Vale Youth Service Staff Embrace Welsh in the Workplace

26 May 2026

Staff across the Vale Youth Service are getting stuck into learning Welsh as part of a growing effort to make the service more bilingual, inclusive and reflective of the communities we work with across the Vale.

Around 15 members of staff are currently taking part in Welsh lessons, with colleagues using their new skills in day-to-day conversations with young people, families, schools and each other. 

For many staff members, the experience has not only improved their language skills, but also strengthened their connection to Welsh culture and identity.

We spoke to some colleagues in the Youth Service recently about their journeys in learning Welsh and they shared how it is helping them build confidence, strengthen relationships with young people and create a more bilingual environment across the service.

Kelly said: “I am really enjoying the Welsh lessons, and I wish I had paid more attention in school when learning! I am using my Welsh as much as possible when talking with my colleagues, young people in our youth clubs and when talking with other Welsh speaking professionals. I feel so much more pride in being Welsh now I have a better grasp of the language. Our tutor Sarian is amazing and we all look forward to her lessons!”

For Peter, the project has also strengthened team culture within the service: “The team has come together to support this wider way of working and are building this throughout the working day within the office and with communication. Alongside this, it has given me more confidence in trying to embed elements of Welsh language when talking to Welsh language colleagues and partners to be able to show our development as a service.”

Tracy reflected on how the lessons have transformed her relationship with the language: “Before learning Welsh, I had only a very limited knowledge of the language, recalling a few words from school in the 1980s. Developing my Welsh has enabled me to communicate with colleagues and Welsh-speaking young people. This strengthens my engagement as a youth worker and encourages greater use of Welsh among the young people I support.”

Kris described the wider impact the initiative has had across the workplace and community settings: “Since starting Dysgu Cymraeg with the Vale Youth Service I have noticed that basic greetings and phrases are starting to embed in my vocabulary and I have also noticed this has been the case within the office environment with nearly all Welsh learners conversing in basic conversational phrases. It feels like this has also created a togetherness within the workplace where we’re working alongside each other for the benefit of the young people we work with, our partners but also to support our professional development.

“I have started to use basic Cymraeg when visiting Ysgol Bro Morgannwg and have informed them of my Dysgu Cymraeg journey and this has been warmly received. Within my work in the community, I have started using Cymraeg with young people at Hive Guys who attend Ysgol Bro Morgannwg which has been positive and allows the vocabulary to be embedded. 

“Within the Warm Space project at Hive Guys a community member - whose first language is Cymraeg - has been encouraging me to hold basic conversations when they attend the project which is allowing me to build confidence and create an environment where the language is welcomed and promoted.”

Increasing the use of Welsh within the Youth Services forms an integral part the Council’s wider commitment to creating accessible, inclusive and culturally responsive services for young people across the Vale.

This work also reflects the wider national ambition to reach one million Welsh speakers by 2050, while supporting the Vale of Glamorgan’s growing reputation as one of the few areas in Wales currently seeing an increase in Welsh speakers.