Barnardo's primary School Councils Event
In February 2012, following the success of last year’s School Council Event, Cardiff Bay will once again play host to over 100 primary school children from across the city to celebrate children’s voices. The day will not only be a great opportunity for school councils to share best practice but will be packed with fun activities and opportunities for the children to have a say in the development of Cardiff’s Participation Strategy. Last year the children chose to call this grand school council ‘Plant Y Ddinas’, meaning children of the city, and this year ‘Plant Y Ddinas’ is bigger, better and louder than ever!
Read more to get involved and see the report of last year’s wonderful event …….
On the 18th February 2011 over 100 children from a diverse range of Primary School Councils from around Cardiff came together in the Urdd Centre, Wales Millennium Centre to celebrate the importance of School Councils. This event was organised by Barnardo’s Cymru in partnership with the Cardiff Children and Young People’s Partnership.
As a result of a range of fun activities such as a graffiti wall and junk modelling, rights-based workshops and consultations the event encouraged and inspired the attendees and their link teachers to create a Grand School Council for Cardiff’s Children. This is considered an important step in ensuring that children’s voices are heard and involved in decision making at a strategic level within Cardiff and the establishment of an annual event means that we are one step closer to achieving this. As Tierney from Tongwynlais Primary School explains:
“If lots of children in School Councils come up with good ideas….it makes sense to put them all together and then we can make great ideas!”
Last year both the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler and CBBC’s Sid Sloane attended the event and this year the line up is set to be just as impressive!
There will also be an opportunity for the Link Teachers that are attending to take part in a Effective School Council Workshop and share their views on School Councils and all school council representatives are to be asked to bring a poster detailing one of the achievements of their school council. This will be a wonderful chance to see the great work that has been going on across the city and will enable the children of Cardiff to share what they have learnt from being part of the School Council.
For further information please contact:
Hannah Bussicott – Participation Development Officer for Younger Children
Email: hannah.bussicott@barnardos.org.uk
Telephone: 02920 229585
