Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
In June this year, I appointed Dr Simon Brooks as Chair of the Increasing the Use of Welsh Group, which is a Sub\-Group of the Welsh Language Partnership Council. I asked for advice and recommendations on the impact of COVID\-19 on Welsh\-speaking community groups.  

  

The sub\-group's report was published last week and is available on the following link:  

https://gov.wales/effects\-covid\-19\-welsh\-language\-community\-groups\-survey\-results  

  

Today, I am publishing the Sub Group's recommendations based on that report.  

  

The Sub\-group's conclusions, based on the evidence, are that the challenges faced by Welsh\-speaking community groups during the pandemic have highlighted more general challenges in relation to the future sustainability of Welsh\-language community activity. The Sub\-group believes that this situation could become even more challenging due to socio\-economic and social changes in the wake of COVID\-19 and Brexit. The Sub\-group believes that action is needed to strengthen Welsh as a language of community and social activity.  

  

The Sub\-group considers the Welsh language to be an important part of the social capital of Wales, and have drawn up the recommendations with that in mind. In the Sub\-group's view, this is tied to the need to make communities more resilient in terms of human resources/skills in order to nurture the next generation of community leaders—resources such as centres, digital infrastructure, and fostering a culture of enterprise among Welsh\-speakers. It also means strengthening language planning at the micro (neighbourhood) level.  

  

Many of these recommendations are relevant not only to the Welsh language policy area but to several areas of government policy. I will respond in detail to the recommendations in due course.


**Recommendations**  

  

***Recommendation 1: Re\-establish Welsh language community groups***  

As soon as possible, the Welsh Government, in partnership with the Mentrau Iaith, should contact those community groups who indicated in the survey that they are unlikely to resume activities after the pandemic to ascertain what support is needed to help them resume action as they would wish. This should be achieved with appropriate action to enable activities to resume including working in partnership with local Voluntary Councils to ensure appropriate support.  

  

***Recommendation 2: Digital inclusion***  

The survey shows that there are a significant number of Welsh speakers who are excluded from participating in online activities. The Welsh Government should consider the barriers that exist in terms of lack of access to digital networks and raising digital skills.  

  

***Recommendation 3: Sports clubs and arts/performance groups***   

The Welsh Government, in partnership with Sport Wales and the Arts Council of Wales, should give greater attention to the role of sports clubs and arts/performance groups in the context of language planning in order to support the use of Welsh as a community language.  

  

***Recommendation 4: Micro language planning and the role of the Mentrau Iaith***  

The role of the Mentrau Iaith should be developed to work at a micro level in more communities. This should be done by broadening the focus of the Welsh Government grant to the Mentrau Iaith in order to create schemes to support the specific work of Welsh\-speaking community organisations, and activity that is in line with the principles of micro\-level language planning. Action should be taken based on the principles of community development to respond to local needs (see the document *Local Action: a Framework to facilitate micro language planning among Welsh neighbourhoods*. Capacity of and funding to the Mentrau iaith should be expanded to help achieve this.  

  

***Recommendation 5: Project funding***  

The Welsh Government should establish a mechanism for funding projects to facilitate and operate at a community level to ensure the viability of the Welsh language. This should include creating a mechanism that will be able to draw upon the Welsh Government's various financial funds. This would be in line with the aim of promoting and developing the Welsh language throughout government activity, at Welsh Government and local government level.  

  

***Recommendation 6: Intergenerational balance***  

Note the older age profile of many of the existing Welsh language societies. The next generation of community leaders should be actively nurtured to ensure leadership succession in community groups and societies. Volunteering opportunities could be offered in Welsh\-medium societies, as well as apprenticeships, work experiences and skills development opportunities. Facilitating and supporting the arrangements could be part of the work of Mentrau Iaith and Welsh\-language social organisations, but they also need to be integrated into schemes across the Welsh Government that develop community leadership across Wales.


***Recommendation 7: Social enterprises and co\-operatives***


More Welsh\-medium social/co\-operative enterprises which offer Welsh\-medium employment and volunteering opportunities should be created in our communities.


We should build upon the strength of committees of Welsh\-speaking community organisations, focusing on the organisations’ long\-term resilience, strengthening financial management, information technology, business and community entrepreneurship skills.


A national network of Welsh\-medium social/co\-operatives should be created to encourage strategic collaboration.


***Recommendation 8: County Promotion Strategies***


Local Authorities should give Welsh\-speaking community organisations a strong voice in planning and implementing their language promotion strategies. Welsh Language Promotional Strategies, Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and Mentrau Iaith County Forums should be interwoven with the Welsh\-speaking community organisations.


***Recommendation 9: Information sharing***


It should be ensured that Welsh\-speaking community groups know about and take advantage of opportunities to improve their organisation through relevant training, funding sources and guidance etc. It should be ensured that language planning training is available to Welsh\-speaking community groups as required.


**Members of the Sub\-Group**


* Simon Brooks (Chair)
* Rhian Huws Williams
* Rhys Jones
* Lowri Jones
* Walis George
* Meleri Davies






Translation:


 
Ym mis Mehefin eleni, penodais y Dr Simon Brooks yn Gadeirydd ar Grŵp Cynyddu Defnydd y Gymraeg, sy’n Is\-Grŵp i Gyngor Partneriaeth y Gymraeg. Gofynnais am gyngor ac argymhellion ar effaith COVID\-19 ar grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg.


Cyhoeddwyd adroddiad yr is\-grŵp yr wythnos diwethaf:


**https://llyw.cymru/effaith\-covid\-19\-ar\-grwpiau\-cymunedol\-cymraeg\-canfyddiadau\-arolwg**


Heddiw, rwyf yn cyhoeddi argymhellion yr Is\-Grŵp yn seiliedig ar yr adroddiad hwnnw.


Casgliadau’r Is\-grŵp, ar sail y dystiolaeth, yw bod yr heriau y mae grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg wedi’u hwynebu yn ystod y pandemig wedi amlygu heriau mwy cyffredinol ynghylch cynaliadwyedd gweithgarwch cymunedol Cymraeg at y dyfodol. Mae’r Is\-grŵp yn tybio y gallai’r sefyllfa hon ddod hyd yn oed yn fwy heriol oherwydd newidiadau sosio\-economaidd a chymdeithasol yn sgil COVID\-19 a Brexit. Cred yr Is\-grŵp fod angen gweithredu er mwyn cryfhau’r Gymraeg fel iaith gweithgarwch cymunedol a chymdeithasol.


Mae’r Is\-grŵp yn ystyried y Gymraeg yn rhan bwysig o gyfalaf cymdeithasol Cymru, ac mae’r argymhellion wedi’u llunio gyda hynny mewn golwg. Ym marn yr Is\-grŵp mae hyn ynghlwm wrth yr angen i wneud cymunedau yn fwy gwydn o safbwynt adnoddau dynol/sgiliau er mwyn meithrin y genhedlaeth nesaf o arweinwyr cymunedol—adnoddau megis canolfannau, is\-adeiledd digidol, a magu diwylliant o fentro ymhlith siaradwyr Cymraeg. Mae hefyd yn golygu cryfhau cynllunio ieithyddol ar lefel ficro (lefel y gymdogaeth).


Mae i nifer o’r argymhellion hyn berthnasedd nid yn unig i faes polisi’r Gymraeg ond i sawl maes polisi llywodraethol. Byddaf yn ymateb yn fanwl i’r argymhellion maes o law.


**Argymhellion**


***Argymhelliad 1: Ailddechrau grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg***


Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru, mewn partneriaeth â’r Mentrau Iaith, ailgysylltu cyn gynted â phosibl gyda’r grwpiau cymunedol hynny a nododd yn yr arolwg eu bod yn annhebygol o ailddechrau wedi’r pandemig fesul un i ddarganfod pa gefnogaeth sydd ei hangen i’w cynorthwyo i ailddechrau gweithredu yn unol â’u dymuniad. Dylid cyflawni hynny gyda gweithredu cymwys i alluogi’r gweithgareddau i ailddechrau gan gynnwys gweithio mewn partneriaeth â Chynghorau Gwirfoddol lleol er mwyn sicrhau’r gefnogaeth briodol.


***Argymhelliad 2: Cynhwysedd digidol***


Dengys yr arolwg y ceir nifer sylweddol o siaradwyr Cymraeg sydd wedi’u hallgáu o gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau ar\-lein. Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ystyried y rhwystrau sydd yn bodoli o ran diffyg mynediad i rwydwaith ddigidol ac i godi sgiliau digidol.


***Argymhelliad 3: Clybiau chwaraeon a grwpiau celfyddydol/perfformio*** 


Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru, mewn partneriaeth â Chwaraeon Cymru a Chyngor Celfyddydau Cymru, roi mwy o sylw i rôl clybiau chwaraeon a grwpiau celfyddydol/perfformio yng nghyd\-destun cynllunio ieithyddol er mwyn cefnogi’r defnydd o’r Gymraeg fel iaith gymunedol.


***Argymhelliad 4: Cynllunio iaith micro a swyddogaeth y Mentrau Iaith***


Dylid datblygu rôl y Mentrau Iaith i weithio ar lefel micro mewn mwy o gymunedau drwy ehangu ffocws grant Llywodraeth Cymru i’r Mentrau Iaith er mwyn creu cynlluniau i gefnogi gwaith penodol mudiadau cymunedol Cymraeg, a gweithgarwch sy’n unol ag egwyddorion cynllunio ieithyddol ar lefel leol. Dylid gweithredu ar sail egwyddorion datblygu cymunedol ar gyfer ymateb i anghenion lleol (gweler y ddogfen *Gweithredu’n Lleol: Fframwaith ar gyfer hwyluso cynllunio iaith micro ymysg cymdogaethau Cymraeg*). Dylid ehangu capasiti a chyllid i’r Mentrau iaith er mwyn helpu cyflawni hyn.


***Argymhelliad 5: Ariannu prosiectau***


Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru sefydlu dull o ariannu prosiectau i hwyluso a gweithredu ar lefel gymunedol i sicrhau hyfywedd y Gymraeg. Dylai hyn gynnwys creu mecanwaith a fydd yn medru tynnu ar gronfeydd ariannol amrywiol Llywodraeth Cymru. Byddai hyn yn cyd\-fynd â’r nod o hyrwyddo a datblygu’r Gymraeg drwy holl weithgarwch y llywodraeth, ar lefel Llywodraeth Cymru a llywodraeth leol.


***Argymhelliad 6: Cydbwysedd rhwng y cenedlaethau***


Noder proffil oedran hŷn llawer o’r cymdeithasau Cymraeg presennol. Dylid bwrw ati i feithrin y genhedlaeth nesaf o arweinwyr cymunedol er mwyn sicrhau olyniaeth arweinyddiaeth mewn cymdeithasau a grwpiau cymunedol. Gellid cynnig cyfleoedd gwirfoddoli mewn cymdeithasau cyfrwng Cymraeg, ond hefyd brentisiaethau, profiadau gwaith a chyfleoedd i feithrin sgiliau. Gallai hwyluso a chefnogi’r trefniadau fod yn rhan o waith Mentrau Iaith a mudiadau cymdeithasol Cymraeg, ond mae angen hefyd eu hintegreiddio mewn cynlluniau ar draws Llywodraeth Cymru sydd yn datblygu arweinyddiaeth cymunedol ar hyd a lled Cymru.


***Argymhelliad 7: Mentrau cymdeithasol a chydweithredol***


Dylid creu mwy o fentrau cymdeithasol/cydweithredol cyfrwng Cymraeg sy'n cynnig cyfleoedd gwaith a gwirfoddoli cyfrwng Cymraeg yn ein cymunedau.


Dylid adeiladu ar gryfder pwyllgorau mudiadau cymunedol Cymraeg gyda ffocws ar wytnwch hirdymor y sefydliad, cryfhau sgiliau rheolaeth ariannol, technoleg gwybodaeth, busnes ac entrepreneuriaeth gymunedol.


Dylid creu rhwydwaith cenedlaethol o fentrau cymdeithasol/cydweithredol cyfrwng Cymraeg i annog cydweithio strategol.


***Argymhelliad 8: Strategaethau Hybu Sirol***


Dylai’r Awdurdodau Lleol roi llais cryf i fudiadau cymunedol Cymraeg wrth gynllunio a gweithredu eu strategaethau hybu iaith. Dylid plethu at ei gilydd Strategaethau Hybu, Cynlluniau Strategol y Gymraeg mewn Addysg, Fforymau Sirol y Mentrau Iaith gyda’r mudiadau cymunedol Cymraeg.


***Argymhelliad 9: rhannu gwybodaeth***


Dylid sicrhau fod grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg yn gwybod ac yn manteisio ar gyfleoedd i wella eu sefydliad trwy hyfforddiant, cronfeydd cyllid a chanllawiau perthnasol ayyb.


Dylid sicrhau fod hyfforddiant cynllunio ieithyddol ar gael i grwpiau cymunedol Cymraeg yn ôl y galw.


**Aelodau’r Is\-grŵp**


* Simon Brooks (Cadeirydd)
* Rhian Huws Williams
* Rhys Jones
* Lowri Jones
* Walis George
* Meleri Davies