26/5/2021

A project which provides children and young people access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities has been launched in Cardiff.

The Children's University is a Child Friendly Cardiff project in partnership with the Children's University Charity and Cardiff University.

Initially piloted in six schools across the city from February until April this year, the scheme provided pupils with access to over 90 different activities such asfitness, art, music, STEM, culture and graphics design in which could be accessed online or via a bookable class.

The Council has recently secured funding to roll out the scheme to a further 25 schools from September 2021.

Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "Building on the‘Passport to the City'commitment made in theCardiff 2030Vision for Education, the Children's University project helps bring together schools with Cardiff's city wide partners, to create and  provide opportunities to children and young people.

"Making sure that Cardiff is a great place to grow up remains high on our agenda, and by optimising use of the city's resources and the fantastic opportunities available, we are able to engage with children and young people through a wonderfully diverse range of provision, some of which they might not usually be able to access.

The scheme was piloted at St Mary the Virgin, Ton-yr-Ywen, Ysgol Pen-y-Pil and Radnor Primary School's, Fitzalan High School and Bryn-y-deri Pupil Resource Unit and initial feedback has been positive.

In November 2018, Cardiff launched the Child Friendly Cardiff Strategy, setting out
Cardiff's ambition to be recognised as a Child Friendly City and its key goals to provide the framework for delivery.

Since then, Cardiff has made significantprogress in embedding children's rights into the Council's strategies and the way in which our young people are supported and nurtured.

As a result, the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) has recognised the pioneering role that Cardiff Council has played as one of the first to join its Child Friendly Cities and Communities programme and has recommended that Cardiff submits for Child Friendly City recognition in the Autumn of 2021.

To find out more about Child Friendly Cardiff, please visitwww.childfriendlycardiff.co.uk

Photos of pupils from Ton yr Ywen