youthsirgar Archives - Youth Sirgar

Our AGM (Annual General Meeting) took place in County Hall on Thursday, 10^th of April. Young people from across Carmarthenshire attended and we had the opportunity to share our achievements from the past year with County Council Elected Members, Managers, and Heads of service within the Education and children’s services department.

At the meeting we welcomed Director of Education and Children, Owian Lloyd to officially open the meeting. We are so grateful as it is his first Youth Council AGM since his appointment as Director in October 2024.

Chaired by our outgoing Chairperson Magda Smith the AGM gives an opportunity for Youth Council Members to present reports and speeches on the achievements and work of the Youth Council over the year and to set priorities for the coming year. Speaking at the AGM Magda, 18 from Pentregwenlais said “Looking back, I feel incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together. Serving as Chairperson of Carmarthenshire Youth Council has been a privilege. It’s opened doors I never imagined, from representing young voices in decision-making spaces to building lasting friendships. I’ve grown not only as a leader but also as a person. Most importantly, I hope I’ve made a difference by helping young people feel heard, empowered, and inspired to create change. While this chapter is ending, the impact and the memories will stay with me for a lifetime. I know the future of CYC is safe in the hands of the up-and-coming young people”

The past twelve months have been busy, with members working on officially launching our domestic abuse project called Never Silence the Violence and Our Voice Project where we worked with Secondary Schools to explore Real Life Lessons.

We have also been very fortunate to have Evie represent us, Carmarthenshire and Wales in the House of Commons as part of the UK Youth Parliament.

Following the AGM we are pleased to announce the exciting news that Carmarthenshire Youth Council’s Executive Board for 2025 are:
★ Toby Bithray – Chairperson
★ Ben Bantock – Vice Chairperson
★ Evie Somers – Secretary
★ Samuel Kwan – Treasurer
★ Zach Davis – Communications Officer

Toby, following receiving the position of Chairperson said “In my role as Vice Chairperson over the last twelve months, I have been proud to assist the Chairperson in meetings and leading the young people. Now I feel ready and excited to become Chairperson of the Youth Council myself. I hope to continue amplifying the voices of young people in CYC, and bring a further sense of community within the Youth Council.”

Cllr. Aled Vaughan Owen addressed the meeting to give an update on the collaboration work between Carmarthenshire County Councils Executive Board and Youth Council, a project developed to encourage young people to influence the priority areas of Carmarthenshire County Council.

We also welcomed Kelly Tomlinson, Head of Operations at Foothold Cymru who presented the members with Volunteens certificates for their contribution to Carmarthenshire Youth Council. You can read more by clicking here on what Youth Council members said about signing up to the Volunteens project.

We were joined by Gill Adams, Principal Youth Support Services Manager who presented members who successfully completed an Introduction to Safeguarding Training delivered by Carmarthenshire Youth Support Service Staff during our Annual Summer Camp last year.

The AGM also allowed us to express our appreciation and to celebrate the hard work, dedication and valuable contribution of former Youth Council members who have recently left. Former members who were in attendance were presented by with a certificate and Award of Recognition by the Director of Education and Children, Owain Lloyd.

Our 2025 AGM was officially closed by County Councillor Carys Davies, Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Community Cohesion and Planning Policy who addressed the chambers with a positive message about the importance of continuing to be the voice of young poeple and to champion young peoples issues locally and nationally in the Senedd and Houses Of Parliament.

If you would like more information or are interested in being a part of the CYC then please reach out and get in touch with us by email on info@carmarthenshire.gov.uk or send a message on any of our Social Media platforms Facebook, Instagram or X (formerly Twitter)

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 said

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

Young People Take The Lead at Annual General Meeting

WE MATTER. WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE