January was a busy and important month for us as young people involved in shaping Cardiff. Across the month, there were 8 opportunities for children and young people to influence decision-making, with 41 young people contributing a total of 144 hours of volunteering.
As Cardiff Youth Council, we were involved in a range of activities, including our Executive Meeting, our General Meeting, and scrutiny opportunities. These meetings and sessions gave young people the chance to share views, challenge ideas, and make sure our voices were part of important conversations happening across the city.
One of the biggest highlights of January was helping to create a Committee of Experts, made up of 13 young people from across Cardiff. This group came together to look closely at Cardiff’s progress as a UNICEF Child Friendly City as part of the reaccreditation process.
The Committee of Experts explored Cardiff’s Child Friendly Sustainability Plan, looking at the promises that have been made and asking how far those commitments have actually made a difference in young people’s everyday lives. We spoke honestly about what is going well, where progress has been made, and where more change is still needed.
This work was important because it was not just about being asked for our opinions. Young people were involved as co-producers. We reviewed evidence, shared our lived experiences, identified gaps, and helped shape the recommendations. That meant our views directly influenced Cardiff’s Youth Summary Report.
The Youth Summary Report captures the experiences, priorities and recommendations of children and young people across the city. It gives a strong and honest picture of how Cardiff is doing in delivering children’s rights, while also setting out clear priorities for the next stage of the city’s Child Friendly journey.
For us, this work shows why youth participation matters. Being a Child Friendly City is not just about having a title, it is about listening to children and young people, taking what we say seriously, and making changes because of it. January showed that young people are not only part of the conversation, but are helping to hold Cardiff to account and push for further progress.
Overall, January was a strong start to the year. It showed the commitment young people have to improving Cardiff, and it also showed that when young people are trusted, included and listened to properly, we can play a real role in shaping the future of our city.