Ysgol y Dderwen
May has been a month full of fantastic school visits by Rocio and members of our Participation Team. It has been great to see how different schools incorporate rights learning both in their classrooms and their outdoor areas. A visit to Ysgol y Dderwen in Carmarthen involved a whole school assembly and a discussion with their Rights Ambassadors who have been involving the whole school in setting challenges. Rocio even had the chance to teach them some Spanish.
Mary Immaculate Primary School
We also visited Mary Immaculate Primary School in Haverfordwest, where we did an assembly which concentrated on ‘where food comes from’. This reflected our Right of the Month for May, Article 27 a righty to a good standard of living. Hearing from the school’s First Ministers and Cabinet was a fantastic opportunity to learn more about their efforts to make their willow garden and pond accessible.
If you would like to request a visit to your school please contact our office on our website.
Jigso Children’s Centre
We have also visited different organisations that support children and their families this month. Earlier in May we visited Jigso Children’s Centre in Cardigan. This is an organisation that has been providing support to children for over 30 years. The visit provided an opportunity to speak with parents and carers who use the centre as well as speaking with the trustees. It was great to join in a story time session.
If you are an organisation who works with children and young people and would like to request a visit from our organisation, please contact us on our wesbite.
Ysgol Ty Coch, Pontypridd
Recently Rocio and two members of staff visited Ysgol Ty Coch in Pontypridd to gather evidence for the Senedd Inquiry on disabled children’s access to education. We met with three different classes of children and young people who answered our questions and shared their experiences with us. This included Leigh Wharton and her class who helped us with your Ambitions for Wales survey for children with PMLD in autumn 2022.
Cardiff Cool Deaf Club
This month we had a fantastic opportunity to engage with children and young people as we were invited to visit Cardiff Deaf Cool Club at Deaf Hub Wales. We ran a rights workshop with the group and discussed rights such as Articles 31,28 and 24 of the UNCRC. It was a great opportunity to engage with individuals whose first language is BSL and learn about the challenges they face accessing services in Wales. Thank you for inviting us!
Cardiff Youth Council
As part of focus groups for our Racism in Schools project, we met with 37 young people for schools across Cardiff at the City Hall Chambers. The group heard their views and experiences.
Show Racism the Red Card, Llandudno
It’s been a busy month in North Wales! Members of the participation team attended the Show Racism the Red Card’s ‘Leaders of Now’ celebration event in Llandudno. It was an inspirational showcase of student-led actions taken in schools to promote anti-racism. This insight into good practice helps inform our wider project work around Racism in Schools. Later that day, the team held a North Wales focus group in Wrexham as part of the Racism in Schools project, to hear directly from children and young people about their experiences of racism in schools.
Betsi Cadwaladr Children’s Charter Launch
The Children’s Commissioner attended two launch events in North Wales this month, with children’s rights and a ‘no wrong door’ approach a key theme. Firstly, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s ‘Children’s Charter’ Launch brought together professionals from across North Wales to mark the launch of this work, and the importance of embedding a children’s rights approach. The CCfW team enjoyed delivering a rights workshop with attendees, followed by a speech from the Commissioner.
Ysgol y Gogarth
Next up, the Commissioner attended the launch of Launch of the ‘Life After School Videos’ and ‘Right Door Web Series’ at Ysgol y Gogarth in Llandudno.
“It’s been fantastic to meet and hear today from the young people and professionals involved in putting together this important new resource – the Right Door Web Series. I’ve been particularly impressed by the partnership working approach which has enabled this, and by the true commitment to young people co-producing the resource. I know that ‘The Right Door’ name was a term inspired by my office’s No Wrong Door Approach, and I’m thrilled that young people themselves came up with that name, taking the concept and making it something positive and rights-affirming for them! I’d like to congratulate everyone involved and wish you all the best for your continued work.” – Children’s Commissioner for Wales
Stand NW Youth Group
Lastly, yet of much importance, it was a pleasure to join Stand NW’s online youth group to discuss with them their experiences of education. The group’s honest and open discussion helped inform the Commissioner’s understanding of barriers affecting children with disabilities, as part of the Senedd’s ‘Disabled Children’s Access to Education’ Inquiry.