The Outdoor Partnership

The Outdoor Partnership has been established to address the disconnect in the outdoor sector in North West Wales. It seeks to provide opportunities for local people to take part in outdoor activities, including walking, cycling, climbing, canoeing, and all kinds of adventure sports.

What Welsh services do you offer?

Three out of five of our development officers in Wales speak Welsh, and another is currently learning the language. These team members conduct meetings in Welsh, answer phone calls and e-mails in Welsh, and lead workshops through the medium of Welsh. Additionally, two members of the team, Sioned and Bethan, run the Bant a Ni programme, which encourages people to speak Welsh by taking part in outdoor activities. They also support providers to use more Welsh when delivering training.

Why is using Welsh important to your organisation and the sport sector in general?

One of the main reasons for establishing the Partnership in the first place was the lack of opportunities for local people to take part in activities through the medium of Welsh. As a result, we work with national governing bodies, providers, clubs, schools, and communities to create more opportunities for people to participate in sport and activities in their own language. As we run outdoor activities and use natural landscapes such as rivers, lakes, and mountains, it is very important to us that people connect with the original names and understand the meaning and history behind them. Also, we often work with vulnerable individuals, so it is essential that we can offer activities in their first language to ensure they feel comfortable.

Describe the process of creating a Welsh Language Development Plan, from the decision to prepare a plan to receiving recognition from the Commissioner. 

To prepare the Welsh Language Development Plan, we established a Welsh Working Group to lead on the work. The group reviewed the plan in detail to identify our strengths and weaknesses, ensuring that the rest of the Wales team agreed with these findings. The group then met with Guto from the Welsh Language Commissioner’s office to discuss every aspect of the plan before receiving formal approval. Since then, we have continued to meet regularly to ensure ongoing development and to maintain the standards we have set.

Why is it important that you have received the Cynnig Cymraeg? What are the benefits for you?

Working through the process has been extremely beneficial for us as a team, as it has helped us better understand where our strengths lie and which areas need improvement. As a result, this work has given the Welsh Group a clear focus. As a charity that takes pride in being bilingual, receiving approval for the Cynnig Cymraeg is a very important step for us and reflects our commitment to the language.

Could you share a recent example of good use of the Welsh language with us?

Back in March, a Bant a Ni session was held which included a walk around Craig y Nos Country Park, followed by a cup of tea and plenty of conversation in Welsh. Afterwards, participants took part in an interesting workshop on the historical place names of Wales. The session was attended by partners from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Cardiff University, reflecting the wide interest in the work we are doing.

Would you encourage others to work towards the Cynnig Cymraeg, and why? 

We strongly believe that the Cynnig Cymraeg is a valuable opportunity for any organisation that wishes to review its policies and systems, ensuring that everything works effectively and reflects a genuine commitment to the language.

Do you have any advice for any organisations that are considering working towards the Cynnig Cymraeg? 

Our advice would be to establish a Welsh Group to lead on the development of the Cynnig Cymraeg. At present, our group includes four Welsh-speaking members of staff, but our aim in the future is to invite staff who are learning the language to join as well. We believe this is a very important step in creating inclusive and sustainable provision. Support is available every step of the way.