Young voices lead the way in tackling litter in Carmarthenshire

During October and November, Keep Wales Tidy worked closely with young people aged 8-25, listening to their experiences, the misconceptions they encounter, and their innovative ideas for creating cleaner communities.

Three youth groups in Carmarthenshire played a central role:

• Dr Mz Youth Project, Carmarthen
• Llandovery Youth and Community Centre, Llandovery
• Ieuenctid Tysul Youth, Llandysul

The initiative has been supported by Ynni Sir Gar and members of the Keep Wales Tidy Youth Board, who provided valuable feedback throughout. It is part of Carmarthenshire’s Caru Cymru project, which has received £51,781.37 from the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Megan Friedli from the Keep Wales Tidy Youth Board said:

“Young people’s voices are vital as we work to tackle litter in Carmarthenshire, the rest of Wales and further afield. Research tends to show that we contribute the most towards littering, so solving it is a problem that starts, but equally and absolutely can be ended by us. If you want the younger generation to change our behaviours, it’s important that you involve us in that process.

“I was happy to offer my opinions to the project in the hope that we can achieve a cleaner Wales in the long run.”

In early December, all three youth groups gathered in Carmarthen for a final celebration. Armed with their uniquely decorated litter pickers, 50 young people carried out a clean-up and, with guidance from local sculptor and artist Lisa Phillips of Stiwdio Mam through LocalMotion, transformed the waste into striking pieces of art. The event also featured meaningful discussions on litter and sustainability, ending on a high note with shared ideas – and shared pizza!

Speaking after the event, Alex Nicholas, Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer for Carmarthenshire said:

“By listening to young people and involving them in the solution, we’re not only tackling litter but also challenging stereotypes and empowering the next generation to take pride in their communities.

“I’m excited to see how these young people build on their shared passion for keeping their local environment litter-free, and I look forward to supporting them with future projects and ideas.”