Deputy Minister for Children Huw Lewis today met with young people from across Wales at an event aimed at providing young people with the opportunity to participate in decisions that affect them.
More than 250 young people from schools, youth forums, youth settings and Funky Dragon met at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea to have their say on a range of topics such as school uniforms, basic skills and child poverty.
The event, entitled ‘Your Choice Your Voice’, has been organised by the Welsh Assembly Government with funding from the ‘Reach the Heights – First Footholds ESF Project.’ As well as attending workshops young people were able to voice their thoughts and opinions through video booths, post boxes and an electronic graffiti wall. The day will provide young people with an opportunity to have a say, be listened to and make a difference to Assembly Government policies, plans and information that affect them.
Huw Lewis said:
“We are doing a lot of work to support the involvement of children and young people in decision-making and in the work of the Assembly Government. This event today gives young people from all across Wales the opportunity to have their say on a range of issues and policies that affect them.
“For example, we will be consulting upon Wales’ first statutory Child Poverty Strategy shortly and I will outline exactly how we plan to make a real difference to the lives of those children who are affected.
“No two families in poverty are the same. There may be a bereavement or ill health in the family, or a drug and alcohol problem, or redundancy, or people that feel trapped working all hours in low paid jobs. We need to ensure that our strategy can respond to the needs of families in poverty and I particularly want to hear what young people think about plans.
“Many of the young people at today’s conference will have been personally affected by poverty. After all nearly one in three children in Wales is living in poverty and this has an effect on their health, education and economic life chances..
“I am working to further strengthen dialogue between all public bodies that provide services affecting young people – because good partnership working is crucial. In Wales, the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child forms the basis for all our work with and for children and young people and with this in mind, an open dialogue between young people themselves at events like ‘Your Choice Your Voice’ is paramount.”
