25 July 2011
New Appointment to Lead Welsh Language Developments for Colleges
ColegauCymru / CollegesWales has appointed Catrin Stephens to the new post of Director of Bilingualism.
Catrin will ensure that colleges’ efforts to build their capacity to offer Welsh-medium skills’ provision are supported at national, regional and local levels.
Her main focus is to lead on the National Strategy for Bilingualism in Further Education, which was developed by ColegauCymru and adopted by all FE colleges last year.
Catrin joins ColegauCymru after six years at the charitable company Acen – which provides Welsh language learning resources and Welsh language training for the workplace, where she was Head of Content and Marketing, with chief responsibility for the content of S4C’s website for learners of Welsh.
Chief Executive of ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, John Graystone, said: “Progressing from school to college, from college to university and from college into the workplace is a key issue for learners who wish to develop their Welsh language skills.
“Every year colleges develop more resources and deliver more courses through the medium of Welsh and bilingually both to their own students and also to school pupils through their school link partnerships. In addition, they readily embraced the recent opportunity to apply for financial support to employ one of four new Bilingual Champions for further education.
“Colleges are constantly seeking opportunities to improve and to work collaboratively to benefit learners. Catrin’s appointment by ColegauCymru, forms part of the further education sector’s national-level response to the need to improve Welsh-medium and bilingual education and training.”
John Graystone concluded: “Catrin brings with her significant experience in developing new services, responding to client demand, and as a teacher of Welsh in the workplace. I am confident that her blend of creativity and responsiveness will serve the colleges well and I very much look forward to seeing her make her mark in this newly created post.”
Catrin Stephens said: “This is a particularly exciting time to start working with FE colleges. The colleges are clearly very eager to develop their Welsh medium and bilingual capacity. I am looking forward to working with all of the colleges’ key partners, including schools, higher education institutions and employers.”
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Contact: Sylvia Davies on 029 2052 8384 or 07968 771913.
Notes to editors:
1. ColegauCymru / CollegesWales was previously known as fforwm. It is a national educational charity that represents all 21 further education (FE) colleges and institutions in Wales. Its mission is to raise the profile of further education with key decision-makers to improve opportunities for learners in Wales. For further information about ColegauCymru / CollegesWales, and the colleges it represents, visit www.colegaucymru.ac.uk or www.collegeswales.ac.uk
2. The National Strategy for Bilingualism in Further Education is available from http://www.collegeswales.ac.uk/en-GB/publications-24.aspx
3. The Welsh Government has committed to providing financial support for the next three years for the appointment of four Bilingual Champions at the following colleges:
- Yale College Wrexham
- Coleg Ceredigion
- Coleg Glan Hafren/Barry College/YMCA Community College/WEA(S)
- Coleg Gwent
In addition, four colleges were supported by the Welsh Government in the initial pilot phase of the Bilingual Champions’ project and these posts are still supported by:
- Coleg Sir Gâr
- Deeside College
- Neath Port Talbot College
- Coleg Llandrillo Cymru
4. ColegauCymru’s Director of Bilingualism will work closely with all of the Bilingual Champions and with the Sgiliaith Centre which offers training and development support on bilingualism to Further Education colleges.
5. Key tasks of the post of Director of Bilingualism include:
- improving the availability of qualifications through the medium of Welsh
- building the capacity of teachers to teach through the medium of Welsh in the post-14 and post-16 education sector especially in vocational and technical areas of expertise
- helping learners to continue to develop their Welsh language skills when they progress from one type of provider to another.