Teenagers in Wales have spoken of the obstacles they face, - including racism and Covid - as the Welsh Government launches its Children and Young People’s Plan.
The plan, developed in consultation with children and young people, outlines seven cross government priorities for the next four years to support them and nine milestones they want to eventually hit.
Attending the launch with Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan and First Minister Mark Drakeford, a group of teenagers explained some of the changes they want. Among the issues they face at school an elsewhere they highlighted:
- Racism
- Sexism
- Covid isolation
- Exam stress
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Lack of activities for teenagers and older children
- Lack of affordable transport and public transport in rural areas
Thirteen year-olds Elis Jones, Safiyah Hicks and Tanatswa Makwarimba, all from Cardiff, said they had all struggled with online learning at times during Covid school closures. They had all also been on the receiving end of racist abuse at school.
The teenagers felt teachers, and pupils, needed better training and education on racism and said that in their experience it was worse in primary than secondary schools.
Safiyah, who attends Llanishen High, said, among other racist experiences, a friend had been called the n-word. She did not feel her complaints about this were taken seriously enough.
Elis said he knew people who had started to dislike coming to school because of bad experiences there, including racism.
“I have experienced racism at school. They didn’t deal with it well in primary. There is some racism in secondary too," he said.
"Their needs to be zero tolerance of racism. Some of the teachers have said “they didn’t mean it” or they give them detention instead of dealing with the racism.”
But Elis believes “people are listening more to children since Covid” and hopes changes are being made . He also hopes the Welsh Government plan announced today will address some of the concerns he and his peers have.
“The challenges for all young people are what happened during Covid, not being able to go outside, not being able to socialise. A lot of people my age have been missing school and school work.
“We need venues to meet in and talk together. That can help a lot. Places like youth clubs where we can meet.
“Covid was really hard because learning online was hard. Sometimes there was no wifi. But one good thing about Covid is I think people are listening to children more now.”
Safiyah also wanted better understanding of all girls’ needs in school when they have their periods.
“I don’t think we should have to have toilet passes for going to the toilet in lessons. It can be embarrassing asking for them. It’s a matter of dignity,” she said.
Tanatswa, who moved to Wales from Zimbabwe, said she likes it here.
“Wales is really peaceful and a nice place to grow up. But children have missed a lot because of Covid.” She nodded vigorously when asked if she had experienced racism in school here.
Pupils from Ysgol Caer Elen in Haverfordwest were also at the launch.
Layla Ormond, 14, said it could be hard growing up in rural areas as a young person, especially for those on lower incomes.
“There are lots of issues like transport to get to things and to see your friends.
"My mother is blind so I don’t have much access to travel and we rely on buses and trains. They are expensive and sometimes there isn’t any public transport.”
Layla and a classmate with her felt public transport should be free for under-16s.
They said while there are beaches and tourist attractions in rural areas, they are not always affordable or accessible to young people who live there.
Launching the plan Julie Morgan said it sets out work already underway and what Welsh Government will do in the next 12 months.
The plan aims to ensure all children, regardless of background:
- Will have best start in life.
- Will be treated fairly.
- Will be supported through education, training and (self) employment.
- Will be supported to help feel mentally and emotionally strong.
- Will be supported to have a fair chance in life.
- Will have a good and secure home to live in.
- Will receive the support they need to stay together or come back together with their family, if possible.
Each year Ministers will measure and report on how the actions in the plan are helping them reach the nine milestones, laid out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.
The nine milestones to help children that the Welsh Government wants to achieve by 2050:
- The percentage of children with two or more healthy behaviours will be more than 99%
- 75% of working age adults will be qualified to level three or higher
- The percentage of working age adults with no qualifications will be 5% or below
- Wales will only use its fair share of the world’s resources
- The pay gap for gender, disability and ethnicity will be eliminated
- The gap between the employment rate in Wales and the UK will be eradicated, with a focus on fair work and raising labour market participation of under-represented groups
- At least 90% of 16-24 year olds will be in education, employment or training
- Wales will have a million Welsh speakers
- Wales will achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions
Speaking to some of the young people involved in the development of the plan, the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan said:
“We want all children and young people, regardless of where they live in Wales or their backgrounds, to have the best start in life and to live the lives they want to live.
“But we cannot do it on our own. That is why we asking you and everyone in Wales to work with us. Together, we can deliver this plan for the children of Wales. I am particularly grateful to the children and young people who gave their views on the priorities while we were writing this plan.
"Your involvement, not just in writing the plan, but in helping us deliver it, will be critical to its success.”
First Minister Mark Drakeford said he was proud that Wales was the first UK nation to write children’s rights into its laws.
“Our Programme for Government set out an ambitious programme of support for children and young people and these commitments are brought together in this Children and Young People’s Plan."
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