Trust introduce youth voice forum

24th June
Foundation

​​​​​​​The Swans Community Trust’s sports participation programme have introduced a new youth voice forum.

The programme encompasses the Premier League Kicks, Premier League Girls and Premier League Multi-sport projects.

These projects aim to use sport to bring communities together and engage with young people to build safer, stronger, more respectful communities through the development of young people’s potential.

The sports participation programme has held sessions across South Wales, with numerous people getting involved.

And it is felt there is a need to listen to those people to improve the delivery of the project.

Craig Richards, sports participation co-ordinator, said: “We set up the youth voice forum so that participants can shape the future.

“Through listening to what young people want, we hope there will be positive results for the next generation.”

Meeting every six weeks at the Liberty Stadium, the youth voice forum is participant-led, and allows the ‘youth voice’ to discuss their ideas and opinions on the project.

The group have chosen two programmes for focus in their discussions, reconnecting youth and employment.

With the aim of reconnecting youth, ideas gathered included:

  • Advertisements – make posters/leaflets
  • Transport arrangements
  • Advertise on social media accounts eg create a page/group
  • Fun sessions/game related
  • Communication between teams/staff/participants
  • More games/trips
  • Better promotions in schools
  • More equipment/kit
  • Spectating professional games
  • Sponsorship
  • Fundraising – businesses/sponsored walks/bag packing/fun run

To increase employment, they compiled the following ideas:

  • Volunteering to gain experience
  • Learning how to structure a CV – workshops/courses
  • Showcase the variety of jobs available
  • Find solutions to the barriers to employment
  • Identify role models
  • Provide skills
  • Gain life-knowledge for future

The sports participation youth voice forum will meet again in August to continue discussions.