Aim

Caffi Iaith is a monthly support group for those front line staff learning Welsh. Funded initially by an £500.00 award from the Bwrdd Iaith (Welsh language Board) and Welsh Language Awards in the NHS.

1. Language choice

Offering patients and their families a language choice enhances the quality of care they experience during their illness and relationship with the medical teams. Increasing the number of staff confident in speaking Welsh will enable this aim to be realised. This is particularly relevant in rural West Wales.

2. Improving Communication skills

We know that there are a number of staff in the Hospital who learned Welsh in school but have lost confidence to use the language in their work. This project aims to encourage those staff to gain confidence again in using Welsh to enhance the communication with patients and families they care for.

Methodology

Language emersion is known to assist the learning of a second language along side formal teaching sessions. It is known that adults who learn a second language often experience difficulty in being able to practice, what they are learning in class. Caffi Iaith offers an hour a month to immerse oneself through a social and creative activity. Providing a time and place will bring together those learning Welsh and create a supportive network within the work place.

Results

Pilot is on going.

Evaluation

Due September 2008

Reflection

Due September 2008

Further action

Due September 2008