Powys woman represents rural voice at prestigious youth forum
Last month (November 2025), a young Rhayader woman represented Powys at a two-day event that brought together young leaders from across the UK to engage with policymakers and civil society representatives at Newcastle University.
Sarah Rowe, 26, travelled to Newcastle as part of a seven-strong delegation representing Wales at the 3rd Annual European Union Delegation to the United Kingdom’s EU/UK Youth Dialogue.
Sarah, who works as Volunteer Coordinator at Rhayader and District Community Support (The Arches), described the experience as “incredible and a real privilege to represent young people from rural mid-Wales.”
Sarah had previously sat on a Youth-Led Grant panel managed by Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), who asked if she would be interested in attending the Youth Dialogue.
“I honestly didn’t think I’d be chosen,” Sarah said. “I submitted an application, and PAVO wrote a wonderful reference.
“About a week before the event, I found out I’d been selected to attend as one of 200 young leaders from across the UK.
“I didn’t feel experienced enough at first but the organisers reassured me that they wanted my lived experience as a young person in Powys.
“I learned so much while I was there. There are so many young people doing inspiring work, and so many services supporting them.
“For example, work is underway to allow young people in the UK to benefit from Erasmus+ so they don’t miss out on studying in Europe.”
Sarah’s passion for community work grew after completing her film studies degree at home during Covid. She was working at a Llanidloes abattoir and noticed there were few opportunities for young people in the area.
“After the pandemic, local clubs took time to restart, and there was nothing for kids to do,” she said. “A group of us got together and set up a youth club. Two years later, Rhayader Youth Group is still going strong.
“Setting up the club made me realise how much I wanted to be involved in the community, which led me to working at The Arches.”
Sarah’s journey with PAVO started when she attended one of their training sessions and found out about their Youth-Led Grant panel.
She said: “As soon as I heard about the panel, I knew I wanted to join. It was a brilliant experience – young people should absolutely be involved in making decisions that affect us.
“It also helped me grow professionally, as I gained real insight into how funding decisions are made.”
Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO) supports the voluntary sector across the county, helping organisations and individuals access opportunities, funding, and training.
Clair Swales, PAVO CEO, said: “I am extremely proud of the part PAVO plays in empowering young people like Sarah to shape their communities – whether through the Youth-Led Grant panel or opportunities such as this delegation.
“Any young person aged 14 – 25 who wants to get involved can contact Victoria Barber, our Youth Volunteering and Engagement Officer, for support.”
Photo credit: EUD