Thursday, January 19th 2023 the South-east Regional Team of Mudiad Meithrin will launch videos aimed specifically at parents who don’t speak Welsh, to encourage them to choose Welsh-medium childcare and education for their children through Cylchoedd Ti a Fi and Cylchoedd Meithrin. The videos share parents’ experiences as well as the language journeys of those who began to learn Welsh in a Cylch Ti a Fi or Cylch Meithrin.
The team had the idea of producing several video clips filmed in Cylchoedd Ti a Fi and Cylchoedd Meithrin throughout the counties of the South-east, to draw attention to the fact that Welsh-medium childcare and education is available for all.
A number of the parents wanted to share their experiences regarding their decision to choose Welsh-medium childcare and education for their children, and the advantages gained by their children as they grow up bilingual, contributing to the Welsh Government’s aim of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050.
Laura Brown, parent to a child in a Cylch Meithrin in the South-east said:
“I don’t speak Welsh, but I want my children to have every opportunity they can, and I want them to be one of the Million Welsh Speakers. For jobs and for the future I don’t know what they want to be, … I still want them to have that advantage and I think it’s important to give your children the opportunity to be as best as they can be.”
Neneh-Jallow, a parent who attends a local Cylch Ti a Fi Bettws, said:
“I would like her to speak Welsh, the more languages you speak the more advantages you have, that’s what I believe.”
Alys and Tim Carter, whose child attends a Cylch Meithrin, had this to say:
“They have so much fun, just little things like she sat at the kitchen table this week counting to 10 in Welsh, and we didn’t even know she could do it. I just think it’s really important to raise our children bilingually to express themselves in both Welsh and English. Never once have we felt on the outside because we don’t speak Welsh you’re just part of the community straight away and people speak English to you if you need them to. They teach you bits of Welsh you get sent home little bits you can join in with.”
We also heard from adults who are now using Welsh in the workplace, about their experience of beginning their Welsh-medium education in a Cylch Meithrin and then continuing along the linguistic continuum throughout their educational journey, ending their education as confident Welsh speakers.
Morgan Hart, who now works through the medium of Welsh in Cylch Meithrin Canol Dref, Bridgend said:
“My parents wanted me to have opportunities they never had growing up. They wanted me to have every door open and they’ve done it. I started in a Cylch Meithrin when I was 2 and you know when you start in a Cylch Meithrin it sets you up for the rest of it.”
Evie Wilkins, now working in Ysgol Gyfyn Gwynllyw, explained:
“No one in my family had been to a Welsh School so they decided to send us to a Cylch Meithrin that was near to us. We really enjoyed …. Children pick up languages so easy it’s effortless”.
The videos will be available to watch here after the launch at 10am on Thursday and everyone is welcome to share them.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrUunC9eiE2w9VM6WRXmlNit85akJLZpm
