Group/regional heads and team leaders

Team leaders/Welsh training team

Welsh training team

From April 2013

By June 2014 and each year

From April 2013

Ongoing

From April 2013

Ongoing

4. Monitoring and reporting

4.1 Continuously monitor the implementation of all measures in this action plan to ensure that we work towards our vision as a bilingual organisation

4.2 Record details of posts which have not been filled at the required level of Welsh and show justification and subsequent action. Report to Welsh Language Monitoring Group and senior management every four months

4.3 Include statistics to show progress against stated targets in our annual monitoring report to the Welsh Language Commissioner

Welsh Language Officer/Welsh Language Monitoring Group

Welsh Language Officer

Welsh Language Officer

Ongoing

Every 4 months from April 2013

By June 2014

8. GUIDANCE FOR MANAGERS IN IDENTIFYING WELSH SKILLS REQUIREMENT FOR POSTS

8.1 Identifying the Welsh language competency for individual posts

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Level 5 (fluent in spoken and written Welsh)

All posts in any grade that:

Require a good (editing) standard of written Welsh or Involve giving presentations or carrying out negotiations in Welsh

Level 4 (fluent in spoken Welsh)

All posts in any grade that involve daily contact with Welsh speaking customers/partners

Level 3 (able to use Welsh in some work situations)

All other posts not included in levels 4 and 5 that involve some contact with Welsh speaking customers

Level 2 (able to use some basic Welsh)

This level is not used for posts; it is only used to determine the bilingual skills level of individuals

Level 1 (able to pronounce Welsh and use basic phrases)

All other posts not included in levels 3, 4 and 5 above.

For all posts in NRW, the ability to pronounce Welsh place names and personal names, and the ability to understand and use basic phrases of Welsh is an essential requirement. This is in order to ensure that all staff are able to exercise basic linguistic courtesy. All staff need to be able to use Welsh for informal greetings, for opening and closing meetings, and when answering the phone with a bilingual greeting.

8.2 Identifying the Welsh Language requirements for Teams.

After determining the post requirement you need to examine the team to see if they satisfy the team criteria for the various language levels.

For the purposes of this assessment a team normally means a unit within an office or group.

In certain cases a team may mean a larger unit commensurate with local circumstances.

Guidance can be obtained from the Welsh Language Officer/s

Level 5

If not already covered in the post category assessment, at least one post above administrative level in each team should be level 5

Level 4

If not already covered in the post category assessment, at least one other post in each team should be level 4.

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9. Communication in Welsh skills framework

Element Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

Understands Welsh

Understands requests by Telephone e.g. “Ga i siarad efo…”

Understands the gist of Welsh conversation in the office

Understands much Welsh in the office and in some meetings

A sound good understanding of Welsh

Expert detailed understanding of Welsh

Speaks Welsh Pronounces Welsh terms/place names correctly in office or field situations.

Uses introductory phrases e.g greetings, weather in face-to-face discussions.

Gives bilingual greeting on telephone.

Conveys basic information e.g simple admin tasks.

Transfers telephone calls in Welsh and responds in Welsh to simple requests.

Communicates face to face at basic level, using past, present and future tenses.

Discusses some work matters with colleagues in Welsh in the office.

Answers telephone enquiries and takes simple messages in Welsh.

In meetings discusses partly in Welsh but reverts to English for negotiating/relaying technical information

Uses Welsh in work situations. Contributes in Welsh at meetings.

Deals with phone enquiries confidently in Welsh. Understands dialects.

Carries out negotiations in Welsh but uses English for difficult or technical terms.

Gives presentations in Welsh; interviews Welsh speaking candidates and assesses Welsh competencies.

Takes brief from colleagues to deal with Welsh telephone enquiries, press interviews etc.

Carries out negotiations in Welsh including technical/ agricultural terms.

Writes Welsh Not applicable Not applicable Writes informal messages e.g internal e-mails in Welsh.

Writes formal letters and e-mails in Welsh with editing assistance.

Writes reports, text for publications, agreements in Welsh without editing assistance.

Course leading to this level

Wlpan preliminary units

Canol Wlpan Pellach/Uwch Meistrioli - Writing skills- Bilingual interview and presentation skills

Exam at this level (Welsh for Adults))

Entry Basic Use of Welsh

(GCSE)

Use of Welsh

(A Level)

Training to reach this level

2 x 2 hours a week or taster/intensive course

2 x 2 hours a week + 3- 4 weeks of intensive courses.

2- 3 hours a week + 3- 4 weeks of intensive courses + mentor

2 hours a week + 2 weeks of intensive courses + mentor / using Welsh in the work place

1-2 day courses. Weekly writing tasks

Average time to reach the level (weekly courses)

3 - 6 months 1 – 2 years 2 – 3 years 4 – 5 years 5 years +

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Annex 3

Internal Bilingual Policy

Natural Resources Wales is committed under its Welsh Language Scheme to encouraging the use of Welsh for communicating within the organisation.This policy applies to the following:

Items sent to all staff or to large groups of staffBilingual within the same document with Welsh above or to the left of the English.

These items include: Staff guidance Newsletters Notices (staff, office, vacancies, health and safety etc) E-mail messages or instructions to all staff or large groups of staff. E-mail titles should be

bilingual and kept short. Standard e-mail messages e.g. office closed, parcel for delivery, are available on the intranet.

If it becomes necessary to create separate Welsh and English documents, they should be clearly titled and always sent out at the same time with a covering bilingual e-mail.

Items sent to small groups of staffBilingual, or according to the preferred language of all group members

Items sent to individualsWelsh or English depending on language preference/ability of recipient(s). Standard messages should be sent bilingually or in the language of choice.

Sending items bilinguallyWelsh speakers and learners are encouraged to develop their Welsh writing skills by sending items bilingually whenever appropriate.

The internal translator/editor will be glad to help check or translate items as required. Please try to allow enough time before sending items out if you wish to use this service.

Internal meetingsWherever possible, staff should be offered a choice of language at internal meetings, in the same way as members of the public are offered choice of language at external meetings.

A simultaneous translation service is available to facilitate this. Please contact the translation service to arrange.

When translation facilities are not used, every meeting should be opened and closed bilingually. If Welsh language skills are available to provide informal translation, participants should be advised that they are welcome to use their Welsh language skills.

AdministrationStaff are encouraged to use their language of choice for internal administration where practical, including file notes, T&S claims, sick leave etc. Translation can be arranged for other parties involved if required.

If you have any queries regarding this notice please contact the Welsh Language Officer

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