13.07.22
Sometimes the world can seem like it’s run by grown-ups for grown-ups... while the young people who are the future are either ignored or have their views dismissed altogether.

Now, Cardiff Council is seeking to change this perception by giving young people a chance to become directly involved in how the city’s education is shaped over the next 10 years.

Power to the People: Cardiff Influencers Programme 2022 is a new initiative designed to establish a forum of younger teenagers from across the city and give them a platform and the ability to shape strategy and influence how the authority will invest millions of pounds in education across the city.

Cllr Sarah Merry, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Cardiff is committed to becoming an internationally recognised Child-Friendly City and the Influencers programme closely aligns with that.

“We want to hear the views of young people, crucially before the big decisions are made,” she added. “That means getting them involved from the start in issues like how and where school buildings are built and what should be on the curriculum.”

The Council wants to recruit around 30 people aged between 13 and 14 onto the scheme which will begin with a week-long summer school at County Hall in Cardiff Bay from Monday, August 15 to Friday, August 19. Lunch will be provided free each day, along with transport for those who need it.

Highlights of the week include:

• A tour around the Fitzalan School construction site
• A tour of Cardiff City Stadium and the new BBC studios
• An investigative interviewing workshop delivered by expert journalists
• An awards ceremony to recognise the achievements of participants

Said Cllr Merry: “Those who sign up to the scheme can take part in just the summer school but we hope many will choose to continue throughout the year. We have events planned for the October and February half-terms when we will analyse the council’s education strategy and consider the most immediate priorities over how we spend more than £250m in our schools.”

To ensure a diverse make-up of the group, all schools throughout the city have been asked to promote the programme to their pupils while youth groups, youth workers and social workers have also become involved in recruiting forum members.

But young people are also invited to put themselves forward to the programme by completing a form at this website – https://tinyurl.com/4vr73ct6