Month: November 2022

Tomorrow the Youth Work Excellence Awards take place in Swansea at the Brangwyn hall.

 

Here you can find a programme for the evening and more detailed information on all the finalists shortlisted this year;

YOUTH WORK EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2022

 

Keep an eye on our twitter account today and tomorrow, CWVYS will be sharing a link to the livestream of the Awards so you can follow the celebrations from home!

 

Here you can find the full list of finalists for this year’s Awards;

• Andrew Owen, Ieuenctid Gwynedd Youth  Andrew Owen – Gweithiwr Ieuenctid Youth Worker | Facebook
• Carly Powell, Caerphilly Youth Services Caerphilly – Caerphilly County Borough
• Cynhadledd #FelMerch, Urdd Gobaith Cymru #FelMerch| Urdd Gobaith Cymru
• David Stallard, Mixtup Mixtup | Swansea | Facebook
• David Williams, Torfaen Youth Service David Williams – What does youth work look like in Wales? (ewc.wales)
• GISDA GISDA – Offering an opportunity for Young People to live independently
• Gwyl Llesiant / Wellbeing Festival, Ieuenctid Gwynedd Youth www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Residents/Health-and-social-care/Hwb-teuluoedd/Youth.aspx
• Hannah Lewis, The Hwb, Torfaen www.connecttorfaen.org.uk/profile/TheHwb
• Heulwen O’Callaghan, Prosiect Arweinyddiaeth Iau, Carmarthenshire Youth Support Service
• Inspire Youth Work in Hospital Inspire (ewc.wales)
• Karen and Jake Henry, Vibe Youth CIC About vibe youth – Vibe Youth
• Kieran Saunders, CCYP www.facebook.com/cwmbrancentreforyoungpeople/
• Lela Patterson, Swansea MAD www.swanseamad.com
• Linda Brackenbury, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs of Wales https://www.bgc.wales/
• Mahieddine Dib, EYST www.eyst.org.uk
• Mick Holt, Flintshire Integrated Youth Provision www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Flintshire-Integrated-Youth-Provision/Home.aspx
• Mindscape Project, Tanyard Youth www.tanyardyouthproject.co.uk
• Mixtup www.facebook.com/mixtupswansea/
• Nick Corrigan, Media Academy Cymru www.mediaacademycymru.wales
• Ruth Letten, CONNECT, Adoption UK www.adoptionuk.org/FAQs/ruth-letten
• Sarah McCreadie, Cardiff Youth Service www.cardiffyouthservices.wales
• STAND NW Youth Zone STAND North Wales – Stronger Together for Additional Needs and Disabilities (standnw.org)
• Stuart Parkinson, Deaf Hub Wales Cardiff Deaf Cool Youth Club | Cardiff Deaf Centre (deafhub.wales)
• Yarn Trail, Blaenau Gwent Youth Services www.taicalon.org/bedwellty-wellbeing-yarn-trail/
• Young Creators ‘Nowhere to Go’ project, Conwy Youth Service  Oak Tree Project – Young ~ Conwy ~ Ifanc (wordpress.com)

 

Best of luck to everyone for tomorrow!

Below is a message from Llamau about their Learning Training and Employment offer;

In the pdf linked here Llamau – Learning Training and Employment (Final) you can find the Learning Training and Employment brochure which explains our ‘Step into’ programmes. We are recruiting externally on our Step into Education, Step into wellbeing and Step into Employment programme.

We aim to provide young people with a provision that meets their needs in a nurturing way but aims to prepare them for their next step in order that they sustain. We see ourselves as a bridge between pre and post 16 as we know many YP’s are not ready to progress directly into post 16 at the end of year 11.

We can be accessed at any time for any age up to 24years but JGW+ is up to 19^th Birthday. Our centre are located in the following areas; Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff, Vale, Caerphilly, Pontypridd.

• Our fully qualified teaching staff have access to flexible attendance patterns to enable learners to work at their pace.
• Our Step into Wellbeing provision aims to overcome barriers prior to formal education in the afternoons. This is up to 12 hours a week.
• Our Step into Education provision aims to provide up to 30 hours of education provision a week.
• Our Step into Employment provision aims to provide a future employability programme that prepares learners for the world of work. We envisage no learners directly accessing this but moving into this from either Step into Wellbeing or Step into Education. This can be between 3 and 30 hours a week depending on learning levels.
• As well as payments where applicable for learners, we reimburse travel and also provide every learner with a hot meal
• Our Progression Coaches are available to support with meeting young people in the community prior to starting the programme.
• We are an LGBTQ+ friendly organisation with expertise in ensuring support for groups within this. We can offer a range of additional involvement support for groups to ensure they can socially engage with peers also in addition to our main contracts of work.

To get in touch with the team please email L4Ladmin@llamau.org.uk

More information can be found on our website; What We Do: Education, Employment and Training | Llamau

Annwyl pawb,

Hopefully you have all seen the announcement from the Minister for Education and Welsh language which set out who will sit alongside me on the Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board. I am really looking forward to working with such a passionate and dynamic group. The Board have already met twice, and I would like to update you on our priorities and invite you to be part of the next phase of this work.

The proposals made by the Interim Youth Work Board are wide-ranging and ambitious. The focus now is on translating these proposals into action to deliver a sustainable youth work model that enriches the lives of all young people in Wales.
We as a Board want to engage with you and shape these ambitions together. Alongside ensuring the voice of young people continues to guide our work, we are committed to continue to work in a participatory way with stakeholders from across the sector.

Building on the momentum created by the Strategy Participation Groups (SPG’s) that were in place between 2019 and 2022, five new Implementation Participation Groups (IPG’s) will be established. Each IPG will be chaired by a member of the Board and will have a focus on specific proposals made by the Interim Board.

Here you can find details of the groups and their focus; Sharon Lovell letter to the youth work sector Nov 2022- PDF

You will notice that there are some similarities between the focus of the previous SPG’s and the new IPG’s – this reflects the need to continue with elements of this work. The Board were also clear about the need to be agile in our approach and therefore further groups may be established at a later date, and the groups above may come to an end as this work progresses.

It is now time to refresh the membership of these groups and provide an opportunity for everyone across the sector to participate in this important aspect of the work. As well as encouraging anyone who was a member of a former SPG to consider joining these new groups, I hope that we are also able to attract new faces to join these groups.

I will chair a short meeting via Teams from 1pm-2pm on 12 December to explain more about these groups and answer some of your questions. Other members of the Board will also be in attendance. All members of the SPGs should have already received a meeting invite for this session. Others are also welcome to join us to hear
more about this next phase. If you would like to join this session and don’t have the meeting details, please email youthworkboard@gov.wales.

If you wish to express an interest in joining one of the IPG’s, please complete this form; Expression of interest in joining IPG group – bilingual and return to youthworkboard@gov.wales by 16 December.

All expressions of interest in the groups will be considered by the lead Board member to ensure balance and appropriate levels of knowledge and skills. If you have any questions before you submit your expression of interest, please get in touch.
We expect all IPG members to be actively engaged with the work, and to regularly attend meetings. We appreciate that there may be some who are not able to commit to regular meetings, and in those cases there may be times when you can offer expertise or advice on specific topics if needed. All IPG members will also be expected to share information about the work of their group, where appropriate, with others across the sector and beyond to help to raise awareness and a shared understanding of current progress.

I hope many of you will want to work with us during this next phase. I think we have a lot of work ahead of us, sometimes it will be challenging, but hopefully rewarding as we aim to put things in place to best support all young people across Wales. I think we are in for some very exciting times going forward and I look forward to working with you on this progressive journey to sustain youth work in Wales.

Best wishes
Sharon Lovell
Chair – Youth Work Strategy Implementation Board

The deadline to submit content for the Youth Work Bulletin sent out by Welsh Government is the 30^th of November.

The theme for the upcoming issue is Equality and Diversity, so they are looking to feature any stories, projects or news items related to the topic.

For the Young Person’s Voice section of the Bulletin, they would like to identify a young person who exemplifies what it is to be an ‘Equality and Diversity Champion’.
If any of you have any ideas for content for this next edition they would be very welcomed by ellie@cwvys.org.uk
Please feel free to share with your networks across the youth sectors in Wales.

“THE DEMAND HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING AND HUMBLING”

Valleys Kids has just launched their Impact Report, covering an exceptional two years in their history.
The report recognises the hard work of their paid and voluntary staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, and showcases how they helped their communities during these extraordinary times.

 

The document distinguishes the need of the community and the response from Valleys Kids, highlighting the essentiality of place-based community development as evidenced by their work delivered through their Community and Family Hubs.
You can find the report via this link https://heyzine.com/flip-book/c6f68d1f63.html
For more information about Valleys Kids go to www.valleyskids.org

It is Trustees Week! Every year between the 7th and 11th of November Trustees Week takes place. It is a time for organisations to reflect on the importance of their Trustees, celebrate their dedication and thank them for all their hard work and support.

The theme for this year’s week is “making a difference in changing times”.

For those of us in the Voluntary Youth Sector we’ve experienced a lot of change over the past couple of years. One thing that remains constant is the vital part that Trustees play in keeping the sector going, and this Trustees Week CWVYS would like to say a huge thank you to our brilliant Trustees, and to all the Trustees working hard across the sector.

Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi gyd!

Tuesday 29 November 2022 12:00 – 1:30pm The Pierhead, Senedd Cymru, Ffordd y Môr, Cardiff Bay CF10 4PZ YHA has developed a refreshed strategy for Wales to make sure they can better support people and communities in Wales. Join on the day to learn more about the YHA’s priorities in Wales and their commitment to the people and communities of Wales. These priorities have been developed in response to consultation and conversations held earlier this year. There will be a lunch and the opportunity to network, to explore collaborative opportunities to better support young people and families to access adventure. The event is sponsored by Huw Irranca Davies MS RSVP to walesstrategy@yha.org.uk by 12 November 2022.

Over the next couple of weeks there will be more Webinars on Taith Pathway 2, run by the Taith team.

This round of events will take the form of a Q&A session with the team: https://www.taith.wales/event/pathway-2-qa/

 

4 pm on Thursday the 10^th of November (Welsh)

4 pm on Friday the 11^th of November (English)

12 pm Tuesday the 15^th of November (English)

For Webinars in English please note, they will be presented in English but you are encouraged and able to submit questions and comments, aloud or via the chat, in Welsh.

Webinars will likely last no longer than 1 hour.

If you would like to submit questions and queries to the hosts beforehand, you can do so via: enquiries@taith.wales

The team are so supportive and I do encourage you to contact them (or us if you’re not sure) as they will honestly do what they can to assist you.

You can find more information on Pathway 2 on the Taith website: https://www.taith.wales/pathway_2/youth/overview/