Young Voices, Big Impact!

Posted on by Sarah

I had the chance to interview Evie, a member of the UK Youth Parliament, to learn more about her role and the issues she is most passionate about.

THE INTERVIEW…

Q. What does being Wales’ Member of the Youth Select Committee mean to you?
A. There’s more than 500,000 young people across this nation – having been entrusted to effectively represent their views on the Youth Select Committee (YSC) is, of course, an honour. Fulfilling this position will be my most active representative role to date – I plan to take great care and responsibility when speaking and advocating on behalf of Wales’ young people.

Q. Who’s your biggest inspiration?
A. It’s going to be difficult to pick just one I’m afraid, as I admire many people for many different reasons – Nadia Whittome MP for example does a great deal of work promoting equality across parliamentary settings. Will Hayward, a Welsh journalist produces some incredible content on Welsh politics allowing for accessible and quality news. I could go on.

Q. What do you feel most passionate about – and what do you want to change for the future?
A. I’m incredibly passionate about political education – something which I had the privilege to discuss in the House of Commons with my fellow Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs). I believe that far too many young people are disengaged and disinterested with the very systems that govern them. I would certainly change the way that government and politics is approached within our curriculum; starting a comprehensive programme of political literacy is key to curing ignorance.

Q. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years, I’ll hopefully have a secure career within journalism – a dream I have held for some time.

Q. What would you tell your younger self today?
I would tell my younger self what I would tell Wales’ young people – take every opportunity available to you – enjoy every experience, and be kind, always.

Thank you to Evie for answering my questions and good luck with your work in the UK Youth Parliament.

Article by
Bethan

Evie, will travel to London this week to attend the first in-person meeting of the UK Youth Select Committee, held at the Houses of Parliament on Thursday, 18 September.
This prestigious event marks the official launch of the Committee’s inquiry process for the 2025/26 term. Evie, who is representing both Carmarthenshire and Wales, is one of only 12 young people across the UK to have been selected to sit on the influential Youth Select Committee.

If you want to know more or keep up with what Evie’s up to in London with the Youth Select Committee, you can follow her journey and get the latest updates on our socials Facebook and Instagram! If you’ve got a question for Evie, drop it in the comments below, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer as soon as we can!

Our Annual Get-Together in Margam

Posted on by Sarah

We had an incredible time at our Annual Summer Camp! We recently came together for another fantastic camp, designed by young people, for young people! Thanks to our Summer Camp Planners who worked hard to create an unforgettable experience packed with fun, learning, and making memories, and we think they absolutely nailed it!

We always look forward to our Summer Camp, it’s become a fantastic tradition for Carmarthenshire Youth Council to come together, recharge, and get ready for another year of making a difference. This time, we headed to the brilliant Margam Discovery Centre at the end of July. It was the perfect spot for our annual get together.

Beyond all the fun, the camp was a super important time for us to get down to business. It a great opportunity for all of us as a Youth Council to plan our work for the year ahead and set our priorities. We shared ideas, discussed what matters most to young people in Carmarthenshire, and figured out how we can make the biggest impact. Your voice is at the heart of everything we do, and the camp really helped us shape our vision for the coming months.

This year, we had an absolute blast with a “Traitors” theme, inspired by the incredible castle right on the grounds of Margam Park! We took part in loads of exciting team-building games and tasks that really got us working together, thinking strategically, and having fun.

It was a brilliant way to strengthen our bonds and get to know each other even better outside of our usual meetings. Everyone enjoyed the theme and took part with really enthusiasm.

One of the absolute highlights was the Raft Building Activity! We split into teams, got our building ideas ready (and our hands a bit wet!), and built our very own rafts. It was so much fun, and even if some of them weren’t exactly seaworthy, it was an amazing way to build relationships and create some hilarious memories together. Nothing beats a bit of friendly competition and shared laughter on a warm summer day.

Our member Mimi, said following the Summer Camp  “My favourite part was the raft building, as it helped us work as a team whilst having lots of fun! I felt that the Traitors theme gave way to a lot of conversations and helped connect everyone present”

Margam Park isn’t just about castles and lakes; it’s also home to some adorable creatures! We spent some time on the Farm Trail, getting to meet and pet some of the friendly farm animals like goats and even some super cute alpacas! We also spotted some of Margam Park’s long-term residents, the majestic deer and ducks. It was a great way to relax and connect with nature after all our planning and activities, and a wonderful break from the “Traitors” tasks.

We had an unforgettable summer experience! Our Summer Camp was truly amazing! We had fun, made new friends, strengthened our bonds, and set out a clear path for how we’re going to continue making a difference for young people in Carmarthenshire. You can see some of the memories we made in the photo album below.

Keep an eye on our social media and website for updates on our upcoming projects and how you can get involved with Carmarthenshire Youth Council!

We’d love to hear from you – what kind of activities would you like to see us take on next? Leave your ideas in the comments.

OUR SUMMER CAMP 2025 GALLERY

Photos provided by Sam K

Evie Represents Carmarthenshire and Wales on National Youth Committee

Posted on by Sarah

Evie Somers, 17 years old from Carmarthen has some exciting news, she’s just been selected by the UK Parliament and National Youth Agency to join the UK Youth Select Committee (YSC) for the 2025/26 term.

Evie has been part of the Carmarthenshire Youth Council for the past two years, passionately voicing the concerns and ideas of local young people. Now, she’s about to represent Carmarthenshire and Wales on the national stage, becoming the first young person from Carmarthenshire ever chosen for this prestigious role.

The Youth Select Committee is a parliamentary initiative that allows young people aged 14-19 from different regions around the UK to scrutinize and hold inquiries on important topics, young people a voice in matters that affect them. The committee investigates various issues, such as mental health, education, climate change, and even the impact of social media on youth violence.

The Youth Select Committee mirrors the processes of a House of Commons Select Committee and is made up of 12 young people. Members will gather evidence from various sources including academics, government officials and experts before producing a report with recommendations straight to government.

Evie, who’s proudly representing both Carmarthenshire and Wales, attended her first online meeting earlier this week and will take her seat in the UK Parliament in London this September for the committee’s first in-person session.

She shared: “I would like to thank the UK Parliament and the National Youth Agency for my selection. Having been selected as Wales’ only representative on this unique committee, I promise to place Welsh interests at the very front of my work. During my tenure, I aim to combine a grassroots commitment to Wales with consistent and unwavering national representation.”

Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language, Cllr Glynog Davies said: “We are incredibly proud to see Evie represent Carmarthenshire and Wales on such an important national platform. Her dedication and passion for youth issues are truly inspiring. This opportunity not only highlights Evie’s commitment but also shines a spotlight on the valuable contributions young people from our community can make to shaping policies that affect them. We look forward to supporting her as she takes on this significant role.”

We are incredibly proud of Evie, being the first young person from Carmarthenshire to be selected is a remarkable achievement. Being selected isn’t just a major achievement, it’s also a huge opportunity to grow, connect, and influence the issues that affect all of us. This opportunity promises fantastic experiences ahead for her, and we look forward to continuing to support Evie and wishing her every success!

Keep an eye out for updates on our social media accounts @YouthSirGâr where we’ll be sharing highlights from Evie’s journey with the Youth Select Committee!

Our Voice: Learn Real Life Zine

Posted on by Sarah

Our Voice, Our Vote, Our Future: Learn Real Life is our project that gives young people in Carmarthenshire the opportunity to highlight the issues that matter to them. Our project is all about making sure that our voices are heard and taken into account by decision makers with the aim of improving the services we receive or to make a difference to the issues that affect our lives. We’re talking about things like education, mental health, community services, and more.

After we collected the responses the Our Voice Ballot, (please click here for background information) Teach Real Life Lessons In School was voted by young people as the most important issue, this became the Youth Council’s priority issue for the year. Over the past 18 months, we completed research, surveys, ran focus groups, held ballots and organised events to hear directly from young people Carmarthenshire.

We pushed for change and created the ‘Learn Real Life’ event to listen to young people’s views and experiences about the real-life lessons in their education setting. Held in February 2025, the Our Voice: Learn For Life event was a great success, supported by a number of our Secondary Schools, Decision Makers and Managers from Carmarthenshire County Councils Education Department, they worked together and participated in activities designed to gather their feedback on their experiences with real-life lessons being taught in schools.

Our member Bethan said “I had the opportunity to host the event, and I was nervous before starting but after some time I gained more confidence to speak in front of the young people, teachers and guests. It was also informative to hear the different perspectives from different schools. I find it very interesting how one school can be taught something different from another.”

We are happy to share with you our recently completed Learn Real Life Zine on the findings and feedback we received from young people who attended the event.

The Zine shares views on:
★ What life lessons do young people think they have learnt in school.
★ Explores views on the challenges and opportunities needed to navigate through everyday life.
★ Illustrates areas such as digital skills in future work, social and emotional challenges that need to be improved.

Click here to read our Learn Real Life Zine.

By running “Our Voice, Our Vote, Our Future”, we ensure that young people’s needs remain at the heart of local decision making. It’s our future so let’s make this count! We are excited to be attending Carmarthenshire Headteachers’ meetings before the Summer to share our findings and highlight the feedback to those who can make a difference.

To be involved in the conversation please leave a comment below or follow us on social media.

Article by
Bethan Jones 

We Matter… We Make A Difference

Posted on by Sarah

We have been working with Foothold Cymru recently to set Carmarthenshire Youth Council up as a volunteering placement to recognise the contribution, time and hard work of our members. We are so proud of our members that have signed up to their Volunteens Projects. Volunteens is a platform connecting young people with meaningful volunteer opportunities, who believe that through volunteering young people can develop new life skills and give back to their communities.

Our members who are aged between 11 – 21 years old devote and contribute a lot of time and work to the participation and children’s rights work on a local, regional and national level and the Volunteens project helps us celebrate and recognise our volunteering hours and the time we have given. We want our members to consider the personal benefits of volunteering and the positive impact it can have on people’s lives such as promoting good mental health, fostering a feeling of belonging, engaging in community participation, and strengthening social involvement more generally.

Our Chairperson Toby, said “volunteering with CYC has played a monumental role in shaping me as a person. It has provided countless opportunities to build my confidence, such as delivering speeches, and has empowered me with vital knowledge, whether recognizing the signs and symptoms of domestic abuse to protect myself or learning how to amplify the voices of other young people.“

Toby also added that “The work we do in CYC is invaluable, not only in addressing key issues but also promoting the growth and development of young people as a whole. It is essential that our efforts are recognised, as they create lasting change in both the young people of CYC and the wider community.”

Our member Kaya said that “volunteering with the Youth Council has made me become a better person socially while speaking to others and mentally as I learn and take part in new opportunities that help me develop such as making a speech during AGM which helped me with my confidence throughout our group and also planning our events which helped me with having a creative mind.”


Volunteens is a way of recognising what we have done and shows our commitment to making sure children and young people have a voice in Carmarthenshire. There are so many reasons to volunteer, so here are just a few:
★ Volunteering is a fantastic way to support a cause that you care about and learn new things along the way
★ Build your experience and skills while growing your confidence
★ Make a difference to others
★ Meet people, have fun and be part of your community
★ Feel valued and make a difference

“We are so grateful to Foothold Cymru for creating a volunteering scheme that acknowledges the time, commitment and contribution given by Carmarthenshire’s young people. It is important we recognise this! Not only does volunteering open up a wealth of experiences, but it also allows young people to gain a variety of skills, such as team-work, that are beneficial in day-to-day life. I can’t express how much their volunteering is appreciated and valued by the service” explained Sarah Jones, Senior Participation and Children’s Rights Officer for Carmarthenshire County Council.

Kelly Tomlinson, Head of Operations at Foothold Cymru said “I genuinely love Volunteens and the young people I’ve been able to meet with along the way. The project takes a fresh look at volunteering based around young people’s thoughts and opinions. The site and many of it’s resources have been co-produced by young people too and highlight the huge potential our young people have and how much they have to give. It’s also been great building relationships with many local organisations who are keen to take these Volunteens on board. Thanks to funding from the WCVA, Welsh Government and Volunteering in Wales, Volunteens now covers Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Powys and I’m really excited to see the difference young people can make across Wales.”

There really is a volunteering opportunity for everyone and if you are 11 years old or older and interested in volunteering or you are already Volunteering in Carmarthenshire and want to know more about the Volunteens Project please visit the Volunteens website by clicking here or contact Kelly on kelly@footholdcymru.org.uk