AN ambitious bid has been launched to boost the numbers of children and young people speaking Welsh in Pembrokeshire.

Pembrokeshire County Council has introduced a siartir Iaith (language charter) in 20 Welsh-medium and dual-stream schools.

Entitled ‘Nerth ein Pen’ (‘At the tops of our voices’), the siarter aims to give children and young people more opportunities to use Welsh in their everyday lives outside the classroom.

For example, children will be encouraged to speak Welsh to each other in the playground, in the corridors and at lunch, and with all teachers and school staff - not just during their lessons.

They will also be encouraged to use the language more in a variety of social situations outside school, as well as listening to more Welsh-language music, watching Welsh-language television and DVDs.

Other ideas of incorporating the Welsh language more into their daily lives include using technology through the medium of Welsh – for example, apps, the internet and texting.

But the siartir doesn’t just target school pupils – it invites the whole school community, from parents to school staff, governors, and people from the local area – to provide more opportunities for children to speak Welsh and embed the language into their everyday lives.

Over the next three years, each school participating in the siartir will have the chance to win a bronze, silver or gold charter award.

Cllr Cris Tomos, cabinet member for the environment and Welsh language in Pembrokeshire, said: “By working closely with groups such as the Mudiad Meithrin (Welsh-language nurseries), the Urdd, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Menter Iaith and Merched y Wawr, we hope that the use of Welsh language will be embedded firmly in the culture, communities and heritage of the County.

“In order to reach the Welsh Government’s target, it’s essential that children and young people have the opportunities to use the language in a number of different situations.”

The background to the introduction of the siartir is the Welsh Government’s bid to achieve one million Welsh speakers in Wales by 2050.