International Romani Day: A time for celebration, a call for solidarity

April 9, 2024April 9, 2024 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

Allison Hulmes, Senior Lecturer in Social Work, shares Romani history, past and contemporary struggles, and a call for allyship.

Romani flag — The flag consists of a background of blue and green, representing the heavens and earth, respectively; it also contains a 16-spoke red dharmachakra, or cartwheel, in the center.

International Romani Day, which takes place each year on 8th April, is a day for celebrating the Romani people, our history, culture, and ethnic identity. It’s also an opportunity to shine a light on the issues that affect Romani people in the UK and internationally, not least the continued racism, stereotyping, and inequality gaps in health, education, and housing.

We have officially celebrated International Romani Day since 1990 when it was decided during the 4th meeting of the World Romani Congress in Poland. The roots of this important day can be traced however to a meeting of international Romani representatives in London in 1971, a meeting which is now accepted as the first-ever World Romani Congress.

During meetings of the World Romani Congress, delegates discuss key issues for Romani people. The primary issues remain linked to human rights and advancement our in civil society, the preservation of Romani culture and dialects, our identity as a minority of Indian origin, and ensuring that the Roma and Sinti Holocaust is never forgotten.

International Romani Day Timeline

1,500 Years Ago

The Exodus: The Roma start leaving northern India.

1100s

Arriving in Europe: Roma groups begin to arrive in medieval Europe.

1971

World Romani Congress: Twenty-three representatives from nine different nations attend the first World Romani Congress in the United Kingdom.

1990

An Official Declaration: Delegates at the fourth World Romani Congress in Poland officially declare April 8 as the International Day of the Romani People.

Map of Romani Migration

License & Copyright

Map uploaded by Arienne King, published on 26 January 2023. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.

The Map shows the movement of the Romani people between approximately 500 and 1500 CE. The dates used on this map are commonly accepted approximations based on historical accounts and linguistic evidence. Some dates, such as the timeframe in which Romani speakers moved out of the Indian subcontinent, can only be loosely estimated based on linguistic and genetic research.

An increasingly hostile environment

It is important to know that British Gypsies are a legally protected ethnicity for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 and are therefore protected from discrimination based on our ethnicity.

“The Equality Act 2010 says you must not be discriminated against because of your race. In the Equality Act, race can mean your colour, or your nationality (including your citizenship). It can also mean your ethnic or national origins. Race also covers ethnic and racial groups. This means a group of people who all share the same protected characteristic of ethnicity or race. A racial group can be made up of two or more distinct racial groups, for example black Britons, British Asians, British Sikhs, British Jews, Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers.”

In the UK, Romani people are more familiarly known as Romany Gypsies (although our European Roma Brothers and Sisters have been settling in the UK since the early 1980s) and despite an increasingly hostile environment since the implementation of Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 there have been some moments of light in the advancement of human rights for British Gypsies. In September 2022 the Court of Appeal decided that the 2015 planning definition of Gypsies and Travellers in England, was discriminatory.

“The 2015 planning definition states that Gypsies and Travellers who have permanently stopped travelling for work due to a disability, long-term health condition or age will not get planning permission to stop on their own land and will not have their accommodation needs assessed and met through this policy.”

This judgement is a victory for the tenacity of Lisa Smith who initiated the case, the organisations and legal teams who supported the action, and significantly, for human rights in the UK at a time when state sanctioned oppression under the present Government in the UK, seems determined to take a steam roller to our fundamental rights and freedoms.

As an ethnic Romani Gypsy and a Social Worker, I ask you to honour our important day by learning more about us and defending our human rights by standing alongside us in allyship and solidarity.

Allison Hulmes is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Swansea University and a co-founding member of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Social Work Association.

Challenging times or just an opportunity? | Cyfnod heriol neu gyfle yn unig?

July 27, 2021February 7, 2022 ~ Mandy Jack ~ 1 Comment

Professor Martin Stringer was born in Tanzania educated in the North of England and currently the Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at Swansea University, South West Wales. Martin has been in higher education for just over 20 years and in his own words, he joined the profession, primarily through the love of teaching. He affirms that, the engagement with students, challenging their assumptions, and watching their growth in critical skills and knowledge, continues to give him a buzz. Leaving the University of Birmingham in 2015, Professor Stringer joined Swansea University as a Pro-Vice-Chancellor, where he has the massive responsibility for learning and teaching and student experience. He continues to place, increasing student voice and putting students at the centre of all decisions around learning and teaching, and their welfare, at the heart of what he does. The concept of interdisciplinary work and inclusivity is threaded through all the successful projects Martin has been involved in, from his theological work to his responsibilities in his current role as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for education at Swansea. In this episode, Martin talks to us about some of these things.

Transcript

Ganed Yr Athro Martin Stringer yn Nhanzania a addysgwyd yng Ngogledd Lloegr ac ar hyn o bryd yr Uwch Ddirprwy Is-ganghellor Dros Addysg ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe De Orllewin Cymru Mae Martin wedi bod mewn addysg uwch ers ychydig dros 20 mlynedd ac yn ei eiriau ei hun, ymunodd â’r proffesiwn, yn bennaf drwy gariad at addysgu. Mae’n cadarnhau, mae’r ymgysylltu â myfyrwyr, herio eu rhagdybiaethau, a gwylio eu twf mewn sgiliau a gwybodaeth feirniadol, yn parhau i roi gwefr iddo. Gan adael Prifysgol Birmingham yn 2015, ymunodd yr Athro Stringer â Phrifysgol Abertawe fel Dirprwy Is-ganghellor, lle mae ganddo’r cyfrifoldeb enfawr dros ddysgu ac addysgu a phrofiad myfyrwyr. Mae’n parhau i osod, cynyddu llais myfyrwyr a rhoi myfyrwyr wrth wraidd pob penderfyniad ynghylch dysgu ac addysgu, a’u lles, wrth wraidd yr hyn y mae’n ei wneud. Mae’r cysyniad o waith rhyngddisgyblaethol a chynwysoldeb yn cael ei edafu drwy’r holl brosiectau llwyddiannus y mae Martin wedi bod yn ymwneud â’u gwaith diwinyddol, o’i waith diwinyddol i’w gyfrifoldebau yn ei rôl bresennol fel Dirprwy Is-ganghellor dros addysg yn Abertawe. Yn y bennod hon mae Martin yn siarad â ni am rai o’r pethau hyn.

Trawsgrifio

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A Pinch of SALT | Blas ar ddysgu ac addysgu gyda SALT

July 16, 2021October 31, 2022 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

Listen to Martin’s episode[

Gwrando ar bennod Martin

Inspiration from others | Ysbrydoliaeth gan Eraill

June 16, 2021November 2, 2022 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

I attended the University of Edinburgh Learning and Teaching conference on 15^th June. They opened their first day to outsiders which was a nice taster of what was to come over the three-day event. Opened by their dignitaries, to be expected, which was interesting and heartening to hear the similarities in our institutions over the last year’s hard graft by staff and students. They too celebrated their HEA fellows and encouraged others to engage with their process.

The two keynote speakers that followed were excellent and generated lots of discussion on the webinar Q&A. The first was “Curriculum Considerations In Supercomplex Times” from Kerri-Lee Krause who is Provost and Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Avondale University College, Australia (UoE’s VP is from Australia so there was a connection). This was a very interesting discussion and sharing of her research into transforming the curriculum. She posed 4 questions: Q1 What is Curriculum Transformation? Q2 Why bother about is Curriculum Transformation? Q3 Who is leading Curriculum Transformation? And Q4 How will you engage with Curriculum Transformation? She encouraged us all to answer them either in the chat or just on paper. I tweeted the questions and then added my personal response. I thought that it would be interesting for us as a team to respond, even without listening to @kerrileekrause presentation I think it would be an excellent exercise for us all to consider as we are all academic developers. You can find my tweets @mandyjjack the direct links to each question tweets are above.

The second keynote Rowena Arshad, Professor Emerita and Personal Chair of Multicultural and Anti-Racist Education, University of Edinburgh, “Diversity in Learning and Teaching: Is Inclusion Truly Available?” This was a very powerful address where Rowena discussed a more holistic approach. The key points she discussed:

Inclusive – and the need to considers the diversity of learners, the ethos of the space, the language, curriculum content, and pedagogic approaches.
Antiracist – the challenges of it, the values and structures that perpetuate systematic racism.
Decolonising the curriculum – and the need to critically examine the power and the history. That it isn’t simply adding a varied range of sources in our reading lists. It is not just about adding diversity, but learning from different perspectives, and about a different, more collective vision.

I couldn’t attend in the afternoon, but here is the link to their blog there are some interesting titles and some have useful links within their blurb that may be work a look. If the recording to the keynotes is distributed I’ll add it.

Gwnes i fynychu cynhadledd Dysgu ac Addysgu Prifysgol Caeredin ar 15 Mehefin. Roedd y diwrnod cyntaf ar agor i bobl o’r tu allan a oedd yn rhagflas hyfryd o’r hyn a oedd i ddod yn ystod y digwyddiad dros dridiau. Agorwyd y gynhadledd gan eu pobl bwysig hwy, a oedd i’w ddisgwyl, ac roedd yn ddiddorol ac yn galonogol clywed y pethau tebyg yn ein sefydliadau dros y flwyddyn anodd ddiwethaf o waith caled gan staff a myfyrwyr. Roedden nhw hefyd yn dathlu eu Cymrodorion yr Academi Addysg Uwch gan annog eraill i gymryd rhan yn eu proses.

Roedd y ddau brif siaradwr a ddilynodd hyn yn rhagorol gan ysgogi llawer o drafodaeth yn y sesiwn holi ac ateb. Y cyflwyniad cyntaf oedd “Curriculum Considerations In Supercomplex Times” gan Kerri-Lee Krause sy’n Brofost ac yn Uwch Ddirprwy Is-ganghellor yng Ngholeg Prifysgol Avondale, Awstralia (daw Is-ganghellor Prifysgol Caeredin hefyd o Awstralia, felly roedd cysylltiad). Roedd hi’n drafodaeth hynod ddiddorol gan rannu ei hymchwil ym maes trawsnewid y cwricwlwm. Gofynnodd 4 cwestiwn: C1 Beth yw Trawsnewid y Cwricwlwm? C2 Pam mae eisiau Trawsnewid y Cwricwlwm? C3 Pwy sy’n arwain Trawsnewid y Cwricwlwm? A C4 Sut byddwch chi’n cyfranogi gyda Thrawsnewid y Cwricwlwm? Gwnaeth ein hannog ni i gyd i’w hateb naill ai yn y sgwrs neu ar bapur. Gwnes i drydaru’r cwestiynau ac yna ychwanegu fy ymatebion personol. Roeddwn yn meddwl y byddai’n ddiddorol i ni fel tîm ymateb, hyd yn oed heb wrando ar gyflwyniad @kerrileekrause, roeddwn yn meddwl y byddai’n ymarfer rhagorol i ni oll ei ystyried gan ein bod i gyd yn ddatblygwyr academaidd. Gallwch ddod o hyd i’m trydarau yn @mandyjjack, mae’r dolenni uniongyrchol i bob cwestiwn uchod.

Yr ail brif siaradwr oedd Rowena Arshad, Athro Emeritws a Chadair Bersonol Addysg Amlddiwylliannol a Gwrth-hiliol, Prifysgol Caeredin, “Diversity in Learning and Teaching: Is Inclusion Truly Available?” Roedd hwn yn anerchiad pwerus iawn lle bu Rowena’n trafod ymagwedd fwy cyfannol. Dyma’r prif bwyntiau allweddol y gwnaeth eu trafod:

Cynhwysol – a’r angen i ystyried amrywiaeth dysgwyr, ethos gofod, yr iaith, cynnwys y cwricwlwm ac ymagweddau addysgegol
Gwrth-hiliol – ei heriau, a gwerthoedd a strwythurau sy’n gadael i hiliaeth systematig barhau.
Dad-drefedigaethu’r Cwricwlwm – a’r angen i archwilio pŵer a hanes yn feirniadol. Nid ychwanegu ystod amrywiol o ffynonellau at ein rhestrau darllen yn syml yw hyn. Nid ychwanegu amrywiaeth yw hyn chwaith ond dysgu o safbwyntiau gwahanol ac am weledigaeth wahanol ac y cyd.

Doeddwn i ddim yn gallu bod yn bresennol yn y pnawn, ond dyma ddolen i’w blog mae teitlau diddorol iawn a rhai dolenni hynod ddefnyddiol yn yr wybodaeth a allai fod o fudd ichi. Os bydd y recordiad o’r prif siaradwyr yn cael ei ddosbarthu, bydda i’n ei ychwanegu.[:]

Teaching intelligence: how to support visually impaired students Deallusrwydd Addysgu: sut i gefnogi myfyrwyr sydd â nam ar y golwg

February 4, 2020July 6, 2022 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

[:en]Our own transcription centre is featured in the Times Higher Education article on January 25 2020. Katharine Swindells writes that subjects traditionally closed to visually impaired learners are being opened up by new tech. She says that universities must provide policies, training and resources to match. Some institutions are leading the way, says Swindells. At Swansea University we have a transcription centre that provides all learning materials in accessible formats free of charge to print-disabled students. Read the full Times Higher Education article: Teaching intelligence: how to support visually impaired students

[:cy]Mae ein canolfan trawsgrifio wedi ymddangos ar erthygl Times Higher Education ar Ionawr 25ain 2020. Mae Katharine Swindells yn sôn bod pynciau byddai, yn draddodiadol, ar gau i ddysgwyr â nam ar y golwg yn dechrau agor gan dechnoleg newydd. Mae hi’n dweud dylai prifysgolion darparu polisïau, hyfforddiant ac adnoddau i gydweddu. Mae rhai sefydliadau yn arwain y ffordd, dywed Swindells. Ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe mae gennym ni ganolfan trawsgrifiad sydd yn darparu adnoddau dysgu mewn ffyrdd hygyrch, am ddim, i fyfyrwyr print-anabl. Darllenwch erthygl lawn Times Higher Education: Deallusrwydd Addysgu: sut i gefnogi myfyrwyr sydd â nam ar y golwg

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[:en]A month in the life of a Widening Access team…[:cy]Un mis ym mywyd tîm Llydanu Mynediad[:]

July 18, 2019 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

[:en]…with Reaching Wider and Step Up to Swansea University

Alice Davies
Partnership Manager
South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership

June is often a busy month for Widening Access teams and this is certainly true of the Reaching Wider team at the University.

Over the course of June we ran a huge variety of events delivering 2,132 hours of engagement to 650 participants and 624 hours of employment and training to Swansea University students. Here’s a snapshot of the engagements that have happened throughout the month of June.

Primary schools (Years 5 and 6)

Our primary school interventions are designed to deliver a positive introduction to Higher Education, provide positive learning experiences in different subjects, and support pupils to discover new skills and build on existing ones especially literacy and numeracy. Through June, we ran an after school STEM club giving Year 5 pupils hands on experience of running their own science experiments and we’ve delivered a boys’ reading club to encourage boys to read more. We’ve also brought hundreds of pupils onto campus to explore the University and interview students and we’ve sent subject workshops into schools from castles to maggots!

Secondary schools 11- 16

Our secondary school interventions are designed to introduce pupils to the benefits of progressing to Higher Education. We provide opportunities for pupils to explore and develop their academic and employment aspirations, broaden their subject knowledge and develop their academic skills.

In June, we ran the Megamaths intra-school competition with our highest ever attendee rate of over 140 pupils, subject taster workshops, a confidence and well-being programme for girls, an engineering day in partnership with Tata Steel and campus visits for Year 9 pupils.

Photo – Tweet from winning school from Megamaths event.

Care experienced young people

We run activities for care experienced young people throughout the year and June is no different. The term “care experienced” refers to anyone who has been, or is currently in care. This care may have been provided in many different settings, such as foster care or residential care. In June we brought a group of care experienced children from primary schools across Swansea onto campus to take part in a range of different subject themed activities. We have developed our after school club by working with The Roots Foundation Wales to bring young people onto campus once a week to take part in different activities whilst also providing peer support to each other.

Year 12 and FE College students

Our post 16 interventions are designed to help students make informed choices that align with their personal interests and career aspirations and also aim to support students to make successful applications and transitions to university. During the month of June, we ran a Year 12 conference offering students taster sessions in a huge range of subjects whilst supporting them to develop academic skills. We also ran a Paramedic Science Taster day and took a group of 6^th form students out on the new research boat to discover marine biology through the medium of Welsh. Support was also offered through a UCAS and Finance day which provided students on guidance on how to make successful University applications and information on funding available.

Without supportive colleges across academic colleges and professional services this work would not be possible. From the catering staff that make the students welcome when serving them lunch, to the inspiring lecturers who help students see a subject in a new light, to the professional services colleagues who help demystify student finance and UCAS. Everyone has a part to play in making a Higher Education accessible to all.

June has been busy and July is set to be just as busy with residential programmes designed to provide a taste of student life happening on both Bay and Singleton campuses alongside campus visits and parents’ workshops. If you’d like to find out more or work with Reaching Wider please contact reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk[:cy]Alice Davies
Rheolwr Partneriaeth
Partneriaeth Ymgyrraedd Yn Ehangach De Orllewin Cymru

…gydag Ymgyrraedd yn Ehangach a Chamu Ymlaen i Brifysgol Abertawe.

Mae mis Mehefin yn aml yn fis prysur i dimau Llydanu Mynediad ac mae hyn yn wir iawn i dîm Ymgyrraedd yn Ehangach yn y Brifysgol.
Yn ystod mis Mehefin, fe wnaethon ni cynnal amrywiaeth fawr o ddigwyddiadau, gan ddosbarthu 2,132 oriau o ddylanwad i 650 o gyfranogwyr a 624 awr o gyflogaeth a hyfforddiant i fyfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe. Dyma giplun o’r dylanwadau sydd wedi digwydd trwy gydol mis Mehefin.

Ysgolion cynradd (Blynyddoedd 5 a 6)
Mae ein hymyriadau ysgolion cynradd wedi’u ddylunio i roi cyflwyniad positif i Addysg Uwch, darparu profiadau dysgu positif mewn pynciau gwahanol, a chefnogi disgyblion i ddarganfod sgiliau newydd ac i adeiladu ar rhai newydd yn enwedig llythrennedd a rhifedd. Trwy gydol mis Mehefin, fe wnaethon ni cynnal clwb ar ôl ysgol STEM, gan roi profiad i blant Blwyddyn 5 profiad ymarferol o redeg ymarferion gwyddoniaeth eu hun ac fe wnaethon ni rhedeg clwb darllen bechgyn i’w annog nhw i ddarllen mwy. Rydym hefyd wedi dod â channoedd o ddisgyblion i’r campws i edrych o gwmpas y Brifysgol ac i gyfweld â myfyrwyr. Rydym hefyd wedi gwneud gweithdai pwnc i ysgolion, o gestyll i chwilod!

Ysgolion Uwchradd 11 – 16
Mae ein hymyriadau ysgol uwchradd wedi’u ddylunio i gyflwyno i fyfyrwyr y buddiannau o symud ymlaen i Addysg Uwch. Rydym yn rhoi cyfleoedd i ddisgyblion i archwilio a datblygu eu dyheadau academig a chyflogaeth, ehangu eu gwybodaeth pwnc a datblygu eu sgiliau academig.
Ym mis Mehefin, fe wnaethon ni rhedeg Megamaths, cystadleuaeth rhyng-ysgol, gyda’r nifer uchelaf o fynychwyr o dros 140 o ddisgyblion, gweithdai blasu pwnc, rhaglen hyder a buddiant i ferched, diwrnod peirianneg mewn perthynas â Tata Steel ac ymweliadau campws i ddisgyblion Blwyddyn 9.

Llun – tweet o ysgol fuddugol o’r digwyddiad Megamaths.

Plant ifanc sydd wedi cael profiad gofal
Rydym yn rhedeg gweithgareddau ar gyfer pobl ifanc sydd wedi cael profiad gofal trwy gydol y flwyddyn ac nid yw mis Mehefin yn wahanol. Mae’r term “wedi cael profiad gofal” yn cyfeirio at unrhyw un sydd wedi, neu o hyd mewn gofal. Efallai bod y gofal wedi cael ei ddarparu mewn nifer o wahanol sefyllfaoedd megis, gofal maeth neu ofal preswyl. Ym mis Mehefin fe wnaethon ni ddod â grŵp o blant gyda phrofiad gofal, o ysgolion ledled Abertawe, i’r campws i gymryd rhan mewn amrywiaeth o weithgareddau mewn pynciau gwahanol. Rydym wedi datblygu clwb ar ôl ysgol gan weithio gyda ‘The Roots Foundation Wales’ i ddod a phobl ifanc i’r campws unwaith yr wythnos iddynt gymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau gwahanol wrth ddarparu cymorth cyfoed i’w gilydd.

Blwyddyn 12 a myfyrwyr Coleg Addysg Bellach
Mae ein ymyriadau ôl-16 wedi’u ddylunio i helpu myfyrwyr gwneud dewisiadau wybodus sy’n alinio gyda’u diddordebau personol a dyheadau gyrfa ac hefyd gyda’r bwriad i gefnogi fyfyrwyr i wneud ceisiadau llwyddiannus a thrawsnewidiad i’r Brifysgol. Yn ystod mis Mehefin, fe wnaethon ni rhedeg cynhadledd i flwyddyn 12 gan gynnig sesiynau blasu i fyfyrwyr mewn amrywiaeth o bynciau a chefnogi nhw i ddatblygu sgiliau academaidd. Fe wnaethon ni rhedeg diwrnod Blasu Gwyddor Barafeddygol gan fynd â grŵp o fyfyrwyr 6ed dosbarth allan ar y cwch ymchwil newydd i ddarganfod bioleg morol trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg. Roedd cymorth ar gael trwy cynnal diwrnod UCAS a Cyllid, fe wnaeth rhoi cyfarwyddyd i fyfyrwyr sut i wneud cais llwyddiannus i’r Brifysgol a gwybodaeth o’r ariannu sydd ar gael.

Heb golegau cefnogol ar draws colegau academig a gwasanaethau proffesiynol, ni fyddai’r gwaith yn bosib. O’r staff arlwyo sy’n croesawi’r myfyrwyr wrth weini cinio, i’r darlithwyr ysbrydoledig sydd yn helpu myfyrwyr i weld pwnc mewn ffordd wahanol, i’r gwasanaethau proffesiynol sy’n disyfrdanu cyllid myfyrwyr a UCAS. Mae gan bawb rhan i’w chwarae i helpu gwneud Addysg Uwch yn hygyrch i bawb.
Mae mis Mehefin wedi bod yn brysur iawn ac mae mis Gorffennaf yr un mor brysur gyda rhaglenni preswyl wedi dylunio i rhoi blas o fywyd myfyrwyr, ar gampws y Bae a Singleton, yn unol ag ymweliadau campws a gweithdai rhieni. Os hoffech ddarganfod mwy neu gweithio gydag Ymgyrraedd yn Ehangach, cysylltwch â reachingwider@swansea.ac.uk

Alice Davies
Rheolwr Partneriaeth
Partneriaeth Ymgyrraedd Yn Ehangach De Orllewin Cymru[:]

[:en]A day in the life of the LGBT+ officer[:cy]Diwrnod ym mywyd swyddog LHDT+[:]

February 11, 2019 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

[:en]

As the (open place) officer I work with students and staff to improve equality, diversity, and LGBT+ representation. Alongside this I am also in the process of completing my PhD in Economics, researching the role of sexual orientation in the economy. Recently I was honoured to have earned my inclusivity badge due to the work that I have done within the Students Union in terms of pushing inclusivity at the University. I was asked to write a short blog on this, and thought the best way to do so would be to discuss “a day in the life of the LGBT+ officer”

I woke up on Friday, had a shower, got dressed, had some avocado and eggs on toast (I’m a millennial I can’t help it) and made my way to Singleton. I decided to work in JC’s, because let’s face it they make the best flat white. Fridays are my day off the PhD and are normally devoted entirely to LGBT+ officer stuff. Being the LGBT+ officer can be very challenging due to it being a voluntary unpaid role which I have to balance alongside the PhD but for me it is the most rewarding thing, as I get to make real change at the University that can have real impact on people’s lives.

So, I opened my laptop, opened my LGBT+ officer email account and (as always) I was unsurprisingly inundated with emails. However, I genuinely enjoyed reading through them. Email number 1;
“Hi Sam, just wanted to let you know that we have an update on the Rainbow Laces campaign: we sold over 150 laces meaning a grand total of over £400 for Stonewall! Congrats! Rainbow Laces was the first campaign that I ran this year. The Rainbow Laces campaign is a Pride in Sports campaign run by Stonewall and I really wanted to introduce it at Swansea University as I myself have struggled with the anxieties of joining sports teams due to a fear of homophobia in sports (I now play Korfball which is super fun and super-inclusive). This year we introduced Rainbow Laces at Swansea University. We asked students to wear these throughout the week to show their solidarity with LGBT+ students and encourage them to feel welcome in joining sports. Next year we hope to encourage students to wear Rainbow Laces at Freshers Fair to signal to students that they will be welcomed within the respective wearers’ sport.

Email number 2; “Hi Sam, just a quick email, I have sent the below”. The email was from Grace Hannaford the Welfare Officer in the Students Union (who has devoted an unimaginable amount of her time to help me run the campaigns that I want to run (I couldn’t have done any of this without her). Grace was letting me know that she had just sent over an email about Bathroom Facilities on Singleton Campus. Me and Grace have been working hard over the past few months to increase the number of Gender-Neutral bathrooms on the Singleton campus. Gender Neutral toilets are important to trans and non-binary students; when speaking to students as part of the consultation one student explained that they often missed lectures due to needing to use the bathroom and not wanting to do so on campus due to the gendered toilets and a fear of being misgendered and this resulting in abuse. Grace and I were sending an email to get an update on how we can improve these facilities, and (hopefully) we will see some changes in the coming months.

Email number 3; “Hey! Here are the promo materials for LGBT+ History Month, hope you like them!”. The email was from the marketing assistant in the Students Union and I have to say the poster was GREAT!!! This year I really wanted to introduce more events in LGBT+ History month as well as a pride style event. With the help of Grace and Russ (the events manager at the SU) we have been able to create a programme of some amazing events (which can be found here; https://www.facebook.com/events/ical/upcoming/?uid=638560602&key=AQDw_lHcd1CJ8aap). One such event is Rainbow Grow; an event where we will be giving out potted rainbow chard to students and staff to encourage sustainability as well as raise awareness of LGBT+ history month (Rainbows; get it?). We have also introduced an interactive exhibition in both JC’s and Tafarn Tawe. The exhibit involves writing on a heart a response to the question “Pride is important because?” SUSU Pride will take place on 22^nd February and is set to be a super packed day. Starting in JC’s at 2pm we will have several panel discussions tackling different questions and themes surrounding LGBT+ issues in society today, such as Faith and Sexuality, Trans inclusivity and why it is important, and why PRIDE is still needed. This will be followed by some LGBT+ comedians before a night of Bingo. Yep, that’s right, I am getting students to play Bingo. With a twist though obviously! Bingo Lingo is an “exhilarating, party, raving, mad bingo night” and students love it! So, we will be queering it up a bit, giving some crazy prizes away, and celebrating everything LGBT+ for a night of Bingo at the Refectory.

Email number 4; “Hi Sam, looking forward to seeing you today so we can make some progress on the training” – Damn! Completely forgot that I had that meeting, and it’s in 10 minutes. The meeting was with Mandy Jack (SALT). Mandy and I have been working on a project that we hope will result in a new short film that will highlight the different needs of minority students and encourage staff to be more inclusive in their approach. The film will cover several minorities such as LGBTQIA+ identities, commuter students, Welsh language students, students with disabilities, etc. We hope to have the film ready later this year. The meeting was great; we discussed the project in more detail, decided who we would consult to get some feedback on the script, and set things in motion to move forward with the project. Plus, Mandy gave me my Inclusivity badge, a gesture that highlighted that the work that I was putting into making students and staff that are LGBTQIA+ more comfortable at University was worth it. I now wear my badge with pride, knowing that it signals to both staff and students that I am inclusive, will listen, and will do my best to help them, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. Thank you Mandy!![:cy]

Fel swyddog (lle agored) rydw i’n gweithio gyda myfyrwyr a staff i wella cydraddoldeb, amrywiaeth a chynrychiolaeth LHDT+. Ochr yn ochr â hwn, rydw i yn y broses o gwblhau Doethuriaeth yn economeg, yn ymchwilio rôl tueddfryd rhywiol yn yr economi. Yn ddiweddar, roeddwn i wedi anrhydeddu cael fy mathodyn cynwysoldeb oherwydd y gwaith rydw i wedi gwneud o fewn yr Undeb Myfyrwyr yn nhermau hyrwyddo cynwysoldeb yn y Brifysgol. Gofynnwyd i mi ysgrifennu blog byr ar hwn a feddylies y ffordd orau o wneud hwn oedd trafod “diwrnod ym mywyd swyddog LHDT+”.

Dihunais ar Ddydd Gwener, cael cawod, gwisgo a bwyta afocado ac wyau ar dost (rwy’n filflynyddol dwi fethu helpu’r peth) a gwneud fy ffordd i Singleton. Penderfynais i weithio yn JC’s gan ei bod nhw’n gwneud y coffi gwyn fflat gorau, rhaid cyfaddef. Mae Ddydd Gwener yn ddiwrnod bant o’r radd doethuriaeth ac fel arfer yn ymroddedig i’m rôl o swyddog LHDT+. Mae bod yn swyddog LHDT+ yn gallu fod yn heriol iawn gan ei fod yn waith gwirfoddol heb dal rydw i’n gorfod cydbwyso ynghyd y radd doethuriaeth. Ond i mi, mae’n werth chweil gan fy mod yn gallu gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr yn y Brifysgol sydd yn cael effaith go iawn ar fywydau pobl.

Felly, agorais fy ngliniadur, agor fy nghyfrif e-bost swyddog LHDT+ ac fel arfer roedd yna orlif o e-byst. Ond, wnes i wirioneddol mwynhau darllen drwyddynt. E-bost rhif 1;
“Hello Sam, jyst eisiau rhoi gwybod i ti bod gen i ddiweddariad ar ymgyrch ‘Rainbow Laces’: rydym wedi gwerthu dros 150 o lasys sy’n golygu dros £400 i Stonewall! Llongyfarchiadau!”. ‘Rainbow Laces’ oedd yr ymgyrch gyntaf i mi redeg y flwyddyn yma. Mae ymgyrch ‘Rainbow Laces’ yn ymgyrch wedi rhedeg gan Stonewall ar gyfer ‘Pride in Sport’ ac roeddwn i wir eisiau cyflwyno ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe gan fy mod i wedi brwydro gyda phryderon o ymuno â thîm chwaraeon gydag ofn o homoffobia (rwyf nawr yn chwarae Korfball sydd yn llawer o hwyl ac yn gynhwysol iawn). Y flwyddyn yma fe wnaethon ni gyflwyno ‘Rainbow Laces’ ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Fe ofynnon ni i fyfyrwyr wisgo’r rhain yn ystod yr wythnos i ddangos eu hundeb gyda myfyrwyr LHDT+ ac i annog iddyn nhw deimlo croeso i ymuno â chwaraeon. Y flwyddyn nesaf rydym ni’n gobeithio annog i fyfyrwyr i wisgo lasys enfys yn ystod Ffair y Glas (Freshers Fair) i ddangos i fyfyrwyr bydd croeso iddynt o fewn y chwaraeon priodol sy’n gwisgo nhw.

E-bost rhif 2; “Hello Sam, dim ond neges gyflym, rydw i wedi danfon yr isod”. Roedd yr e-bost yma o Grace Hannaford, Swyddog Lles yn Undeb y Myfyrwyr (sydd wedi ymroddi llawer o amser yn helpu fi i redeg yr ymgyrchoedd rydw i wedi eisiau gwneud – ni allaf wedi gwneud hwn hebddi). Roedd Grace yn rhoi gwybod i mi fod hi wedi danfon e-bost ynglŷn â Chyfleusterau Ystafelloedd Ymolchi ar Gampws Singleton. Rydw i a Grace wedi bod yn gweithio’n galed dros y misoedd diwethaf i gynyddu’r nifer o ystafelloedd ymolchi Rhyw-Niwtral ar Gampws Singleton. Mae toiledau Rhyw-Niwtral yn bwysig i fyfyrwyr trawsrywiol a rhywedd nad yw’n ddeuaidd. Wrth siarad â myfyrwyr fel rhan o’r ymgynghoriad fe wnaeth un myfyriwr esbonio ei fod nhw’n aml yn colli darlithoedd gan fod eisiau defnyddio’r tŷ bach ond ddim eisiau defnyddio’r rhai ar y campws oherwydd y toiledau rhyw a’r ofn o gael eu hadnabod gyda’r rhywedd anghywir a hynny’n achosi cam-drin. Roeddwn i a Grace yn danfon e-bost i gael diweddariad ar sut gallwn wella’r cyfleusterau a (gobeithio) welwn newidiadau yn y misoedd i ddod.

E-bost rhif 3; “Helo! Dyma’r adnoddau hysbysebu ar gyfer Mis Hanes LHDT+, gobeithio dy fod yn hoffi nhw!” Roedd yr e-bost o gynorthwyydd marchnata yn Undeb y Myfyrwyr ac mae’n rhaid i mi ddweud roedd y poster yn WYCH!!! Y flwyddyn yma roeddwn i eisiau cyflwyno fwy o ddigwyddiadau ar gyfer mis Hanes LHDT+ yn ogystal â digwyddiad steil ‘pride’. Gyda chymorth Grace a Russ (rheolwr digwyddiadau’r Undeb) rydym wedi gallu creu rhaglen o ddigwyddiadau arbennig (gellir eu darganfod yma; https://www.facebook.com/events/ical/upcoming/?uid=638560602&key=AQDw_lHcd1CJ8aap). Un digwyddiad yw ‘Rainbow Grow’; digwyddiad lle byddwn ni’n rhoi ysgall ddeilen enfys mewn pot i fyfyrwyr a staff i annog cynaladwyedd ynghyd â chynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o fis hanes LHDT+ (enfys; ydych chi’n deall?). Rydym ni hefyd wedi cyflwyno arddangosfa rhyngweithiol yn JC’s a Thafarn Tawe. Mae’r arddangosfa yma yn cynnwys ysgrifennu’ch ymateb ar galon i’r cwestiwn “Mae ‘Pride’ yn bwysig oherwydd?” Bydd ‘Pride’ Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe yn cymryd lle ar y 22ain o Chwefror ac mae’n edrych fel bydd yn ddiwrnod llawn. Bydd yn dechrau yn JC’s am 2yp, bydd yna nifer o drafodaethau panel yn siarad am gwestiynau a themâu gwahanol sy’n cwmpasu LHDT+ yn ein cymdeithas heddiw; megis Ffydd a Rhywioldeb, cynwysoldeb trawsrywiol a pam ei fod yn bwysig a pam bod o hyd angen ‘PRIDE’. Bydd hyn yn olynol â chomediwyr LHDT+ cyn noson o fingo. Ie, ma’ na’n iawn, dwi’n cael myfyrwyr i chwarae bingo. Gyda thro bach! Mae Bingo Lingo yn “noson bingo bywiol, parti, ynfyd a gorffwyll” ac mae’r myfyrwyr yn dwli arno. Felly, byddwn ni’n rhoi gwobrau allan ac yn dathlu popeth LHDT+ gyda noson o Bingo yn y Ffreutur.

E-bost rhif 4; “Helo Sam, edrych ymlaen at gweld ti heddiw fel gallwn ni gwneud datblygiadau ar yr hyfforddiant” – Damnio! Anghofies i fod gen i’r cyfarfod yna, ac mae e mewn 10 munud. Roedd y cyfarfod gyda Mandy Jack (SALT). Rydw i a Mandy wedi bod yn gweithio ar brosiect a gobeithio creu ffilm fer yn uwch oleuo anghenion gwahanol o’r myfyrwyr lleiafrif ac i annog staff i fod yn fwy cynhwysol yn eu dull. Bydd y ffilm yn ymdrin â nifer o leiafrifoedd megis hunaniaethau ‘LGBTQIA+’, myfyrwyr cymudwyr, myfyrwyr yr Iaith Gymraeg, myfyrwyr gydag anableddau ayyb. Rydym ni’n gobeithio cael y ffilm yma’n barod tua diwedd y flwyddyn. Roedd y cyfarfod yn grêt; fe wnaethon ni trafod y prosiect mewn mwy o fanylder, penderfynu pwy fyddwn ni’n gofyn am adborth ar y sgript ac i ddechrau symud y prosiect ymlaen. Hefyd, fe wnaeth Mandy rhoi fy mathodyn cynwysoldeb i mi, roedd yn ystum a oedd yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod y gwaith yr oeddwn i’n ei roi i wneud myfyrwyr a staff sy’n ‘LGBTQIA+’ yn fwy cyfforddus yn y Brifysgol yn werth chweil. Rydw i nawr yn gwisgo’r bathodyn gyda balchder wrth wybod ei fod yn dangos i staff a myfyrwyr fy mod i’n gynhwysol, byddaf yn gwrando a gwneud fy ngorau i helpu, heb ots am bwy ydyn nhw, o ble maen nhw’n dod neu sut maent yn uniaethu. Diolch Mandy![:]

[:en]LGBT+ Inclusion and Pronoun Pin Badges[:cy]LHDT+ Bathodynnau Cynhwysol a Rhagenwau[:]

December 5, 2018November 1, 2022 ~ Mandy Jack ~ 1 Comment

By Cath Elms, c.l.elms@swansea.ac.uk

As the university’s Equality Advisor and LGBT+ Staff Network co-chair, I specialise in LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) inclusion for staff and students at the university. My work involves providing advice and support on LGBT+ issues at work and study. I also lead on the university’s annual Stonewall Workplace Equality Index application, which is a national award dedicated to advancing LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace (we’re currently ranked as the 29th top employer in the UK, and are one of the UK’s Top 11 Trans Inclusive Employers).

LGBT+ inclusion at the university is a large remit that includes various issues such as inclusive policies and procedures, welfare and wellbeing, diversifying curriculum, training on appropriate use of language, and ensuring visibility of LGBT+ role models.

One of the specific things I’ve recently introduced at Swansea University in this area is pronoun pin badges for staff. I’ve issued these to staff to wear on their lanyards, to let others know what their pronouns are.

You can’t always know someone’s pronouns (or their gender) by looking at them. At the university, we come into contact with a wide range of staff and students on a daily basis, some of whom will be trans and genderqueer, possibly without us even knowing it. Wearing a pronoun badge is a simple but effective way of signalling that you respect people’s pronouns and their gender identity, which can mean a lot for trans and genderqueer members of staff who may feel invisible, or may be struggling with being trans at work or study.

What is a pronoun?

A personal pronoun is a type of noun used to refer to another person in place of their name. Common personal pronouns are she/her/hers, he/him/his, or they/their/theirs.

For example:

Sarah brought an umbrella with her.
Michael dropped his phone.
Jo was tired so they went to bed.

Usually, when people talk about pronouns, they are referring to personal pronouns. Read more: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/pronouns

What different pronouns are there?

In the English language, personal pronouns usually denote someone’s gender.

The common pronouns are:

She/her/hers
He/him/his
They/their/theirs
Ze/hir/hir

The pronouns in bold above are known as gender-neutral or gender-inclusive pronouns, as they do not associate a gender with the person using them. These pronouns may be used by people who identify as non-binary or genderqueer (these terms mean someone whose gender identity isn’t exclusively male or female), but they may also be used by people who identify as men or women.

Never refer to someone as “it” or “he-she” as these terms are hurtful and dehumanising.

Doesn’t the word “they” refer to a group of people?

Not necessarily – “they” can be used to refer to a singular person, either because you do not know their gender, because you do not want to specify any particular individual, or because this is the pronoun they identify with.

For example:

I have a missed call on my phone; they didn’t leave a message.
I feel that if someone is doing a good job, they should be rewarded.
Robin was running late because their car broke down.

Singular “they” is considered grammatically correct.

Why is it important to respect people’s pronouns?

You can’t always know someone’s pronouns (or their gender) by looking at them. At the university, we come into contact with a wide range of staff on a daily basis, some of whom will be trans and genderqueer, possibly without us even knowing it. Asking and correctly using someone’s pronouns is one of the most basic ways to show your respect for their gender identity. When someone is referred to with the wrong pronoun, it can make them feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed, alienated, or dysphoric.

How do I ask what pronouns someone uses?

Try asking: “What pronouns do you use?” or “Can you remind me what pronouns you use?” It can feel awkward at first, but it is not half as awkward as making a hurtful assumption.

If you are asking as part of an introduction exercise and you want to quickly explain what gender pronouns are, you can try something like this: “Tell us your name, where you come from, and your pronouns. That means the pronouns that you use in reference to yourself. For example, I’m John, I’m from Swansea, and I use he/him pronouns.”

What if I make a mistake?

It’s okay! Everyone slips up from time to time. The best thing to do if you use the wrong pronoun for someone is to say something right away, like “Sorry, I meant (insert pronoun)”. If you realize your mistake after the fact, apologize in private and move on.

Avoid repeatedly mentioning how bad you feel that you messed up or how hard it is for you to get it right, as this can make the person who was misgendered feel awkward and responsible for comforting you.

What if I hear someone else make a mistake?

You may hear one of your colleagues or students using the wrong pronoun for someone. In most cases, it is appropriate to gently correct them without further embarrassing the individual who has been misgendered. This means saying something like “Alex uses the pronoun she”, and then moving on.

If someone is being repeatedly misgendered, it may be appropriate to approach them in private and say something like “I noticed that you were getting referred to with the wrong pronoun earlier, and I know that that can be really hurtful. Would you be okay with me taking that person aside and reminding them about your pronouns?” They may not want you to intervene, but your considerateness will be greatly appreciated. Want your own pronoun pin badge? Contact Cath at lgbtplus@swansea.ac.uk.[:cy]Gan Cath Elms, c.l.elms@abertawe.ac.uk

Fel Ymgynghorydd Cydraddoldeb y brifysgol a chyd-gadeirydd o Rwydwaith Staff LHDT+, rydw i’n arbenigo yng nghydraddoldeb LHDT+ (Lesbiaid, Hoyw, Deurywiol a Traws) ar gyfer staff a myfyrwyr y Brifysgol. Mae fy ngwaith i yn cynnwys rhoi cyngor a chymorth ynglŷn â phroblemau LHDT+ yn y gwaith ac wrth astudio. Rydw i hefyd yn arwain ar gais blynyddol y Brifysgol i ‘Stonewall Workplace Equality Index’, gwobr genedlaethol sydd wedi ymrwymo i fwyhau cynwysoldeb LHDT+ yn y gweithle (rydyn ni ar hyn o bryd, y 29ain o brif gyflogwyr yn y DU, ac yn un o Gyflogwyr Traws-Gynhwysol 11 uchaf y DU.)

Mae cynwysoldeb LHDT+ yn y brifysgol yn dasg enfawr sy’n cynnwys amrywiaeth o faterion megis polisïau a gweithdrefnau cynhwysol, lles, amrywiaethu cwricwlwm, hyfforddiant ar ddefnyddio iaith briodol a sicrhau bod hyrwyddwyr LHDT+ yn weledig.

Un o’r pethau sbesiffig rydw i wedi cyflwyno’n ddiweddar ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe yw’r defnydd o fathodynnau rhagenwau ar gyfer staff. Rydw i wedi gwneud y rhain ar gael i staff i wisgo ar eu llinynnau fel bod pobl arall yn gwybod beth yw eu rhagenwau.

Nid ydych wastad yn gallu adnabod rhagenwau rhywun (na’u rhyw) wrth edrych arnynt. Yn y brifysgol, rydym yn cysylltu ag amrywiaeth o staff a myfyrwyr yn ddyddiol, rhai sydd yn draws ac yn genderqueer, efallai heb wybod. Mae gwisgo bathodyn rhagenwau yn ffordd syml ond effeithiol i ddangos parch tuag at ragenwau pobl a’u hunaniaeth rhyw. Mae hyn yn golygu llawer i aelodau o staff traws a genderqueer sydd efallai yn teimlo’n anweledig neu’n ffeindio’n anodd gyda bod yn draws yn y gwaith neu wrth astudio.

Beth yw rhagenw?

Rhagenw personol yw math o enw sy’n cael eu defnyddio i gyfeirio at berson arall yn lle eu henw. Rhagenwau personol cyffredin yw hi, fe/ef neu nhw/eu/hwy.

Er enghraifft:

Daeth Sarah a’i ymbarél gyda
Gollyngodd Michael ei ffon ef.
Roedd Jo yn flinedig felly aethon nhw i’r gwely.

Fel arfer pan mae pobl yn siarad am ragenwau, maent yn cyfeirio tuag at ragenwau personol. Darllenwch ragor yma: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/grammar/pronouns

Pa wahanol ragenwau sydd i gael?

Yn yr iaith Saesneg, mae rhagenwau personol fel arfer yn dynodi rhyw rywun. Y rhagenwau cyffredin yw:

Hi (She/her/hers)
Fe/ Ef (He/him/his)
Nhw/Eu/Hwy (They/their/theirs)
Ze/Hir/Hir

Mae’r rhagenwau uchod sydd â thestun trwm yn cael eu hadnabod fel rhyw-niwtral neu rhyw-cynhwysol, gan nad ydynt yn cysylltu â rhyw. Gall y rhagenwau yma gael eu defnyddio gan bobl sydd â rhywedd nad yw’n ddeuaidd neu genderqueer (mae’r termau yma yn golygu bod rhyw rywun ddim ond yn wryw neu’n fenyw), ond gall hefyd cael eu defnyddio gan bobl sy’n adnabod fel dynion neu fenywod.

Peidiwch byth cyfeirio at rywun fel “it” neu “he-she” gan fod y termau yma’n niweidiol ac yn dad-ddyneiddio.

Nad yw’r gair ‘nhw’ yn cyfeirio at grŵp o bobl?

Nid o reidrwydd – gall ‘nhw’ cyfeirio at berson unigol, naill ai oherwydd nad ydych yn gwybod eu rhyw, oherwydd nad ydych eisiau enwi unigolyn priodol neu oherwydd dyma’r rhagenw maent yn cysylltu â. Er enghraifft:

Rydw i wedi colli galwad ffôn; gadawon nhw ddim neges.
Dwi’n teimlo os yw rhywun yn gwneud gwaith da, dylen nhw gael clod.
Roedd Robin yn rhedeg yn hwyr oherwydd bod eu gar wedi torri i lawr.

Mae ‘nhw’ unigol yn cael ei ystyried yn gywir.

Pam fod yn bwysig i barchu rhagenwau pobl?

Nid ydych wastad yn gallu adnabod rhagenwau rhywun (na’u rhyw) wrth edrych arnynt. Yn y brifysgol, rydym yn cysylltu ag amrywiaeth o staff a myfyrwyr yn ddyddiol, rhai sydd yn draws ac yn genderqueer, efallai heb wybod. Mae gofyn a defnyddio rhagenwau rhywun yn un o’r ffyrdd symlaf i ddangos parch tuag at eu hunaniaeth rhyw. Pan bod rhywun yn cael eu cyfeirio gyda’r rhagenw anghywir, gall wneud iddynt deimlo wedi amharchu, yn annilys, wedi’i ddiswyddo, wedi’i ddieithrio, neu’n ddysfforig.

Sut alla i ofyn pa ragenwau maent yn defnyddio?

Ceisiwch ofyn: “Pa ragenwau rydych yn defnyddio?” neu “A wnei di atgoffa mi pa ragenwau rwyt yn defnyddio?” Gall teimlo’n anghyfforddus yn gyntaf, ond nid yw mor wael â gwneud rhagdybiaeth niweidiol.

Os rydych yn gofyn fel rhan o ymarferiad cyflwyno ac eisiau esbonio’n gyflym beth yw rhagenwau rhyw, gallwch geisio rhywbeth fel hyn: “Dywedwch wrthon ni eich enw, lle rydych yn dod o a’ch rhagenwau. Mae hyn yn golygu y ragenwau rydych yn defnyddio i gyfeirio at eich hun. Er enghraifft, John ydw i, rydw i o Abertawe a dwi’n defnyddio’r rhagenwau fe/ef.”

Beth os rydw i’n gwneud camgymeriad?

Mae’n iawn! Mae pawb yn gwneud gwall pob hyn a hyn. Y peth orau i wneud os rydych yn defnyddio’r rhagenw anghywir yw dweud rhywbeth yn syth megis, “Sori, roeddwn yn golygu dweud (rhagenw)”. Os ydych yn sylweddoli ar ôl, ymddiheurwch yn dawel ac anghofiwch amdano.

Peidiwch ailadrodd pa mor wael rydych yn teimlo am wneud camgymeriad gan eich bod yn gallu gwneud i’r person oedd wedi cael ei gamgymryd i deimlo’n lletchwith ac yn gyfrifol i’ch cysuro.

Beth os rydw i’n clywed rhywun arall yn gwneud camgymeriad?

Gallwch glywed un o’ch cyd-weithwyr neu fyfyrwyr yn defnyddio’r rhagenw anghywir ar gyfer rhywun. Ym mron pob achos, mae’n addas i’w cywiro’n dawel heb godi rhagor o gywilydd ar yr unigolyn sydd wedi cael ei gamgymryd. Mae hyn nyn golygu dweud rhywbeth megis, “Mae Alex yn defnyddio’r rhagenw hi” ac yna symud ymlaen.

Os mae rhywun yn cael ei gamgymryd drosodd a throsodd, gall fod yn addas i ofyn iddynt ym mhreifat a dweud rhywbeth megis, “Roeddwn wedi sylwi dy fod yn cael ei gyfeirio ato gyda’r rhagenw anghywir a dwi’n deall gall hyn fod yn niweidiol iawn. A fydd ots gennyt fy mod i’n hatgoffa’r person yma am dy ragenwau?” Efallai ni fyddant eisiau i chi ymyrryd ond mae’ch ystyriaeth yn meddwl llawer iddynt.

Eisiau bathodyn rhagenw eich hun? Cysylltwch â Cath ar lgbtplus@abertawe.ac.uk

[:en]Why I wear my inclusivity badge[:cy]Pam rydw i’n gwisgo fy mathodyn Cynwysoldeb[:]

November 21, 2018 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

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When I first arrived at Swansea University, inclusive practice and diversity were just aspects that I aspired to embed within my pedagogy. I realized that I had lots to learn. The more learned, the more I realized that this would be very developmental and that I would always be learning. The best part of this process was that the learning was a shared experience, rather than simply reading and applying the things that I found. I was networking with colleagues and students, not just from Swansea University, but from other universities and outside agencies too. It was refreshing not to be working alone, I found being a lecturer was often a lonely job and opportunities to share pedagogic practices were rare. My role in SALT, however, has allowed me to reach all areas of Swansea University tapping into the expertise we have at our fingertips. Initially, I struggled to find these resources, as many of our colleagues are not too good at bragging about the excellent things that they do. So, once I found them I decided to share them. Which is why I developed three things:

First was the Swansea University Support mind map, which has links to all the main areas for staff and student support. From these links you should find anything that you might need to help you or your learners in matters of inclusivity.
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The second was a platform to share ideas, so I created this blog. I hoped that it would become a vehicle sharing best practice, case studies, new reports and up to date policies. It is still early days, but here’s hoping!

The third thing I did was to turn the PG Cert tHE Inclusivity patch into an all staff CPD module. Now, the material I had collected and adapted to Swansea, is being shared to all staff, not just early career lecturers. Obviously, if you are reading this post you will of course know all about the module. So, your job is to add to the material and share good practice that you find. Good luck on your Inclusivity Journey, ask about a badge!

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Pan gyrhaeddais ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe yn gyntaf, roedd ymarfer cynhwysol ac amrywiaeth ond yn agwedd roeddwn yn dyheu i gynnwys o fewn fy mhedagogeg. Sylweddolais fod llawer gyda mi i ddysgu. Y mwy roeddwn i’n dysgu, y mwy roeddwn i’n sylweddoli byddai hwn yn ddatblygiadol iawn a byddwn wastad yn dysgu. Y rhan orau o’r broses yma oedd bod y dysgu yn brofiad a rennir yn hytrach nag ond darllen a gweithredu’r hyn ddysgais i. Roeddwn yn rhwydweithio â chyd-weithwyr a myfyrwyr nid yn unig o Brifysgol Abertawe ond o Brifysgolion arall ac asiantaethau allanol hefyd. Roedd yn braf i weithio gydag eraill a dim ar ben fy hun. I mi, roedd bod yn ddarlithydd yn swydd unig ac roedd cyfleoedd i rannu ymarferion pedagogeg yn brin. Mae fy rôl yn SALT wedi galluogi i mi gyrraedd holl feysydd Brifysgol Abertawe gan ddarganfod yr arbenigedd sydd gennym yma. I ddechrau, cefais drafferth i ddarganfod yr adnoddau yma gan fod llawer o’n cyd-weithwyr yn dda am beidio brolio am y pethau arbennig maent yn gwneud. Felly, unwaith i mi ddarganfod nhw, penderfynais rannu nhw a dyma’r rheswm i mi ddatblygu tri pheth:
Y peth cyntaf oedd map meddwl Cymorth Prifysgol Abertawe, sydd â dolenni i’r prif ardaloedd ar gyfer cymorth i staff a myfyrwyr. O’r dolenni yma dylech ddarganfod popeth sydd angen i’ch helpu chi neu’ch myfyrwyr ym mater cynwysoldeb.

Yr ail beth oedd platfform i rannu syniadau , felly creais y blog yma. Gobeithiais byddai’n lle er mwyn rhannu ymarfer gorau, astudiaethau achos, adroddiadau newydd a pholisïau cyfoes. Mae o hyd yn ddyddiau cynnar ond mae gennym obaith.
Y trydydd peth gwnes i oedd newid patsh Cynwysoldeb TUAAU i mewn i fodiwl Datblygiad Parhaus Proffesiynol i holl staff y Brifysgol. Yn awr, mae’r adnoddau rydw i wedi casglu ac addasu ar gyfer Abertawe yn cael eu rhannu i’r staff i gyd, nid ond darlithwyr gyrfa gynnar. Yn amlwg, os rydych yn darllen hwn byddwch yn gwybod i gyd am y modiwl. Felly, eich swydd chi yw ychwanegu adnoddau ac i rannu arfer da rydych yn darganfod. Pob hwyl ar eich Siwrnai Cynwysoldeb, gofynnwch am fathodyn!

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[:en]Inclusive Swansea[:cy]Abertawe Cynhwysol[:]

November 21, 2018 ~ Mandy Jack ~ Leave a comment

[:en]As a member of the ISS Inclusivity group, I have been working with colleagues on developing ways to promote and recognize the excellent work that Swansea staff is doing for Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI).

We created an Icon, which we felt represented inclusion, and have had badges made and t-shirts on the way with the logo on which you may see some staff wearing. If you do please ask about them!

We have begun developing a process for awarding badges, both digital and physical, it is in its early stages at the moment, but it is growing! To learn more about the badges ask someone wearing a badge or join the CPD Inclusivity Module on Blackboard (https://salt.swan.ac.uk/bite-size/inclusivity-cpd/). To receive a badge you will need to evidence your engagement with Inclusivity here at Swansea Uni. It may be by participating in some CPD of your own, attending some EDI training or it could be by promoting awareness and supporting students or colleagues in some way.

You will need to evidence your engagement and by providing an overview of what you have been doing. We ask that your writing is shared to that others may learn from your experiences. This can be on the Library Blog (please contact Library Services: customerservice@swansea.ac.uk), the SALT blog (contact salt@swansea.ac.uk) or on the CPD Inclusivity module in Blackboard (for Access https://salt.swan.ac.uk/bite-size/inclusivity-cpd/).

ISS Inclusivity Group[:cy]Fel aelod o grŵp Cynwysoldeb GGS, rydw i wedi bod yn gweithio gyda chyd-weithwyr ar ddatblygu ffyrdd i hybu ac adnabod y gwaith arbennig mae staff Abertawe yn gwneud ar gyfer Cydraddoldeb, Amrywiaeth a Chynhwysiad (EDI).

Rydym ni wedi creu eicon, roedden ni’n teimlo ei fod yn cynrychioli cynhwysiad. Rydym ni wedi cael bathodynnau i’w greu ac mae yna grysau t ar y ffordd gyda’r logo arnynt, efallai welwch rhai staff yn eu gwisgo. Os ydych, gofynnwch iddynt amdano!
Rydym wedi dechrau datblygu proses ar gyfer gwobrwyo bathodynnau, yn ddigidol ac mewn person, mae’n dechrau tyfu, ond mae o hyd yn y camau cynnar. I ddarganfod rhagor am y bathodynnau, gofynnwch i rywun sy’n gwisgo un neu ymunwch â’r Modiwl Datblygiad Proffesiynol Parhaus Cynwysoldeb ar Blackboard https://salt.swan.ac.uk/cy/bite-size/inclusivity-cpd. I gael bathodyn bydd angen i chi ddangos tystiolaeth o’ch ymrwymiad gyda Chynwysoldeb yma ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Efallai trwy gymryd rhan mewn Datblygiad Proffesiynol Parhaus eich hun, mynychu hyfforddiant EDI neu gall fod wrth hybu ymwybyddiaeth a chefnogi myfyrwyr neu gyd-weithwyr mewn rhyw ffordd.
Bydd angen i chi ddangos tystiolaeth o’ch ymrwymiad a darparu trosolwg o beth rydych wedi bod yn gwneud. Rydym yn gofyn bod eich tystiolaeth yn cael eu rhannu fel bod pobl eraill yn gallu dysgu o’ch profiadau. Gall hwn fod ar Blog y Llyfrgell (cysylltwch â Gwasanaethau’r Llyfrgell: customerservice@abertawe.ac.uk), Blog SALT (cysylltwch â salt@abertawe.ac.uk) neu ar fodiwl Datblygiad Proffesiynol Parhaus Cynwysoldeb ar Blackboard (am fynediad https://salt.swan.ac.uk/cy/bite-size/inclusivity-cpd)

Grŵp Cynwysoldeb GGS[:]