The Children’s Rights Unit vision is ‘Working together to make Children’s Rights a reality’ giving opportunities to children and young people to have their voices heard in decision-making.
CRU approached Pen y Cymoedd with an ambitious project to work in the Afan Valley for 3 years, developing inclusive children’s rights initiatives in three stages:
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Educate and empower children and young people on their rights, working with children and young people aged 9 to 18 to develop and deliver a programme of training in different settings.
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Develop rights-based initiatives within neighbourhoods, working with communities to embed children’s rights into everyday practice within homes, existing services and the wider community.
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Develop mechanisms to facilitate children and young people’s participation by supporting children and young people to build confidence and skills to empower them to get involved in social structures, develop civic pride and become active citizens.
As well as funding the project costs, the PyC funding will directly fund a new full time job in the Afan valley.
“This project has potential to have lasting impact in the Afan, not only will it ensure that children’s rights are rooted in everyday life and address issues raised by children and young people to empower them to realise their rights independently, it also has real potential to work with organisations/community groups to challenge barriers, diversify structures and support them to involve children and young people. The Afan valley has committed community led organisations and they want to involve young people more and implementing a children’s rights approach through training and mentoring will embed a culture of respecting and protecting children’s rights throughout the community.” – Kate Breeze, Executive Director, Pen y Cymoedd
“As a community leader working with young people in the Afan, I can confirm that I fully support the project. I totally agree that Children and young people should know their rights and be able to have a say and be involved in making decisions that affect them and this could transform how community groups and young people interact in the valley” Simon Matthews, Gwynfi Miners Community Hall
“The CRU are both proud and delighted to have been awarded this significant amount of funding by Pen Y Cymoedd to deliver the KnowUrights project across the Afan Valley over the next three years. Children and young peoples’ enshrined rights are generally poorly understood, both by them and the adults in their lives. This very important project will ensure that Afan Valley communities work together across the generations to address this. Essentially it will release the huge potential we know our children and young people possess to make a real difference for the future as it will embed the confidence to speak up knowing they will, in line with their rights under the UNCRC, be listened to. This in turn will have long term benefits for their communities as they will be equipped with the knowledge and information they need to assist them in becoming competent citizens who are fully engaged and involved in making decisions and suggesting changes that can benefit all.” Susan A Jones, MBE DL, Treasurer, Children’s Rights Unit.