Siwan Gwyn Jones, Welsh Language Coordinator
Siwan Gwyn Jones joined Cardiff University Students’ Union in November 2015 as the Welsh Language Coordinator.
As a recent Cardiff graduate, this was Siwan’s first permanent professional role since completing her undergraduate degree.
At the time when Siwan joined the organisation, the relationship between the Students’ Union and Welsh language student community had become very strained. A referendum was held in 2015 after students requested that a full-time Sabbatical Officer was added to the existing team to represent the Welsh Language community. The referendum result did not go in favour of creating such a role in the existing team which further distanced the Welsh language student community from their Students’ Union.
The role of Welsh Language Coordinator was entirely new when Siwan was recruited. A translator role had previously existed in the organisation, but the role that Siwan took on was so much broader than this.
Siwan’s constant enthusiasm, practicality and energy has made the role what it is today. She never says no to a challenge, is constantly taking on new projects and is always happy to get involved in campaigns that are running. She brings innovation and ideas to the projects she works on and is always seeking to gain new skills in marketing communications to better engage with Welsh speaking students. When a staff member left the Marketing and Communications team, Siwan took on management of the organisations social media accounts for six months, covering English language and Welsh language channels. Her willingness to take on new challenges like this make her a valuable member of the Students’ Union staff team.
Fostering collaboration between students and staff members
From the moment that Siwan joined the organisation, she has worked tirelessly to build relationships with students and staff both within the Students’ Union and the University.
She faced a big task in healing old wounds and bringing about a change in culture and has been successful at every stage of the process.
Following the referendum, a Welsh Language Steering Group was created, made up of students, the Welsh Language Officer, Students’ Union staff and University staff. The first major order of this Steering Group was the creation of a comprehensive Welsh Language Policy for the Students’ Union. Siwan’s input into this group has been very useful, even more so through her involvement in a smaller group that was tasked with developing a draft version of the policy.
Siwan has met regularly with the Welsh Language Officer since she started the role to maintain a consistent and constructive dialogue with students. Osian Morgan, Welsh Language Officer 2016-17, describes his time working with Siwan:
“As the representative of Welsh speaking students in Cardiff University, it’s been nothing but a pleasure to work with Siwan over the last six months. Siwan has proven to be an approachable, hardworking and conscientious Welsh Language Coordinator at Cardiff’s Students’ Union. She is always more than happy to help with anything, and as a result she has certainly made my job as Welsh Language Officer a hundred times easier! Being the sole translator for a huge organisation is no easy job, but as a result of Siwan’s attitude, dedication and commitment, she not only copes with her workload, but excels in providing an efficient translating service of the highest quality, in addition to her work promoting the Welsh language, and co-ordinating Welsh language events in the Union. It has been a pleasure to work with Siwan over the past months, and I struggle to think of anyone who would be more deserving of this award, as recognition of her hard work."
The effect of Siwan's work
Thanks to Siwan’s invaluable contribution, the Students’ Union’s new Welsh Language Policy was ratified by the Board of Trustees in June 2016. An official launch was held in November 2016, organised by Siwan and Osian, our Welsh Language Officer. The transformation in the relationship between the Students’ Union and the Welsh language community is great to see and was clearly evident in the atmosphere at the launch event. The Students’ Union did its first Facebook live broadcast from the launch, allowing students to engage with it wherever they were based on campus, and bringing the Welsh language to a new audience.
Other notable things Siwan has achieved in her short time with the organisation:
- The creation of a Welsh language staff group.
- The establishment of strong communication with Y Gym Gym, our Welsh language society. Siwan, along with our Students’ Union President and Welsh Language Officer, is now working with these students on the creation of a Welsh language Union at Cardiff University.
- Siwan took the lead to ensure that the Students’ Union had a presence in the University’s stand at the National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny 2016. This allowed us to introduce the Students’ Union and conduct market research with prospective Welsh speaking students to greater inform the work we do in the future.
- Following feedback from our previous Welsh Language Officer, Siwan has begun frequently collaborating with the University translation team, including working in their office on a regular basis. Sharing of translation memories has also been established to ensure both institutions are communicating with students using consistent language and terminology.
- Siwan created a Cymraeg stall during Freshers’ Week to welcome Welsh speaking students to the University.
- Siwan has taken the lead on hosting Shwmae Sumae coffee mornings throughout the year, forging a partnership with Welsh For All, the University’s free language programme so that these events can engage with Welsh speakers and non-Welsh speakers.
- Siwan has increasing the quality of Welsh translation through the Union and works constantly with the Marketing and Communications team to create specific marketing campaigns for Welsh speaking students rather than directly translating English campaigns.
