Catch Up On The Last Meeting

County Youth Forum – 26th January 2023

What we discussed:

 

County Youth Forum Update: 

Young people from six different school councils and YEPS community forums received update on current progress of County Youth Forum with this being the first face to face meeting since COVID

 

Member of Youth Parliament Update:

Our Members of Youth Parliament representing RCT, Carys & Lowri provided a short talk on their recent work delivering county wide consultation to young people and encouraged this to be shared back in schools and community groups

 

Community Forum/School Council Feedback:

Within this section, Ferndale School council members shared their work on reforming their Pupil parliament to encourage new members updating branding and school priorities. Tonyrefail School Council members gave update on focussed work split with upper and lower school groups including pupil attendance and behaviour support. Ffion from YG Cwm Rhondda talked through school council work around support and improving pupil confidence and self-esteem. Finally, members from YEPS Equality & Diversity forum group give update on their recent project work including LGBTQ+ History Art Project Exhibition at Cynon Museum, ‘Let and Let Pride’, production of animation that support YP through use of shared peer experiences. Finally they talked through up coming cultural event panned for February half term aimed at celebrating different continents and cultures and also educating young people around equality and diversity through this event.

 

County Youth Forum Roles:

At this point of meeting, the different County Youth Forum roles and opportunities were explained to young people with invitation to them to express interest in holding a different responsibility. From this we received:

7 Young People expressing interest in being Chairperson

5 Young People expressing interest in being Deputy Chairperson

2 Young People expressing interest in being Secretary

2 Young People expressing intertest in being Deputy Secretary

7 Young People expressing interest in sitting on Small Grants Panel to awarding funding

These roles decided by CYF member and will be allocated to young people at the next meeting

 

YEPS Community Forum Changes 

Rhys James give update on behalf of the YEPO team, talking through imminent changes of the YEPS Community Forums. As of March 2023, the YEPS Community Forums will be delivered based on local area. This four YEPS Community Forums will be:

Rhondda Community Forum- Led by Celsea Coles

Cynon Community Forum- Led by Shauna Hopkins

Taff East Community Forum- Led by Louisa Walters

Taff West Community Forum- Led by Rhys James

 

Staying in Touch: 

The meeting was finished by a discussion on how best to stay in touch as a County Youth Forum Group. Within this, CYF mailbox was explained and shared, a CYF what’s app group was formed, and dates of next meeting were shared