Gwynedd Council Department Celebrates Success

Gwynedd Council receiving the recognition from representatives from Investors in People ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of Gwynedd Council’s departments has been recognised by an international organisation for leading and supporting its staff and has shown once again that the Council is leading the way in terms of bilingualism. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council’s Corporate Support Department has achieved the ‘Developing’ status under the new Generation 6 programme from Investors In People, becoming the first organisation to receive this qualification through the medium of Welsh. Investors In People is a worldwide organisation which sets the benchmark for people management, performance in the workplace and a measure of being a good and sustainable employer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The organisation is working with the Corporate Support Department to set a definitive structure to help develop and improve further. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for the Welsh Language said:“Once again, Gwynedd Council is leading the way when it comes to bilingualism – as both an employer and a service provider. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Not only is the Council’s Corporate Support Department the first local authority in Wales to achieve the new Investors In People Generation 6 accreditation, but it also was the first to gain the accreditation through the medium of Welsh. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Investors In People has noted that it will use this experience for other Welsh organisations. In fact, they have recognised the contribution the Council has made towards translating and testing the Welsh materials and to demonstrate the need for the exercise itself to be held through the medium of Welsh.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council will continue to work with Investors In People to build on this achievement in order to strengthen its good name both as an employer and as a service provider. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Peredur Jenkins, Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for Human Resources, said: “Gwynedd Council provides a range of services for the people of the county and is a major employer in the area. Like all other local authorities in the country, Gwynedd is facing changes and challenges brought about by funding cuts and the Corporate Support Department plays a key role in supporting front line colleagues to do more with less. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This Investors In People standard is testament to the department’s ability to embrace change and continue to put the customer at the heart of services, no matter how difficult the circumstances. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a Council, I hope the authority can learn from this process and use the experience not only to help this department improve further but also to help improve the Council as a whole.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Jenny Trickett from Investors In People Wales said: “The Corporate Support Department is an Investors in People organisation both in spirit and in practice. Everyone involved has shown their dedication to their people and to the Council and to the citizens of Gwynedd. The accreditation is well-deserved.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​