Gemma and Bedri: Sbarduno Scheme
Gemma has been running mentoring sessions for Bedri as part of the Sbarduno Scheme this year. The Sbarduno Scheme is a scheme for Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Welsh speakers. During a busy period of work and college, they both reflect on the mentoring sessions together, and Bedri's time on the Sbarduno Scheme. So let's meet Gemma and Bedri....
My experience with my mentor has been great. She's supported me and encouraged me to use Welsh more confidently.
Bedri's experience with the Sbarduno Scheme
Why did you join the Sbarduno Scheme?
I joined the Sbarduno Scheme because I wanted to develop my skills in the Welsh language and gain more confidence in using it in my studies and everyday life. Also, the opportunity to receive support from a mentor appealed to me.
What sort of experience have you had with your mentor?
My experience with my mentor has been great. She has supported me and encouraged me to use my Welsh more confidently. Also, I have learned a lot about different opportunities available to people who speak Welsh.
Why is the Sbarduno Scheme important?
The Sbarduno Scheme is important because it helps learners to build their language skills and offers personal support through mentoring. It also encourages people to use Welsh more practically in daily situations and helps to ensure that the language continues to flourish.
How has the scheme encouraged you to use Welsh in the future?
The scheme has inspired me to use the Welsh language more confidently, not only at school but also in my social life and in the workplace in the future. It has also shown me that there are many opportunities to use the Welsh language in different areas.
Gemma's experience of being a mentor on the scheme
Why did you join the Sbarduno Scheme as a mentor?
To offer support to pupils through the medium of Welsh. I understand how a pupil who speaks Welsh and is of a minority ethnicity can feel. A scheme like this would have helped me a lot, and I would like to think that the opportunity to create a relationship with pupils to expand opportunities to be able to speak Welsh can help confidence and motivation.
What sort of experience have you had as a mentor?
I've had such a positive experience. I have been fortunate to mentor a person who has had a number of similar experiences to me, and the opportunity to be able to discuss these has been unforgettable.
Why is it important to have Black role models in the Welsh language?
Extremely important. Growing up, only a handful of people at school were black/asian or minority ethnic. There would often be discussions around you standing out because of….., but the truth is, no one should stand out because of race/nationalality. During different experiences, I have had to explain why I can speak Welsh, even though I come from Sri-Lanka. If there were more role models available, less positive experiences would not occur in Wales.
What kind of advice do you give in your mentoring sessions?
We have been lucky to be able to discuss everything, from different experiences to what will happen in the future. It has been wonderful to be part of the process of waiting for responses from universities. We have discussed how life is as a student in university, revision, sharing different recipes and discussing how to cope in university.
Would you have benefited from having a mentor when you were young?
Yes. Growing up, the only people I knew who spoke Welsh were the ethnic minority at school. Having my own children grow up knowing, you're brown, you're Welsh, you speak Welsh fluently and you can use the language on a daily basis. Your nationality/race doesn't matter, we're lucky to speak Welsh and it doesn't matter what other people think. Being aware that people like me are able to speak Welsh would have given me a lot of confidence and motivation in the past. I hope moving forward, we can continue to share confidence with others.
Watch the video to hear more about the Sbarduno Scheme