06/09/10
Welsh youngsters have their say and up their skills
The Young People’s Participation accreditation was jointly developed by Agored Cymru and the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure that young people of all ages are adequately represented in their communities.
The accreditation seeks to empower children and young people by involving them in decisions that affect their lives, and recognising how being a part of the decision making process develops their skills.
The accreditation is administered via existing young people’s decision-making bodies, like school councils, youth groups, and eco-committees. Their support and training staff can use accreditation to support their non-formal learning opportunities through the body’s naturally occurring goals and objectives.
Agored Cymru, Wales’ newest awarding organisation develops qualifications and accreditation opportunities to meet needs and priorities of all learners in Wales, helping individuals from all walks of life have access to the benefits of learning.
Agored Cymru will develop qualifications and accreditation opportunities for a range of learners who need a flexible and customised curriculum to help them succeed with their learning. In particular Agored Cymru seeks to make a difference to individuals, who may have had, or are having difficulty engaging with traditional learning.
The units will assist learners, in schools or in communities, to achieve credits which they will be able to use as building blocks towards a qualification. These will support them in returning to learning, improving their vocational and basic skills and help them to gain employment.
Young people at Llanfyllin Youth Centre in Powys have been working towards accreditation for over a year, discussing with their peers and staff the direction in which the group should be heading.
Ruby Dunn, 12 years old, from Llanfyllin feels that having a say in what activities the group does means they feel more valued by the staff at the centre and the community.
She commented: “I feel more like a member of the community because people are asking our opinion and listening to our ideas. It’s definitely improved how things work in the youth group. I feel like the staff and us understand each other really well, and I feel more confident speaking about issues that are important to us.”
Martin ‘Dux’ Duckers, area youth worker for Powys Youth Service, has seen the group grow since involving young people in decisions, and believes that the experience has more than just a social benefit for those young people working towards it.
“The youth service provides an opportunity for those young people who are more suited to informal learning to develop their portfolio, and ensure their CVs are full of interesting qualifications, which will put them in good stead for the future.” Said ‘Dux’.
He continued “We have always valued the input of young people into how things are done- we’re adult enabled but not adult led. Making the process formal with accreditation has made us look out for wider experiences for the group, and beyond trips away, we’ve involved them in Welsh Assembly Government consultations that affect young people and children throughout Wales.”
In providing flexible learning qualifications for learners in Wales, Agored Cymru responds to the national and regional education and training agenda, working closely with the Welsh Assembly Government and Sector Skills Councils.
The young people’s participation accreditation can also be built into the Welsh Baccalaureate, and complements the Welsh Assembly Government’s skills based 14-19 learning pathway strategy.
Chief Executive of Agored Cymru, Janet Barlow said: “The needs and priorities of Wales and Welsh learners are different, and as such we need to build qualifications that reflect those differences.
“We are developing tailored qualifications that will compliment aspects of the unique Welsh curriculum, and the Young People’s Participation qualification is a prime example of our dedication to flexible learning in Wales.“
