EVERYDAY use of the Welsh language must extend beyond classrooms into workplaces, communities and online spaces if it is to thrive, according to a new report.

The study, published by the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, highlights the need for greater investment in the social, cultural and digital environments where people live their daily lives.

The report, Cymraeg in every community: strengthening the Welsh language, focuses on areas where fewer than 40% of people speak Welsh. It examines how the language can become a more natural part of everyday life in these communities.

The Commission says that while education remains vital, it cannot carry the responsibility alone. Young people must have opportunities to use Welsh outside school, particularly in activities they enjoy such as sport, youth groups and cultural events.

Among its recommendations is the creation of a dedicated fund to boost Welsh-language content online, including support for young people producing digital media in Welsh.

The report builds on earlier work published in August 2024, which focused on areas with higher numbers of Welsh speakers.

Commission co-chair Dr Simon Brooks said: “To ensure Welsh is a national language that belongs to us all, its future as a community language must be secured in every part of Wales. We urge the next Welsh Government to act on these recommendations with ambition.”

Co-chair Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones added that there is strong appetite to use Welsh, but a lack of spaces to do so.

She said: “More than half of Welsh speakers live in areas where fewer than 40% of people speak the language. Public policy must create the right conditions for Welsh to flourish in everyday settings, with real investment in the spaces where people spend their time.”

She also pointed to international examples, including the Basque Country, where communities have actively created environments for their language to be used naturally.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford, said the Welsh Government remained committed to its target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

He said: “Significant progress has already been made, with 17 recommendations from the Commission’s first report implemented during this Senedd term. This latest report provides a strong foundation to build on that momentum.”

A NEW national framework aimed at securing a lasting legacy from the National Eisteddfod has been published jointly by the festival’s organisers and the Welsh Government.

The plan sets out how the Eisteddfod’s impact will be strengthened before, during and after each annual event, bringing together partners from across education, community development, culture, the economy and the Welsh language sector.

While each Eisteddfod reflects the identity of its host community, the framework aims to ensure long-term benefits are consistently delivered nationwide, rather than limited to the festival period.

The legacy programme will cover a wide range of areas including education, inclusion, digital innovation, volunteering and economic development, with new national and local structures designed to coordinate delivery more effectively.

A national project board will oversee the strategy, setting direction and sharing best practice year-on-year. At a local level, a steering group will drive community-based work, helping turn the Eisteddfod into a catalyst for lasting change.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford said the festival’s impact goes far beyond a single week.

“The Eisteddfod is far more than a week-long festival. It is a multi-year project that leaves a lasting legacy for the Welsh language and culture in the area,” he said.

“By bringing together partners from across key sectors, this framework will help deliver real and lasting change for our communities and support our ambition of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050.”

Nic Parry, President of the Eisteddfod Court and Chair of its Management Board, said the framework strengthens collaboration at both local and national level.

“It allows us to deliver on a long-held ambition to drive language planning through the lens of the National Eisteddfod,” he said.

“It also positions the Eisteddfod as a powerful tool for boosting local economies and supporting sustainable communities for future generations.”

Further details are expected later this year, with membership of the national project board due to be confirmed by mid-June.

A dedicated session at this year’s Eisteddfod will also gather evidence from the 2026 host area to help shape future plans for 2027 and 2028.

More information is available via the Eisteddfod’s legacy framework online.

Local success stories highlight surge as more than 20,000 people learn Welsh across Wales

A PEMBROKESHIRE-BASED Welsh tutor who once learned the language as an adult is now helping others follow in his footsteps — as new figures reveal a record number of people learning Welsh across Wales.

David Thomas, who teaches with Learn Welsh Pembrokeshire, began learning the language in 2016 after returning to Wales from London. He went on to win Welsh Learner of the Year at the AmGen Eisteddfod in 2021 and now teaches beginner courses locally.

He is joined by fellow tutor Gwilym Morgan, a Cardiff University student who teaches online courses while running his own business.

Their journeys come as new data shows that 20,445 people completed Welsh courses in 2024–2025 — the highest number ever recorded.

Figures released on Monday (Mar 17) by the National Centre for Learning Welsh show a 12% rise on the previous year, and a 61% increase since records began in 2017–2018.

The growth is being driven in part by flexible learning options and targeted programmes, including a major expansion in workplace training.

Nearly four in ten learners (39%) are now learning Welsh through their jobs — a total of 8,370 people — particularly in sectors such as health, social care and education.

Education watchdog Estyn has described the Centre as “one of the cornerstones of linguistic planning initiatives in the workplace.”

There has also been a sharp rise in younger learners. In 2024–2025, 4,110 people aged sixteen to twenty-four took part — a 56% increase on the previous year and a 483% rise since 2018–2019.

Overall, 17,350 learners were aged between sixteen and sixty-four.

Learners are also engaging more deeply, completing 34,960 learning activities over the year — up 12% on 2023–2024.

Dona Lewis, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Learning Welsh, said: “We’re delighted with these latest figures, which show consistent, steady growth in the number of people learning Welsh.

“The figures reflect the Centre’s strategic planning and the way it uses its expertise to reach new audiences — particularly in workplaces — supporting our aim of creating more Welsh speakers.”

Speaking about his own journey, David said learning Welsh had been life-changing.

“As someone who learned Welsh as an adult, I see it as a gateway to the whole culture of Wales,” he said.

“I know what it feels like to be in the classroom, so being able to introduce others to the language — and hopefully give them a positive experience — is really special.”

The National Centre for Learning Welsh leads the adult Welsh learning sector, working with providers across Wales to deliver courses ranging from beginner to advanced level, both in person and online.