The policy-making standards require organisations to consider the impact of its policy decisions on opportunities to use Welsh, and on not treating Welsh less favourably than English.
In doing so, organisations must make a 'conscientious effort' [1] to consider the impacts. The threshold for 'conscientious effort' depends on the circumstances. The requirements are likely to be higher in an area of linguistic significance or sensitivity, and as the number and extent of the impact increases.
Organisations must keep a record of the consideration they give. Not every single possible effect has to be listed, but considering a wide range of effects will make it more likely that a 'conscientious effort' will have been made.
Here are some examples of the issues and impacts that organisations could consider when making their decisions. This is not an exhaustive list, and include factors that could be considered only insofar as they are relevant to the decision in question. The relevant factors will vary on a case-by-case basis.
- Number of Welsh speakers
- generally
- in one geographical area
- in a specific cohort (e.g. children, young people, adults)
- in a particular sector or group (e.g. members of clubs or associations)
- Welsh Language Transmission
- at home between parent/carer and child
- in education as a pupil moves from one period of education to another (e.g. when moving from primary to secondary school)
- Welsh in the workplace
- informal and social opportunities
- internal communications
- structure of teams / departments
- technology and resources (e.g. proofreading software, device interface)
- language awareness among staff
- Use of Welsh-language services
- ability to provide Welsh service by default
- ability to make a proactive offer to use Welsh
- promotion of Welsh language services
- service providing environment
- requirements of the Welsh Language Standards
- Social use of Welsh
- among children, young people and adults
- in the workplace
- outside of work
- organised events and activities (e.g. community event, leisure class, religious meeting)
- digital media
- Visibility of Welsh
- place names (e.g. towns, villages, streets, new housing developments)
- organisation’s internal and external information signs
- signs by private businesses and institutions
- material on public display
Social, economic and cultural infrastructure of Welsh-speaking communities
- Strategies and policies on issues such as the following:
- education (e.g. Welsh in Education Strategic Plant)
- town and country planning (e.g. Local Development Plan)
- land use
- community development and sustainability
- economic development
- Welsh Government strategies (e.g. Welsh 2050 – Million Welsh speakers)
- other acts and laws (e.g. School Organisation Code, TAN 20)
- Opportunities to learn Welsh
- childcare
- statutory education
- pre- and post-statutory education
- Welsh lessons for adults
- access to online software / courses
- Use of Welsh in the digital and technological field
- social media
- synthetic voices
- transcription and subtitling software
- artificial intelligence
- Opportunities to study through the medium of Welsh
- nursery education
- statutory education
- further and higher education
- work-based learning
- transport to education settings
- ease of access to Welsh language education
- Language planning
- sustainability in areas with a high density of Welsh speakers
- promoting language acquisition and use
- prosperity of Welsh as the language of family, community or workplace
- social equity
- Efforts to protect and promote the Welsh language
- Mentrau Iaith activities
- community initiative activities
- promotional and facilitation activities
- statutory linguistic requirements
- grants
[1] Decision of the Welsh Language Tribunal in the case of Neath Port Talbot Council v Welsh Language Commissioner