A young person’s guide to all things Budget

An innovative animation on public spending, co-produced by young people for young people has been published by the Welsh Government.

The animation and accompanying leaflet were created by a group of 11 to 25 year-olds from across Wales and aims to describe what the Welsh Government is doing to improve funding choices and the way it raises and spends money, in a youth-friendly way.

Over the past 18 months, members of the Young Wales’ Young People’s Project Board (YPPB) have collaborated with the Welsh Government and the Welsh Treasury, volunteering their own time to take part in online evening sessions and Saturday workshops to create the new resources.

Young Wales is a Children in Wales initiative, funded by Welsh Government. Its mission is to listen to young people and empower their voices through the sharing of ideas, informing, and changing behaviours.

To celebrate their hard work, a launch event was recently held in Cardiff Bay and the young people presented their animation and leaflet to Finance Minister Rebecca Evans.

Speaking at the event, the Finance Minister said:

“This work the young people have co-produced is fantastic. We are always looking for new ways to engage with people of all ages about how we spend public money and use our tax-raising powers.

“This work is a significant step forward towards making the Welsh Budget and the work of the Welsh Treasury more accessible to all. I hope the young people involved have enjoyed the whole process and look forward to seeing their work shared across Wales over the coming months.”

One of the young people involved, Arthur, said:

“Young people are experts in their own lives, bringing a fresh perspective to decision-making. When their voices are given equal weight to that of the adults in the room, we have the ability to create a final product that encapsulates diverse viewpoints and empowers young people in the process – giving us access to what is fundamentally our right.”

Bethany Turner, Development Officer at Children in Wales said:

“This project has been an incredible opportunity for children and young people to have their voices heard and actioned upon by Welsh Government. We have been inspired by the young people’s dedication and commitment throughout this project and it is great to see their ideas shine through in the final product.

“We wish to thank all of the young people who have contributed their time and effort into creating these resources and to thank our colleagues in the design team at Welsh Government for treating the young people and their ideas with the respect they deserve.”

The animation is based on the Welsh Government’s Budget Improvement Plan, published annually alongside other budgetary documents.