Farewell Elaine

13 November 2015

After 14 years at IAITH we wish Elaine Davies all the best as she takes her well-earned retirement this month. Elaine has been a key member of our staff team and will be sorely missed by all at IAITH.

Following a successful career in social work that led to her leading CCETSW’s Welsh Language Programme in the 1990s, Elaine joined IAITH in 2001. She was firstly tasked with establishing the Welsh Language Board’s pioneering family language transmission project. In April 2002 the Twf project was launched, a project that has had such a marked effect on Welsh and other minority language communities across the world. Our thanks are due to Elaine for establishing Twf on such sound foundations.

Over the past decade Elaine has been IAITH’s Director of Education and Training Services. In that role she has contributed extensively to establish language awareness training as a staple plank of LPP practice in Wales. Her pioneering training publications remain influential. She also conducted many significant research projects; among which was her 2012 report on the experiences of Welsh speaking service users within the health services. The report led to the development of the key sector-wide strategy ‘More than just words’.

Elaine’s influence on IAITH’s values and practice will remain and we are very grateful for her insightful and far-reaching contributions, not only in terms of IAITH but the language policy and planning sector as a whole. We very much hope that she will not sever all ties with IAITH on her retirement and that we shall be able to avail ourselves of her talents again in the future.

In the meantime, she has left a worthy successor. Siwan Tomos has recently been appointed IAITH’s new Director of Education and Training Services. Relevant enquiries can be directed to Siwan on 01745 585120 or via email to siwan.tomos@iaith.eu.