Written by Victor

The ‘rumourless cities’ project was put together by an organisation named URBACT (a network that helps cities to develop pragmatic solutions that are new and sustainable and that integrate economic, social and environmental urban topics). The network consists of 7 cities across Europe, Amadora in Portugal (the lead partner), Cardiff in Wales, Hamburg-Alton in Germany, Warsaw in Poland, Alba Iulia in Romania, Ioannina in Greece and Messina in Italy. One of the networks’ focuses is on transferring best practice, between the 7 cities, regarding the impact of migration. Due to cities being the primary location for migrants to settle in new countries, certain strategies must be put in place in order to unify the community of the city as a whole and to help the integration of migrants in those communities.

The ’rumourless cities’ project’s focus is on counteracting the growing negative attitudes that are forming around minority groups. The aim of the project is to dispel the myths about migrants and migration that are discussed within communities, therefore creating rumourless cities.

I attended one of the project’s meetings on the 22nd of August, at which I was a Cardiff Youth Council representative. During the meeting there was a discussion about creating focus groups for the purposes of better understanding the perceptions of migration and how to improve community cohesion. These focus groups will consist of a facilitator and community members/stakeholders.

Each facilitator will be tasked explaining the project & the purpose of the focus group. They will have to open an interactive discussion regarding migration in the community by asking questions in order to collate the necessary data.

During the meeting, there was also an analysis of local stakeholders which reviewed the amount of interest each may have in the project and the amount of influence they could have on its success.

We looked at the best way to make Cardiff a ‘rumourless city’ and one proposal was about the influence that young minds can have on Cardiff’s communities. It’s believed that institutions such as primary and secondary schools have a crucial influencing power over the mind sets of young people.

We looked at the possibility of using local online newspapers such as Wales Online, which has a lot of reach and influence among all ages; it usually portrays news regarding migration fairly.

The influence of celebrities could be extremely useful in getting the project’s message out there due to the support that they can get from the community. For example, getting an interview with foreign players from Cardiff City Football Club will mean that they can talk about their successful settling process in the city.

Youth-led minority groups have lots of interest and would probably be keen to support the project but they may only have a small amount of influence because the people that they reach are already involved with the community.

This is the summary of the work done in the meeting on 22nd August; more updates will follow on upcoming meetings.

I hope that this has interested you in the project and you are able to help so that our city can become a rumourless city through correctly informed communities.

 

Dinasoedd Di-si

Ysgrifennwyd gan Victor

Cafodd y project ‘dinasoedd di-si’ ei greu gan sefydliad o’r enw URBACT (rhwydwaith sy’n helpu dinasoedd i ddatblygu atebion pragmatig newydd a chynaliadwy ac sy’n integreiddio pynciau dinesig economaidd, cymdeithasol ac amgylcheddol).  Mae’r rhwydwaith yn cynnwys 7 dinas ledled Ewrop, Amadora ym Mhortiwgal (y partner arweiniol), Caerdydd yng Nghymru, Hamburg-Alton yn yr Almaen, Warsaw yng Ngwlad Pŵyl, Alba Iulia yn Romania, Ioannina yng Ngwlad Groeg a Messina yn yr Eidal. Mae un o’r rhwydweithiau yn canolbwyntio ar rannu arfer da, rhwng y 7 dinas, yn gysylltiedig â’r effaith o ymfudo. Gan mai dinasoedd yw’r prif leoliad i ymfudwyr setlo mewn gwledydd newydd, rhaid rhoi strategaethau penodol mewn lle er mwyn uno cymuned y ddinas a helpu i integreiddio ymfudwyr yn y cymunedau hynny.

Ffocws y project ‘dinasoedd di-si’ yw cael gwared ar yr agweddau negyddol sy’n tyfu ynghylch grwpiau lleiafrifoedd.  Nod y project yw cael gwared ar y mythau ynghylch ymfudwyr ac ymfudo a drafodir mewn cymunedau, gan felly greu dinasoedd di-si.

Mynychais un o gyfarfodydd y project ar 22 Awst lle roeddwn yn cynrychioli Cyngor Ieuenctid Caerdydd. Yn ystod y cyfarfod cafwyd trafodaeth ynghylch creu grwpiau ffocws at y diben o ddeall yn well y canfyddiadau o ran ymfudo a sut i wella cydlyniad cymunedol. Bydd y grwpiau ffocws yn cynnwys hwylusydd ac aelodau’r gymuned / rhanddeiliaid.

Bydd pob hwylusydd yn cael y dasg o esbonio’r project a diben y grŵp ffocws. Bydd rhaid iddo agor trafodaeth ryngweithiol yn gysylltiedig ag ymfudo yn y gymuned drwy ofyn cwestiynau er mwyn casglu’r data angenrheidiol.

Yn ystod y cyfarfod, cafwyd hefyd ddadansoddiad o randdeiliaid lleol a oedd yn adolygu faint o ddiddordeb a allai fod gan bob un ohonynt yn y project a faint o ddylanwad a allent ei gael ar ei lwyddiant.

Fe wnaethom edrych ar y ffordd orau o wneud Caerdydd yn ‘ddinas di-si’ ac roedd un cynnig yn ymwneud â’r dylanwad y gall meddyliau ifanc ei gael ar gymunedau Caerdydd. Credir bod gan sefydliadau fel ysgolion cynradd ac uwchradd bŵer dylanwadol holl bwysig dros feddyliau pobl ifanc. 

Fe wnaethom edrych ar y posibiliad o ddefnyddio papurau newydd ar-lein lleol fel Wales Online, sydd â chyrhaeddiad pell a dylanwad mawr ymysg pobl o bob oed; mae fel arfer yn portreadu newyddion yn gysylltiedig ag ymfudo mewn ffordd deg.

Gallai dylanwad enwogion fod yn ddefnyddiol iawn o ran rhannu neges y project oherwydd y gefnogaeth y gallent ei chael gan y gymuned. Er enghraifft, bydd cael cyfweliad â chwaraewyr tramor o Glwb Pêl-droed Dinas Caerdydd yn golygu y gallent siarad am eu proses setlo lwyddiannus yn y ddinas.

Mae grwpiau lleiafrifoedd ieuenctid wedi dangos llawer o ddiddordeb a byddent mwy na thebyg yn awyddus i gefnogi’r project ond efallai na fydd ganddynt lawer o ddylanwad gan fod y bobl y maen nhw’n eu cyrraedd eisoes yn rhan o’r gymuned.

Dyma grynodeb o’r gwaith a wnaed yn y cyfarfod ar 22 Awst; bydd mwy o wybodaeth yn dilyn ar y cyfarfodydd nesaf.

Gobeithio bod hyn wedi codi eich diddordeb yn y project a’ch bod yn gallu helpu er mwyn i’n dinas ddod yn ddinas di-si trwy gymunedau gwybodus.