The CERCA Institution has joined the Voluntariat per la llengua (VxL) programme with the aim of promoting the use of Catalan among staff working in the system’s research centres. With this incorporation, the initiative could potentially reach the 19,000 people employed across the CERCA centres.

Voluntariat per la llengua, promoted by the Ministry of Language Policy and implemented locally by the Consortium for Language Normalisation (CPNL), is a programme designed to help people practise Catalan through conversation. It works by creating language pairs made up of a volunteer—who speaks Catalan fluently—and a learner—who has basic knowledge of the language and wishes to become more confident and fluent.

The intention of the CERCA Institution is to make it easier for these pairs to form between colleagues within the same working environment, thus encouraging natural learning embedded into everyday life at the centres.

CERCA centres already participating

Several centres within the CERCA system have already begun implementing the programme with positive results. Among them is the Centre for Demographic Studies, which currently has ten active language pairs. ISGlobal, IDIBAPS and the Hospital del Mar Research Institute are also participating, with a total of sixteen active pairs.

Other centres that have joined Voluntariat per la llengua include the Sant Pau Research Institute, the Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Research Institute, and the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute.

A programme adaptable to all environments

One of the strengths of VxL is its flexibility and adaptability. Although it has traditionally been aimed at the general adult population, it has successfully expanded into many different contexts thanks to tailored approaches for specific groups. In each case, the dynamics are designed jointly with the organisations or institutions interested in promoting the use of Catalan among their staff or users.

With the incorporation of the CERCA Institution, the programme takes another step forward in consolidating the presence of Catalan in scientific and multicultural environments, reinforcing the CERCA system’s commitment to promoting the language within the research community.