First Ever Psychology Conference to be held in Welsh

The first ever Psychology Conference to be held solely in Welsh takes place at Bangor University on Monday 4 November 2013.

Bangor University’s School of Psychology is presenting the event. The School, which is internationally renowned, has also been developing its Welsh medium psychology provision recently. The Conference is free, but delegates need to book in advance. There is also simultaneous translation for non-Welsh speakers.

Dr Elin Walker-Jones, a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer and one of the event organisers said:

“The School of Psychology continues to promote opportunities to develop new directions in Psychology. This is the first time ever that a Psychology Conference will have been conducted entirely in the medium of Welsh. We are indebted to the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol as well as the School and Bangor University for their vision and sponsorship in order to make this event a reality”

She added: “It’s important for students at any level, and for practitioners to have the opportunity of not only discussing their subject in the Welsh language, but also to discuss the development of psychology in the Welsh language, and for example, the development of interventions that are available for people using the Welsh language, for people who are more at ease communicating in Welsh.”

Dr Carl Hughes is the Conference keynote speaker.  Dr Hughes is Director of the Applied Behaviour Analysis postgraduate courses at Bangor University's School of Psychology and deputy director of the newly established Wales Centre for Behaviour Change. He is the youngest ever recipient of the Award for Distinguished Service to Behaviour Analysis by the Society for the Advancement of Behaviour Analysis (SABA).   

Dr Hughes explains: “Practitioners who have graduated from pur Applied Behavioural Analysis postgraduate degree course often work with children who have additional learning needs and can be found working in both mainstream and special educational settings. We recently introduced a Welsh Bursary Scheme to contribute to developing skilled behaviour analysts who are able to gain employment working locally through the medium of both Welsh and English. The ability to practice clinically in both languages is crucially important in North West Wales where the majority of the population are Welsh speakers and most of schools in Gwynedd deliver bilingual education.”

The Conference presentations will be by local researchers, staff and students of the School. Presentation topics range from the Food Dudes and The Incredible Years, to Emotion Processing and Language, Stroke and Bilingualism and The Health of Adults with Learning Disabilities, and so on. The Conference presents these innovative research projects in the medium of Welsh, contributing to the CCC aim of increasing Welsh academic medium opportunities, which has implications for University staff and students, and also for practitioners in pursuit of excellence in clinical practice.

Publication date: 24 October 2013