Swansea University’s innovative app shortlisted for Welsh Government health awards

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'Gofalu Trwy’r Gymraeg’ (Caring through Welsh), an app created by Swansea University, has been shortlisted in the IT and the Welsh Language category of the Welsh Government’s Welsh Language in Health, Social Services and Social Care Awards 2014.

The app, which was funded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlathol’s grants scheme, and was launched at last year's National Eisteddfod in Denbigh, includes helpful healthcare-related words, terms and phrases. Its aim is to support and enable individuals working in the healthcare sector to use Welsh with patients, thus ensuring that Welsh-speaking patients can discuss their conditions using their preferred language.

Gofalu Trwy'r Gymraeg Small The ‘Gofalu Trwy’r Gymraeg’ app is voiced by former Swansea University student, Nia Parry. Nia is well-known for her work as a TV presenter on programmes such as Welsh in a Week and Hwb.

The app was based on a booklet created by Angharad Jones, lecturer at Swansea University’s College of Human and Health Sciences. The forty page booklet was given to the college’s students in 2011, with the aim of encouraging them to practice their Welsh in order to be able to offer a first class service to the public. By turning the booklet is an interactive learning tool, this handy resource is now available for everyone to use as needed.

‘Gofalu Trwy’r Gymraeg’ was nominated for the IT and the Welsh Language Award by Dr Gwenno Ffrancon, Director of Swansea University’s Academi Hywel Teifi.

Dr Ffrancon said: "Swansea University is delighted that the app has been shortlisted for the Awards. The app is the result of a successful collaboration between the College of Human and Health Sciences, Academi Hywel Teifi and the creative digital company, Galactig, and was made possible thanks to funding from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlathol”.

The IT and the Welsh Language Award carries a £1,000 prize, and Swansea University’s hope, if the app is successful, is to use the prize money to develop a similar project.

Dr Ffrancon said: “The app has been incredibly popular amongst healthcare sector workers, and our hope, if the app is successful at the Awards, is to build on its success and develop further resources that will help healthcare students throughout Wales to be able to speak to patients in Welsh, and to encourage students to take advantage of Welsh-medium courses in universities, which will help build their confidence to use their Welsh in the workplace”.

The Awards will be presented at the Words into Action Conference on 19 June 2014 at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay.

'Gofalu Trwy'r Gymraeg' is available to download via the App Store on iTunes.