Teenagers are joining forces with adults with learning disabilities to help spruce up one their city’s most popular beaches.
Students on the Welsh Baccalaureate course at Cefn Hengoed Community School will be out and about alongside the adults in an initiative being set up by Swansea Council’s social services department.
The move is part of a brand new initiative designed to increase integration with service users and to encourage young people to think about careers in social care.
Swansea Council social services is involved in the scheme as part of its investment in social work and social care recruitment to help fill posts and develop services in the future.
Vickie Lawday, Swansea Council’s Staff Development and Training Officer, said: “It’s a really innovative idea. Many young people think about working in social care but don’t really know all that much about it.
“This initiative means everyone benefits. The students fulfil the community involvement part of their Welsh Bac and the adults have a meaningful opportunity to make a contribution to their community.
“Meanwhile we give students an insight into a career in social care, the beach gets a good clean and the pupils are making a contribution to the community.”
Around 20 students from Cefn Hengoed are due to take part in the initiative which Vickie hopes will become a regular feature on the beach.
She said: “The long-term aim is for Cefn Hengoed pupils to link up with the Social Development group on a regular basis with this and other community involvement schemes which will address elements of their Welsh Bac qualification.”
The section of beach by the Civic Centre in Swansea is looked after once a week by service users from the Social Development Service from Fforestfach Day Service.
As part of the beach clean, data is collected which is submitted for environmental analysis to monitor the beach’s cleanliness and target action.
Service users and pupils will be supported by staff from the Social Development Service and Welsh Bac Tutors from Cefn Hengoed.
Darren McGinley, Welsh Bac Tutor at Cefn Hengoed, said: “The year 10 pupils involved in this project are delighted to get the opportunity to complete the community element of the Welsh Bac through working with service users from Fforestfach Day Service.
“The pupils are keen to develop new skills and contribute to their local community in an exciting way.
“We hope to continue this relationship in the future with more pupils gaining the opportunity to work with different community groups and also fulfil their educational requirements.
“Similar work is already ongoing within the school catchment area including Bonymaen and St Thomas.”
