Keith Towler Hits Barry
Children’s Commissioner for Wales’ visit to The Gibbonsdown & Court Youth Forum
The Gibbonsdown & Court Youth Forum invited Keith Towler (Children’s Commissioner for Wales) to Gibbonsdown on Wednesday 1st December.
Two of the Youth Forum members originally met Keith at Jane Hutt’s Spring Breakfast earlier this year and informed him about the group – asking if he could attend one of their meetings.
He agreed and he spent an hour on Wednesday chatting with young people who had put together a presentation about the aims of the Youth Forum – highlighting past, current and future projects.
The meeting was very relaxed and forum members were able to discuss with Keith how they felt about living in their community, school life and projects they were looking forward to.
It was also an opportunity for the children to ask the Commissioner key questions about the importance of his role and how his worked linked into the Youth Forum having a voice in their community.
Keith Towler said: ‘’I really enjoyed meeting with the Youth Forum – they are a great bunch of young people and they are making a huge difference in their community.’’
More Gibbonsdown and Court Youth Forum Info
The Gibbonsdown and Court Youth Forum is for young people aged 11-18 years old. The forum gives young people an opportunity to express their ideas, opinions and needs to decision makers, community staff or to other young people.
The Youth Forum gives young people an important voice that will be seriously considered by adults making decisions about activities and programs for the Gibbonsdown and Court area.
The role of members is to creatively and thoughtfully express their ideas on how to improve communities, so that they can be the best possible environments for young people to live in.
The role of adults at the Youth Forum is to listen carefully to what young people say and to consider how their ideas and opinions can be maximized and included into community planning.
So......
Are you a young person living in Gibbonsdown or Court in Barry?
Do you have views or ideas you think others should know about?
Do you want to get involved in planning activities and projects?
Answered YES to any of these? Then the Youth Forum is for you!!! If would like to get involved please get in touch or simply come along. The Forum meets once a month at Communities First Office, Aberaeron Close, Barry.
The Youth Forum is for young people aged between 11-18 who are living in the Gibbonsdown & Court wards of Barry – please contact Communities First on 01446 732406 for further details.
More about Keith Towler
(From Children's Comissioner for Wales Annual Report 2009-2010)
Since becoming the Children’s Commissioner for Wales on 1 March 2008, Keith Towler has met with at least one group of children and young people every week. During his visits to various settings across Wales, his audience often quizzes him about his job, his team and sometimes more personal questions!
Here is a selection of the most popular questions he is asked: Keith Towler
What is a ‘children’s commissioner’?
In 2001, the National Assembly for Wales decided Wales needed a children’s champion. They appointed the UK’s first Children’s Commissioner with help from children and young people with the principal aim to safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of children in Wales.
I became the country’s second Children’s Commissioner in 2008 and I work for every child and young person in Wales who is under 18 years old or 25 years old if they have been in care.
I work with my team to make sure we listen to all children and young people. We will make sure that the people who make decisions about children and young people’s lives take seriously their views and ideas and take action.
Describe a typical day
The best thing about this job is that there isn’t a ‘typical day’. One day I could be riding a horse with looked-after children, having my suit covered in gunk at a play school and visiting the Blue Peter garden to meeting with the UK Government Cabinet, approving our consultation response to a National Assembly for Wales Committee inquiry and being interviewed by a journalist about a relevant topic. It’s this variety which makes this job one of the best jobs in Wales.
You can find more out about the Children's Commissioner and young people's rights in Wales by visiting: www.childcom.org.uk
Thank you for your help!
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1 Comment – Post a comment
Snow..
Commented 30 months ago - 10th December 2010 - 17:52pm
It was AMAZING meeting Keith Towler. He's a really nice guy and answered all of our questions (: