Carmarthenshire Youth Council hosts its AGM

To celebrate Youth Work Week, 23 – 30 June, Carmarthenshire Youth Council hosted its AGM at County Hall, Carmarthen on Wednesday, 28 June 2023.

The Carmarthenshire Youth Council (CYC) were greeted and hosted by members of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet whilst the Education and Children’s Services Director, Gareth Morgans officially opened the AGM.

During the meeting, the Youth Council looked back on its work over the past year and the issues that have been affecting young people and the positive achievements made by their peers. They also discussed and shared views on issues they would want to address in the coming year.

Amongst the issues the CYC have worked on and the projects they are proud of are the creation of a Regional Safeguarding Video to train professionals; highlighting the issue of domestic abuse through their Never Silence The Violence Project; helping Carmarthenshire County Council to develop Children’s Rights Resources for schools and youth projects; raising issues such as the cost-of-living crisis at a local and national level; involvement in the recent Estyn inspection of the Council; recruitment and selection of staff as an equal stakeholder in interviews; working towards an ASDAN Councillors Shadowing Award and working closely with the Council’s Cabinet Members.

Carmarthenshire Youth Council is made up of 42 young people, aged between 11 and 21 years old, from across the county and have representation on the Welsh Youth Parliament and UK Youth Parliament to ensure that the young people in Carmarthenshire have a voice and a mechanism to hear their opinions on a local and national level.

Their aim is to represent the views of young people on issues of relevance to them with Senior Officers and Elected Members of the County Council.

Speaking after the AGM, Youth Council Chairperson Lucas Palenek, 17 years old from Brechfa said: “Our AGM 2023 is a special event, as we celebrate our twentieth anniversary. Established in 2003, the Youth Council has made significant progress over the last twenty years. The aim of the meeting is to share our work with everyone, including our short term and long-term projects, strengthening our strong connections and foundations that have enabled us to represent who we are today. After completing the first full year after the lockdown period, it has been an exceptional year for us to ensure that the voices of the youth from the county are heard on a local and national level, and therefore this is a chance for our achievements and efforts to be recognised and applauded last night.”

Cllr. Darren Price, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council said “It is so important that our young people are engaged in the matters that affect them, their families and their communities as they are the decision-makers of tomorrow.

“Cabinet Members have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Carmarthenshire Youth Council and we are proud of their work and excited about the achievements that are on the horizon for our future generation.”