This exciting post enables the postholder to play an active role in the development of opportunities for students to use the Welsh language in their studies for the BA (Hons) Social Work (Wales) at the Open University (OU) in Wales. The OU is committed to meeting the needs of Welsh students, while our commitment to educational opportunity and social justice are encapsulated in our mission statement, in that ‘The Open University is open to people, places, methods and ideas’.
The Social Work Programme encourages students and staff to use the Welsh language, whatever their level of ability. In practice, this includes the delivery of bilingual face to face workshops (depending on the language skills of tutors), electronic communication, and provision of key documents in the medium of Welsh. Students can complete the academic and practice elements of the degree in Welsh and/or English, and our students welcome this choice.
Your role will be to take a lead in ensuring adequate and appropriate support for Welsh speaking students as they study for the social work degree (both academically and in their practice learning settings), focussing on the practice learning modules.
You will build on what has already been achieved by supporting students, updating resources and taking a role in staff development to enable tutors and others to provide appropriate support with regard to the Welsh language. You will also work with the social work team in Wales and Milton Keynes to ensure appropriate support with regard to the Welsh Language within a four nation UK-wide perspective.
You will also engage with the academic community in Wales and further afield, through collaboration with partners, Social Care Wales, and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), as well as with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. You will also contribute to the academic life of the Social Work Department, and will develop your own academic profile.
