If the Welsh Government is serious about meeting its goal of getting one million Welsh speakers by the time 2050 rolls around, getting young people to learn and love the language is vital.
But unless something is done to keep Welsh people living in this region, the government in Cardiff will be whistling against the wind. Action needs to be taken now to keep youngsters in rural Wales regardless of what language they choose to speak.
Few by necessity would want to leave this region if they can avoid it — but that means having homes that are affordable and in plentiful supply, and good paying secure employment to go hand in hand.
Any initiative that encourages young people to stay here is worthy of support.
With out-migration of families and young people being recognised as one of the main reasons for a decline in the number of Welsh speakers, Llwyddo’n Lleol aims to persuade those who are most likely to go, or who have already left, that there is a future and economic prosperity for them in rural areas of west Wales.
Llwyddo’n Lleol’s ARFOR project, created as part of a plan in Gwynedd and Anglesey during the first phase, has been a great success. Now, some £3 million in funding has been secured to extend the programme into Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “It’s excellent news that the work on ARFOR is continuing.”
ARFOR 2 is an £11m programme funded by the Welsh Government through a co-operation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.
The aim is to pilot innovative methods of promoting entrepreneurship and creating quality jobs in the four counties, to support the survival and growth of the Welsh language, and phase two of the programme will continue until 2025.
If we want to build a secure and thriving future — one where Welsh-language speakers can thrive in flourishing local communities — this is a good step.
It’s just that the road ahead seems so very long and many more steps need to be taken. Speaking the Welsh language alone won’t pay a mortgage.