Cardiff Youth Council

Environmental Scrutiny Feedback – Making Cardiff Greener and Cleaner Together

July 4, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

Cardiff Council’s Environmental Scrutiny Committee recently discussed important topics about protecting Cardiff’s environment and improving city life. Issues included boosting recycling efforts, managing waste effectively, enhancing biodiversity (which means protecting plants and animals), and improving transport options like cycling and walking. The committee examined progress on ‘One Planet Cardiff,’ a plan aimed at making Cardiff a sustainable city that protects its environment for future generations.

Other areas of attention included tackling flooding risk around Cardiff through better management techniques, keeping streets clean, and ensuring safe, accessible public toilets. The council is also exploring ways to better plan new developments, ensuring they benefit communities and protect nature. The committee wants Cardiff to continue growing sustainably, balancing building needs with protecting green spaces and wildlife.

These discussions affect all young people in Cardiff by shaping the kind of environment they will live, study, and play in. Improvements in recycling and waste management mean cleaner parks and streets. Better cycling paths and footpaths provide safer, healthier ways for young people to travel to school and explore their neighbourhoods.

Emphasizing biodiversity and green spaces ensures that young people will continue to enjoy outdoor areas to play and learn about nature. Additionally, reducing flood risks helps to keep homes and schools safe during harsh weather, which is increasingly important due to climate change. Overall, these initiatives are designed to help Cardiff become a safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable place for children and teens.

This summary was created using AI to help make council information easier to understand. If you’d like to read the full original document, you can find all meeting packs here: https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=143&LLL=0

New Leadership Elected at Cardiff Youth Council General Meeting

June 19, 2025June 25, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

Cardiff Youth Council (CYC) held its latest General Meeting on the evening of Wednesday 18th June at the SPARK building on Maindy Road – a vibrant space that reflects the energy and commitment of its young members. The meeting saw key elections take place to shape the youth voice in Cardiff for the year ahead.

The first election was for the Chair and Vice Chair of CYC. Three candidates stepped forward to lead the Council: End Hopkins, Emily Gao and Ashika Pennadam. After a thoughtful and democratic process, members re-elected Emily Gao for a second term as Chair, recognising her dedication, experience, and continued passion for championing young people’s voices. Ashika Pennadam was elected as the new Vice Chair, bringing fresh perspective and energy to the role.

The second election determined who would represent Cardiff as the next Member of the UK Youth Parliament (MYP). Four strong candidates put themselves forward: Zachariah Koymis, Maya Jadoon, Joseph Pasley and Roha Rafiei. Following another round of speeches and voting, Maya Jadoon was elected to the prestigious role. As MYP, she will represent the concerns and ideas of Cardiff’s young people at a national level – including in the UK Youth Parliament debate at the House of Commons.

The evening was a celebration of youth democracy in action, with all candidates demonstrating courage, leadership and a commitment to making a difference.

Congratulations to Emily, Ashika and Maya – and thank you to all those who stood and took part in the elections. Cardiff Youth Council continues to thrive thanks to the passion, voices and vision of its members.

Environmental Scrutiny Feedback – Making Cardiff Cleaner and Greener

June 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Environmental Scrutiny Committee met to discuss several important topics aimed at making Cardiff a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable city. They talked about waste and recycling, ensuring that more of Cardiff’s waste is recycled and used again instead of going to landfill. Members also discussed improving the city’s cycling and walking paths, making it safer and easier for everyone to travel without a car. The council looked at flood management plans to protect homes and neighbourhoods from flooding, especially during heavy rains. They reviewed strategies to protect wildlife and boost biodiversity across parks and green spaces in Cardiff. The meeting also covered street cleaning, focusing on keeping neighbourhoods tidy and pleasant to live in, and the importance of sustainability in everything the council does, fostering a better environment now and for future generations.

These decisions are important because they help make Cardiff a healthier and safer place for you to live. Improved cycling and walking paths mean you can travel safely to school, friends’ homes, and local parks without needing a car. Better recycling and waste management help protect the environment, ensuring nature and parks around you stay clean and healthy. Efforts to manage flooding will keep your neighbourhood safe during heavy rainfall, protecting your home and community. Improving biodiversity means you’ll see more wildlife and healthy plants across local green spaces, making outdoor activities more enjoyable.

Economy and Culture Scrutiny Feedback Oct 23, Future Plans for Parks and Leisure

May 29, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee talked about important changes and ideas for parks, leisure, sports, and tourism in Cardiff. They discussed making sure Cardiff’s parks and facilities keep improving and stay safe, welcoming, and fun places for everyone to enjoy. A big topic was finding new ways to pay for improvements and upkeep of parks, buildings, sports pitches, and playgrounds around the city.

They also discussed the need to encourage more people, especially younger residents, to use parks and leisure facilities by making them safer, cleaner, and easier to access. The idea is to support healthy living, sports activities, and community well-being.

The Council talked about partnering with other organisations, including local sports groups, community clubs, and businesses, to help manage and fund facilities. By doing this, they aim to offer improved services and more opportunities for local people to participate in sports, culture, and events.

These decisions matter because local parks, playgrounds, and leisure facilities are places many young people use regularly. Improving these spaces means you can enjoy better sports pitches, fun playgrounds, safer skate parks, and community places to meet friends and family. If parks and leisure facilities improve, young people will have more chances to be active, healthy, and involved in their communities.

The council wants to make sure parks and leisure centres are safe and welcoming so that children and teenagers across Cardiff feel able to visit and enjoy them regularly. They are looking at new ideas for funding because managing these spaces well means they’ll be able to keep them clean, safe, and pleasant long-term.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Feedback, Improving Education and Youth Services in Cardiff

May 29, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee recently met and discussed important services and initiatives that affect children and young people in Cardiff. Topics included improving educational outcomes, supporting young people with special educational needs, safeguarding children and young people’s welfare, and enhancing youth services and play opportunities.

Education-wise, discussions focused on making sure schools provide inclusive support for all students, especially those with additional learning needs. There was also talk about improving school attendance rates and reducing exclusions by making learning environments more supportive and understanding of children’s challenges.

In social services, the committee reviewed efforts to protect vulnerable children, including children in care, ensuring they have stable, supportive homes and access to quality healthcare and emotional support.

The meeting highlighted Cardiff Council’s dedication to better youth services, such as opening more places where young people can spend time safely, meet friends, and take part in activities that help them develop skills and confidence. Play services were also addressed, emphasizing the need for spaces where younger children can play safely and creatively.

These discussions matter because they shape how schools and youth services in Cardiff will support young people. Improvements mentioned could lead to more inclusive schools that better understand and help children facing challenges, greater protection and care for vulnerable children, fewer school exclusions, and better access to spaces for play and personal development. Ultimately, this means a safer, fairer, and more enjoyable city for all children and young people in Cardiff.

Cardiff Council Talks Youth Justice, Sports Equality, and Children’s Rights

May 28, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

SUMMARY OF WHAT’S BEEN DISCUSSED:

During their latest meeting, Cardiff Council’s Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee spoke about important steps to support youth, focusing on Youth Justice, sports access, and corporate parenting. They discussed:

– Youth Justice Services working to prevent young people from entering the justice system unnecessarily by using diversion programmes. Special attention is given to supporting young people with additional learning needs and those at risk of school exclusion. The committee acknowledged significant improvements in dealing with young people who enter the justice system for the first or second time, highlighting that less serious cases avoid court involvement where possible.
– Ensuring young people from all backgrounds have equal opportunities to access sports facilities, especially football pitches and indoor sports spaces, which are growing popular. Costs and accessibility remain key challenges. The committee was particularly concerned about making sports accessible for girls and marginalized groups and removing financial barriers such as expensive sports gear.
– An updated Corporate Parenting Strategy for 2025-2028 was discussed. Corporate parenting means the Council takes responsibility for young people in care, ensuring they receive stable homes, emotional support, education and opportunities to succeed. The Council aims to improve emotional wellbeing, foster better relationships, and provide safer homes, education and celebration of achievements for care-experienced children.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE:

These discussions matter because:

– Youth justice improvements mean fewer young people will unnecessarily enter the court system. Instead, they will get support, education and intervention at the right moment. This can lead to better long-term outcomes, helping young people move away from crime and towards positive lifestyles.
– Improvements in sports equality could mean affordable, accessible sports available to all children and young people in Cardiff. Reduced costs and better facilities encourage participation, health, friendship and community spirit.
– The new Corporate Parenting Strategy means children in council care will see significant support in mental health, education, employment opportunities and stable living environments. This will help ensure all children in care can thrive and have positive futures, just like their peers.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICES / INFLUENCE:

Young people’s views directly shaped many initiatives discussed:

– Young people in custody and care-experienced young people contributed their ideas and concerns to the Corporate Parenting Strategy, stressing the importance of stable relationships, feeling heard, and having their rights respected.
– Young people highlighted barriers to sports participation, influencing plans for affordable sports access, especially in more disadvantaged communities like Caerau and Ely.
– Bright Sparks, a group for care-experienced young people, contributed through regular meetings and a special awards event recognising their achievements. Young people said how valuable it was to be heard, supported, and celebrated in positive and meaningful ways.

Young People Shape Cardiff’s Future Through Play, Planning, and Policy – April 2025 Participation Update

May 1, 2025May 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

April 2025 saw 92 children and young people take part in 9 engagement opportunities, dedicating a combined 149 volunteer hours to shaping Cardiff’s future. From influencing city-wide plans to contributing to local policy development, young people continued to play an active and meaningful role in civic life.

As ever, Cardiff Youth Council (CYC) remained central to this work, with members attending a General Meeting, an Executive Meeting, and several Scrutiny Committee sessions, where they ensured that young people’s voices were included in council decision-making.

This month also saw a specialist session with CYC focused on developing planning guidance for play in Cardiff—helping to embed children’s right to play within the city’s planning frameworks and future development plans. The session supports Cardiff’s ambition to be a city where children have access to safe, inclusive, and accessible spaces to play and socialise.

🏙️ Youth Voices in Long-Term City Planning

A highlight of the month was the Child Friendly Cardiff team’s visits to Llanishen and Fitzalan High Schools, where young people took part in interactive workshops on the city’s Replacement Local Development Plan (LDP). The LDP sets out how Cardiff will grow up to 2036, and the workshops gave young people a chance to explore the plan and share what matters most to them.

Their top priorities included:

Affordable housing
Better and cheaper public transport
More green spaces and youth-friendly areas
Improved mental health support
Stronger action on climate change

This engagement not only deepened understanding of the LDP but also empowered participants to shape long-term planning decisions—demonstrating Cardiff’s continued commitment to being a UNICEF Child Friendly City, where young people’s voices are not only heard but acted upon.

Young People Share Their Vision for Cardiff’s Future Through LDP Engagement

May 1, 2025May 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

As part of Cardiff’s commitment to embedding children’s rights in policy and planning, children and young people across the city were invited to help shape the Replacement Local Development Plan (LDP)—a key strategic document that will guide how Cardiff develops up to 2036.

Between March and April 2025, Cardiff Council’s Child Friendly Cardiff team worked with schools and Cardiff Youth Council (CYC) to ensure that young voices were included in this critical consultation process. While numbers were modest—engaging around 50 young people—the impact was significant, offering clear, informed, and aspirational ideas for how Cardiff can become a more inclusive, greener and fairer city.

📍 Why the LDP Matters

The LDP outlines how Cardiff will grow and change in the coming years—covering areas such as housing, transport, open spaces, sustainability, and infrastructure. It will directly affect the places where young people live, learn, travel, and play.

Recognising that children and young people have the right to be heard in decisions that affect them (UNCRC Article 12), this engagement aimed to:

Raise awareness of the LDP’s role and content
Capture young people’s views on what Cardiff should look like by 2036
Model best practice for embedding youth voice in statutory planning

🧠 What Young People Said

Participants engaged through interactive workshops, digital surveys, and creative feedback tools such as Notebook LM and poster-based activities. Their key priorities were clear and consistent:

Top Priorities for Cardiff by 2036:

More affordable housing – especially to tackle homelessness and support low-income families
Better and cheaper public transport – for accessibility, climate impact, and independence
More training and job opportunities – linked to long-term aspirations and reducing inequality
Stronger mental health support – including access to youth-friendly services
More green spaces and youth-friendly areas – to play, relax and feel safe
Tackle climate change and protect green land – with a clear call to reduce building on green spaces

“I would change the amount of housing that is being built as it ruins green space that could have been used for something else.”

“Make more kid-friendly attractions and parks for teenagers.”

While nearly half of young people agreed with the LDP’s vision of a “greener, fairer, stronger” Cardiff, others said key elements were missing—particularly youth safety, mental health, and meaningful opportunities to be involved long-term.

📊 Learning Outcomes

Young people’s understanding of the LDP increased significantly during the sessions. One group’s average self-rating rose from 1.9 to 7.3 out of 10—showing the power of rights-based and interactive engagement to build confidence and participation.

“I knew nothing before but now I actually understand what it is and how it affects us.”

🔗 What’s Next?

The findings from this report will be shared with Cardiff Council’s Head of Planning and Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport, and will inform the next phase of youth engagement: the co-creation of a child-friendly version of the final LDP, due to be promoted in schools and the wider public in Spring 2026.

This work contributes to Cardiff’s wider ambitions as the UK’s first UNICEF Child Friendly City, and ensures that long-term city planning reflects the lived experience, hopes, and rights of the next generation.

CYC Champions Youth Voice in Recruitment, Scrutiny and Civic Life – March 2025 Participation Update

April 1, 2025May 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

In March 2025, 48 children and young people took part in 10 meaningful opportunities to influence decisions, represent their peers, and contribute to the governance and leadership of services that impact them directly. Together, they volunteered 122 hours of their time across a range of activities—demonstrating the strength and consistency of youth participation in Cardiff.

The month began with core CYC business, including a General Meeting and Executive Meeting, which brought together members to review progress on campaigns and plan for the months ahead. In addition to their collective work, CYC’s executive members took part in one-to-one supervision sessions, supporting their leadership development and wellbeing as they fulfil their roles.

Young people also contributed to the democratic scrutiny of the council’s work through a series of Scrutiny Committee meetings, where they helped hold decision-makers to account and ensured that children’s rights and experiences were reflected in policy conversations.

✨ Celebrating Welsh Identity at the St. David’s Day Civic Service

A highlight of the month was the St. David’s Day Civic Service at The City Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, where CYC Chair Emily Gao and Vice Chair Megan O’Neill attended as invited guests of Cardiff Council’s Protocol Team. Their attendance demonstrated the growing visibility and recognition of young leaders within the city’s formal civic life.

Read more about their attendance here:
Cardiff Youth Council Leaders Attend St. David’s Day Civic Service – Cardiff Youth Council

🗳️ Young People on the Interview Panel for Senior Education Leadership

In a further demonstration of meaningful youth voice, CYC members Arthur, Megan, Emily and Ffion took part in a young people’s interview panel for the appointment of the new Head of School Improvement. Their participation ensured that the perspectives of learners were embedded in the selection process for one of the most senior roles in Cardiff’s education system.

“Sitting on an interview panel for such an important role showed that our voices are valued in shaping leadership in education,” said one of the panel members. “We want leaders who will genuinely listen to young people.”

These opportunities align with Cardiff’s commitment to being a UNICEF Child Friendly City, where young people’s right to participate is embedded in both everyday practice and major strategic decisions.

Cardiff Youth Council Leaders Attend St. David’s Day Civic Service

March 3, 2025May 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

On Friday 1 March 2024, Emily Gao, Chair of Cardiff Youth Council (CYC), and Megan O’Neill, Vice Chair, proudly represented the voice of young people at the Lord Mayor’s St. David’s Day Civic Service, held at The City Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Cardiff city centre.

Hosted by The Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Bablin Molik, the annual service is a formal occasion that brings together civic leaders, elected members, community representatives and invited guests to celebrate the life and legacy of Dewi Sant (St. David), the patron saint of Wales.

Emily and Megan’s invitation to this high-profile civic event recognises the growing role of Cardiff Youth Council in public life and the city’s commitment to embedding children’s rights and youth voice at all levels of local decision-making. Their attendance reflects Cardiff’s status as the UK’s first UNICEF Child Friendly City, where young people are not only invited to participate, but are regarded as equal partners in civic and strategic conversations.

“It was an honour to attend the St. David’s Day Civic Service and represent young people from across Cardiff,” said Emily. “Being present at events like this helps show that youth leadership matters and that our contributions are valued.”

Megan echoed the sentiment, adding, “Opportunities like these show how far Cardiff has come in recognising youth voice as an essential part of civic life. We were proud to stand alongside the city’s leaders to celebrate our shared identity and values.”

The service included reflections, music and readings to mark the national day of celebration, while also highlighting the importance of unity, service, and community—values that CYC champions throughout the year through its work on local campaigns, policy influence, and youth-led scrutiny.