Over 80 primary school children came together this week (Tuesday 26 June) at a 'Have Your Say Day' event at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown to learn about and share their views on issues such as health and healthy eating, reducing littering in our environment and how to stay safe at home, at school and in the community.
Pupil Lillie Morris from Ysgol Bro Cynllaith, Llansilin said afterwards: "I found it very helpful to understand all about healthy eating and keeping hydrated." Her classmate, Annabel Quance added: "The forest school was fun because we got to talk about what we enjoy and do a freeze frame and we learnt about not littering the countryside and cleaning up after your dog!"
Powys County Council's Cabinet member for Young People & Culture, Cllr Rachel Powell said: "It was fantastic to see so many young people come together to discuss what is important to them.
Alongside the lessons and workshops, Powys County Council's Cabinet signed the 'National Participation Charter' with colleagues from Powys Teaching Health Board in support.
Councillor Rachel added: "It really was fitting that we should take this opportunity to sign the National Participation Charter as a Cabinet, with young people and our partners present. This is part of our corporate commitment to ensure that we fully involve children and young people in services that affect them.
"The Charter is part of our determination to adopt a children's rights based approach across all of our work. It was a pleasure to meet with young people at the Have Your Say Day, we need to be creative on how we involve young people and value their views to help us shape future services."
Executive Director of Nursing and co-chair of the Powys 'Start Well' partnership, Rhiannon Beaumont-Wood says: "We must ensure children and young people's voices inform decisions that affect them now, and into the future. We will make sure this happens in our work through the Start Well Programme and our Health and Care Strategy. We need to actively involve young people in our services and commit to the motto for those in our communities "nothing about us, without us!"
Powys Association of Voluntary Organisation's Chief Executive Carl Cooper says: "Everything we know tells us that the full involvement of people in decisions about things that matter to them, results in greater and quicker improvement. This is as important for children and young people as for any other age group. I'm delighted that, in Powys, we're putting theory into practice in the 'Have your Say' days and in other ways."
The Have Your Say Day event was run on behalf of the Powys Regional Partnership Board and the Powys Public Service Board, with support from schools and practitioners from across the council, the health board, PAVO, substance misuse support service Cais, and young carer's agency Credu.
