Yesterday (Tuesday April 15) Wales First Minister, Carwyn Jones joined a group of Urdd Gobaith Cymru youngsters in Anglesey to launch the first Welsh App event directory of its kind for children and young people.
The free Fy Ardal App (my area) is the first comprehensive resource of its kind that gives children, young people and parents the opportunity to search for Welsh medium activities and events within their locality.
It provides a new Welsh platform via mobile phones and tablets offering grass roots information for children and young people who want to participate in Welsh language activities.
The project was funded thanks to support from the Welsh Government, Welsh Language Technology and Digital Media Grant.
By choosing category filters such as age, location and type of activity, individuals will find information that is relevant and of interest to them. Users are also able to share the information with friends through their e-mail and contacts within social networks e.g. Twitter and Facebook.
The new App offers not only details of Urdd Gobaith Cymru events across Wales, but also relevant partnership organisation information such as S4C, YFC, Mentrau Iaith, Twf, Tyfu and Merched y Wawr, plus others, all in one place.
One who has seen a preview of the new App is Carwyn Jones, 14, of Garreglefn, Anglesey. Carwyn said: “I think the new App is very useful. I love the fact that you can search for an event you’re interested in, mark the event on the App and it then appears in your calendar notifying you in good time that the event time is nearing. It saves my mother having to remind me to be somewhere at a specific time! The information is available to you at the tip of your fingers, and I can see many of my friends making good use of the App. It’s also great that there is user friendly software available to us in the Welsh language!”
The launch of the Fy Ardal App follows the success of the Urdd Eisteddfod Pembrokeshire 2013 App. During last year’s Eisteddfod period, over 13,000 people used the App to view the Maes map, schedule, activities and competition results. 95% of users gave a rating of 4 out of 5 for the Eisteddfod App. A new App for Meirionnydd’s Urdd Eisteddfod 2014 will be launched in May.
Efa Gruffudd Jones, Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s Chief Executive said: “Today is an important milestone, not only for the Urdd, but for the Welsh language and the youth of Wales. It is the first resource of its kind that provides information, at the tip of your fingers, about events in the Welsh language to young people.
“As an organisation, we pride ourselves in offering a dynamic and modern provision for our members and are pleased to be working with other organisations giving youngsters the opportunity to take advantage of activities through the medium of Welsh. By investing in modern technology, we offer real opportunities for young people to use their Welsh skills in socially. ”
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “Making sure that young people are able to speak Welsh outside the school gates is extremely important. The ‘Fy Ardal’ Ap is a valuable resource that enables young people to find out easily about exciting local activities and events, using modern technology.
“I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has been able to support the project with a grant of over £33,000 from our Welsh Language Technology and Digital Media grant scheme, which is designed to increase the amount of Welsh language technology and digital content available. I hope the app will lead to an increase in the numbers of young people attending Welsh medium events.”
The app is available to download free from the App Store for ipod, iphone or ipad and Google Play for android phones. The Urdd collaborated with two companies, Moilin and Lime Green Tangerine to develop the App.
