DOORS OPEN TO WELSH SPEAKERS

The Rowan Organisation is currently managing three projects in Wales two being in Conwy and Denbighshire with a third covering Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. These projects offer support to people who receive Direct Payments from their Local Authority as an alternative to social-services-arranged care provision.

Although services have been delivered in the counties for several years now, there has been limited opportunity for Welsh speakers to contact the service in their language of choice because of the location of the Information and Payroll/Salary elements of the service being based in Nuneaton, England. Only local frontline services to Direct Payments recipients have been available in Welsh during this time.

Now, bilingual staff have been recruited to establish and run a bilingual office, based at the Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) in Queen Street, Carmarthen. These staff will provide a bilingual information and payroll service which will be available to disabled people, older people and carers throughout Wales.

The office launch last Wednesday comprised of a formal opening ceremony followed by an open drop in session. Over 60 people were present during the day to learn about the new office and the services it will provide.

In the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive of The Rowan Organisation, Mr Rob Wilson, started his address in faltering welsh words before reverting to English. He said, ‘This is the reason for opening this welsh office, for there aren’t many welsh speakers in Nuneaton (the organisation’s Head Office) where these services are currently being provided." He added, "We see this as a major part of achieving real parity for all and meeting the principles that we have laid down in our Welsh Language Policy".

The Lead Officer for Direct Payments in Carmarthenshire, Mr Dylan Owen, said in his opening address, ‘This is an exciting day, this is a huge day, for the Rowan Organisation to be opening this Welsh office.’ Making reference to his own personal experience, Mr Owen referred to a time when he was disempowered to request a Welsh speaker when a professional called at his home to provide a service, despite the fact that his family are first language welsh. He acknowledged it was a matter of respect to be able to provide support to people using the services of the Rowan Organisation in their language of choice.

A service user and Direct Payment recipient thanked the Rowan Organisation in her opening address for opening the office and enabling her to speak in Welsh to receive her payroll services from the new office.

Mrs Gwenda Owen, a renown welsh singer from Carmarthenshire, paid tribute to the work of the organisation and described it as a ‘noble cause’ before she officially declared the new office open and cut the ribbon which was in the Organisation’s yellow colour.

For more information about Direct Payments, please contact The Rowan Organisation on 0800 783 1755 (English speakers) or 0800 783 8397 (Welsh speakers). Alternatively you can e-mail the organisation on info@therowan.org or look up the website at www.therowan.org. You can also enquire through your local social service contact centre.