The Welsh Language Commissioner's office has created a series of short films which highlight effective practices from the point of Welsh language delivery and usage in various organisations across Wales.  

Here Ffreuer Owen from the Isle of Anglesey County Council talks about how they are working in partnership to develop an effective strategy to promote the Welsh language on the island.  

What was crucial for us from the outset was that this is not just the council’s  strategy to promote the Welsh language, but one that has wider ownership. So we collaborated with Fforwm Iaith Ynys Môn (Anglesey Welsh Language Forum), an independent forum, to expand the vision of Welsh as a living language that is used naturally across the island. 

If the Welsh language is to flourish, co-operation is key. We need to understand that it is not the responsibility of one person or one organisation to ensure this strategy becomes a reality on Anglesey, as is true of any national strategy. Being part of the Fforwm Iaith and working collaboratively gives partners on the island the opportunity to come together, and to share good practice, to understand more about what each other is doing. But maybe more important is the opportunity to plan together and work with each other on a practical level and to deliver projects that can make a real difference. 

We knew that the early years are key when it comes to becoming confident in speaking Welsh, and we were keen to develop a resource that would be of use to parents and carers. Once again, considering the importance of working in partnership, we came together as a group under the Anglesey Welsh for Children and Families Môn partnership. This included different departments within the council as well as external organisations that have established relationships with parents, such as Mudiad Meithrin, Cymraeg i Blant and the Health Board. Following significant research with the parents,  we agreed that an app was needed, and OgiOgi was developed. 

The app is one example of a solution we created in response to one of the main challenges we face here on the island which is language transmission in the home. Another more recent example is the collaboration with town and community councils to appoint a language champion in each area across the island. The aim is to ensure that they have the tools and knowledge to operate on the ground in their communities, to promote the language in that area and to ensure that families, children, young people, the community as a whole have access and have as much opportunity as possible to use the Welsh language.  

Our ultimate aim is that the strategy is not a document that sits on a shelf, but a live document with an opportunity to revisit it annually, and the action plans that flow from it allows us to do that. A flehxible strategy that allows us to respond according to demand and in the interests of Anglesey. 

You can see and hear more about the work carried out on Anglesey and about the app by watching the films below. 

Anglesey County Council has also presented a new podcast series about the journey through the early years from birth to 7 years old. The podcasts are only available in Welsh. You can listen to them here.