Talented young creative writers from across Caerphilly county borough are to benefit from a brand new Writers Squad, which aims to further nurture their creative talents and encourage them to succeed.
The Young Writers Squad is an initiative that encourages children who show exceptional talent in creative writing, to further develop their skills and talent throughout their school career.
The children selected to take part are offered a specialist workshop with a professional writer at least once a term.
Head teachers of local primary schools were contacted recently to put forward suitable candidates from their schools to take part in the scheme.
Selected pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 are eligible to take part, and the Young Writers Squad workshops are provided throughout the rest of their school careers.
In this way, the Squad members have access to professional tutors, who write in a wide range of styles, to help nurture the young peoples’ talent and encourage them.
Cllr Phil Bevan, cabinet member for education and leisure said, “Schemes such as this are excellent in that they provide that little extra support to help some of our most talented youngsters to flourish academically.”
Caerphilly county borough currently has two Young Writers Squads already in operation, two working through the medium of English, which were established in 1997 and 2000 and one through the medium of Welsh, ‘Sgwad Sgwennu’.
Young people taking part in these schemes to date have flourished with their creative writing skills, and have even had the opportunity to visit the Hay Festival of Literature and meet visiting writers and performance poets.
Some of the older Squad members have also attended a residential writing trip to Flat Holm Island.
The Young Writers Squad is an initiative organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Arts Development Service, together with the Library Service, School Effectiveness Unit and the Welsh Academy.
