Nominations are now open for a new award to recognise and celebrate care workers who’ve made a difference to people’s lives by providing care and support in Welsh.
The Caring in Welsh award is open to any paid care workers who work in social care or early years and childcare in Wales, and who provide excellent care through the medium of Welsh.
Social Care Wales is inviting members of the public, employers and those working in care to nominate a care worker.
Anyone interested in nominating a care worker will need to complete a nomination form, letting Social Care Wales know in no more than 250 words why the worker deserves to be recognised and the difference they have made to the life or lives of the person or people they support.
The worker can be a fluent Welsh speaker, know a little Welsh or be a learner, and they don’t have to be of a certain standard, as long as they use the language when providing care and support.
A shortlist of nominees will be agreed by a panel of judges and the public will then be invited to vote for the worker they think should win the award, which will be presented at the National Eisteddfod in Llanrwst on Tuesday 6 August 2019.
Sue Evans, Chief Executive of Social Care Wales, said: “For people who prefer to speak Welsh or for whom Welsh is their first language, getting care and support from someone who can speak their language is an important part of dignified, high-quality care.
“Even just a few words of Welsh can make a huge difference to those who are receiving care and support.
“We’re hoping this new award will not only shine a light on those workers who are providing excellent care through the medium of Welsh, but will also raise awareness of the need for more people who can speak the language to work in care.”
Anyone nominating a care worker will need to make sure the care worker is happy to be nominated before submitting their entry, as Social Care Wales will be using their story and images to help publicise the award, and promote the benefits and importance of providing care and support through the medium of Welsh.
Those interested in nominating a care worker should download and complete the nomination form available on Social Care Wales’s website at
socialcare.wales/caring-in-welsh, then send it:
• via email to events@socialcare.wales
• by post to Caring in Welsh, Social Care Wales, South Gate House, Wood Street, Cardiff CF10 1EW.
For more information, contact Social Care Wales via the routes above or on Twitter @socialcarewales or on Facebook at facebook.com/carecareerswales
The closing date for nominations is 3 July 2019.