Author: Kayleigh Fisher

A Social Media Information Campaign for the 2019 European Elections

Our colleagues at the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA), along with members in Belgium have put together a guide and accompanying social media campaign for the upcoming European Elections, complete with Social Media Campaign Instructions and Social Media Campaign Timeline for ease of scheduling and composing posts.

There is also a link to an accessible dropbox so that you can download the image cards to share when you’re posting online.
Some of the images are quite informative but simple and easy to take in;

For those of you interested in representative democracy, participation and engagement, why not link in with the Welsh Youth Parliament?

The theme for this year’s European Youth Week is Democracy so you can always link your related interests, activities and events to that, with the hashtag #YouthWeek, tagging ourselves and EurodeskUK if you can, too!

It’s also worth following ERYICA on Facebook and Twitter, where you can always just share or re-tweet their posts at will.

Here are the dates for the February 2019 CWVYS Regional meetings.

• 12/2/19 – North Wales – at TAPE Community Arts Centre, Berthes Road, Old Colwyn, Conwy, LL29 9SD

• 13/2/19 – SW and Mid – at EYST Ethnic Minorities & Youth Support Team Wales (EYST Wales), Units B & C, 11 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA1 4AB

• 14/2/19 – South Central and East Wales – at Cathays and Central Youth and Community Centre, 36-38 Cathays Terrace, Cathays, Cardiff, CF24 4HX

Keith Towler, Chair of the Interim Youth Work Board in Wales will be attending all of the meetings. In addition there will also be a guided consultation on Digital Youth Information in preparation for the Youth Work strategy for Wales.

Who can attend ? – the meetings are open to all practitioners, volunteers and managers of CWVYS member organisations. We look forward to welcoming you all.

RSVP – catrin@cwvys.org.uk

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER (FULL TIME)

For this exciting new job role, CWVYS seeks a suitably experienced and highly capable person to project manage the Home Office Early Intervention Youth Fund programme plus other CWVYS-led developmental projects.

The Home Office Early Intervention Fund will engage young people and assist in their diversion from the risk of exploitation and serious organised crime. The project will reduce the drivers of serious violence, involvement in drug dealing and county lines issues, and the prevalence of knife carrying and knife crime.

Hours: 37 hours per week

Salary: NJC Scale 31-39 (April 2018)

Contract: Fixed term

Place of Work: As agreed but some flexibility within Wales, as appropriate.

CWVYS Development Manager – Job Description and Person Specification – December 2018

Application form Development Manager December 2018

Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form December 2018

Written Statement: Launch of the public consultation on the draft Additional Learning Needs Code

The consultation document is available at https://beta.gov.wales/draft-additional-learning-needs-code and the closing date for responses is 22 March 2019. They welcome and encourage the views of all those with an interest in the reforms, particularly the views of children and young people for whom a separate consultation document will be available early in the New Year. They will be hosting a series of stakeholder events across Wales in the new year, as well as workshops specifically for children and their families, to contribute their views on these proposals.

From over 450 candidates – down to 60 Welsh Youth Parliament Members.

The time has come to meet the lucky 60 who get to be a voice for their generation.

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The Welsh Youth Parliament is a completely new way for you to have your say on the things that matter to you in Wales.

It starts with you.

Talking about the things you want and need, raising the issues that matter to you.

Using the Welsh Youth Parliament as the platform to amplify your voice. For your future.

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To keep up to date, follow them:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Are you 18 years old? Are you up for an adventure? If yes, get ready to explore Europe by applying for DiscoverEU, a European Union initiative giving young people the opportunity to travel.

After the popularity of the first application round in June 2018, there is a second application round from Thursday 29 November at 11.00am (UK time) to Tuesday 11 December at 11.00am (UK time). 12,000 travel passes are available for young people to travel across Europe.

For the most part you will be travelling by rail, allowing you to take in Europe’s endless variety of towns and stunning landscapes, and the DiscoverEU pass also covers alternatives such as buses or ferries. In exceptional cases, travel by plane is permitted to ensure that young people living in remote areas or on islands can take part.

You can only apply for DiscoverEU if you:
• will be 18 years old on 31 December 2018 i.e. people born between 1 January 2000 (included) and 31 December 2000 (included);
• have the nationality of one of the Member States of the European Union;
• fill in your correct ID or passport number on the online application form;
• start your journey in one of the EU Member States;
• plan to travel for a time of between one day and up to one month;
• plan to travel between 15 April 2019 (first departure date) and 31 October 2019 (last return date);
• plan to travel to at least one EU Member State;
• are willing to become a #DiscoverEU Ambassador.

Young people with special needs are welcome to participate in DiscoverEU. They will be helped with information and tips, and costs of special assistance might be covered.

The online application will take place on the European Youth Portal from Thursday 29 November at 11.00 (UK time) to Tuesday 11 December at 11.00 (UK time).

You will need to provide your personal data and give details about how you will prepare for your trip. There will be five multiple choice quiz questions on European culture and diversity as well as on EU youth initiatives targeting young people. Finally, you will need to answer a subsidiary question, which will allow DiscoverEU to rank applications.

You must have a valid passport when you apply for DiscoverEU. If you do not yet have one, learn how to apply for your first UK adult passport. Note that passport applications can take a few weeks.

Welsh Government is currently looking for individuals who may be interested in joining the judging panel for Youth Work Excellence Awards 2019.

Following the success of this year’s Awards, they have made the decision to broaden the judges criteria in order to have a wider range of skills and knowledge around the table. They are looking for experienced, individuals from the sector who feel they can contribute to discussions and make decisions in this year’s judging process. The judging days will take place on 26th and 27th March.

You can find the forms *here*

Completed forms to be returned to the Youthworkexcellence.awards@gov.wales by 17 December.

Do you know an outstanding teacher that deserves recognition? Is there someone at your local school that needs celebrating? Are your teaching staff leading the way in technology or using Welsh language?

Well, the Professional Teaching Awards Cymru are back for 2019! Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams is looking for the very best education professionals that Wales has to offer and those that have made a real difference to their school or education setting.

There are ten categories this year including Teacher of the Year, Headteacher of the Year, Inspirational use of the Welsh Language and, new for 2019, Youth Work in Schools so there is plenty of opportunity for your school to get the recognition that they deserve.

If you’re a teacher, student, parent, employer or colleague and know someone that would be worthy of a Professional Teaching Award you have until midnight on 30 November 2018 to make a nomination here: www.gov.wales/teachingawardscymru

We are delighted to announce the availability of the newly-revised ‘Youth Work in Wales: Principles and Purposes’ booklet.

This document has been produced for the managers and trustees of youth organisations, politicians, local authority elected members and officers, practitioners, trainers and people training to be youth workers and youth support workers.

It has also been written for young people, those already involved in youth organisations as well as those wishing to find out more about the kinds of experience youth organisations can provide.

‘Youth Work in Wales: Principles and Purposes’ has been produced on a collaborative basis by representatives of the voluntary and local authority youth work sectors in Wales and with the Education Workforce Council.

You can find it here YOUTH WORK IN WALES PRINCIPLES AND PURPOSES or on www.wlga.org.uk

Claire Cunliffe
Chair of CWVYS

Steve Davis
Chair of Wales Principal Youth Officers’ Group

Hayden Llewellyn
CEO of Education Workforce Council

November 2018

European Solidarity Corps Workshop

The Erasmus+ UK National Agency is pleased to invite you to our European Solidarity Corps Workshop.

The European Solidarity Corps is a new European Commission initiative that aims to help young people volunteer or work on projects that benefit local communities across Europe. The programme has an overall budget of €375.6 million available from 2018-2020, and we are particularly keen to see the youth sector and young people in Wales benefit from this exciting new initiative.

This event is an excellent opportunity to:
• Discover the European Solidarity Corps programme and the funding opportunities available for Local Authorities and voluntary sector organisations under its Volunteering Projects strand;
• Consider how the work you carry out within fits with the values of the European Solidarity Corps programme and could be translated into a good quality Volunteering Project;
• Learn more about how to register with the European Solidarity Corps and apply for funding, with step-by-step National Agency guidance and support on completing and submitting an application;
• Find out about best practice examples from existing Volunteering Project and Erasmus+ beneficiaries.

The workshop will take place on 29th November 2018 in Glyndŵr University, Wrexham from 10:00am to 3:30pm.
The workshop is limited to 30 places, so please register as soon as possible to guarantee your place. The UK National Agency is also able to cover travel and accommodation expenses required to attend the event, up to a maximum of £200 per delegate.
To register, please email us at erasmusplus@ecorys.com no later than 16th November 2018.