We belong
Hands up if you feel part of a community?
Hands up if you think you can be part of lots of different communities? We are going to give you some examples of communities that we are part of and how we can make some changes in our lives.
Who we are Young Voices for Choices Youth Forum is for disabled young people in Pembrokeshire aged between 14 – 25. Young Voices for Choices has been running for 15 years.
What we do • We talk about things that are important for young disabled people living in Pembrokeshire. • We work on issues that have been raised. • We work with people so they can find out what we think and how we feel about stuff. • We are part of other groups that help us have a voice.
What we do • We plan different events, workshops, activities and fundraising. • We work with national organisations to make sure that young people living in Pembrokeshire have a voice. • We learn new skills. • We offer each other support. • But most importantly we enjoy what we do and we have FUN.
Our community To us community means: “A safe place where we can come together and make changes for us and others. Being part of the Young Voices for Choices community has given us a chance to belong to other groups and to meet lots of other people.�
We are going to tell you a bit about the other groups we are part of. This is important to us as these groups helps us become part of the bigger community, helps us learn new stuff and skills and people can learn from us. We matter and we need to be involved
Pembrokeshire Youth Assembly – The Youth Assembly is the way for young people to be involved in decision making in Pembrokeshire. Its has been running since 2001 and has young people sitting on the group from:
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All secondary school councils
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Community-based youth councils
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Young Voices for Choices (forum for disabled young people)
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Junior Safeguardians (the county’s Junior Safeguarding Children Board)
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Travelling Ahead (Gypsy Traveller forum)
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Pembrokeshire Youth Bank
Junior Safegaurdians
• This group is about making sure children and young in Pembrokeshire are safe. • It helps children and young people understand about safeguarding • Works on projects that will help others living in the area • Works with adults so they know what we think of safeguarding
Pembrokeshire Voices for Equality
This groups works with lots of different groups and people to make sure places like hospitals, councils, police etc know what people from the community feel about services. This group also works on making sure people who do not belong to groups also have the chance to have a voice. Members of this group include: Disabled people’s groups Gay and Lesbian groups Over 50’s Forum Religious groups This is an example of some of the groups we work with
Access group
This group works on access to services, houses, roads, leisure centre and lots of other things for disabled people in Pembrokeshire. We have worked with this group on different projects including our transport project that we did in the summer.
We are part of some groups that work across Wales • Disability Wales • Learning Disability Wales • Young Wales
Some stuff that we have been involved in • Organised a safeguarding conference for over 50 school children. • Met with the 50+ forum to look at issues that we all face. • Worked on a project with Cadw on looking getting money to look after old buildings. • Met with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
Some stuff that we have been involved in • Carried out a Transport project in Pembrokeshire. • Worked with a senior lecture from the University of South Wales about research and services. • Delivered a presentation on ‘Telling out own stories – disabled and non disabled children and young people shaping change’ University of Wales. • Help adults and decision makers understand out views and showed how it’s important to listen to us and give us a voice.
How it makes us feel when we are part of something • It makes me feel that I am wanted and that I can make changes. • By being involved I have got more confidence and have been able to get involved with other things and I have made new friends. • It has given me lots of different chances to share my story and my views. • I feel that I can make a difference and be part of a community.
Thank you for listening For more information on Youth Voices for Choices contact: Judith.mcnamara@pembrokeshire.gov.uk Nadine.farmer@pembrokeshire.gov.uk