Youth Team scoops top award for bench building project

THE Carmarthenshire’s Youth Justice Team has won a top award for a bench building project for schools.

The team scooped the Youth Justice Board Hwb Doeth Innovation Award Hwb Doeth bring together professionals from the board, universities, Welsh Government and youth offending team managers to develop and improve practice within youth justice across Wales.

The judging panel was impressed by Carmarthenshire’s bench building project.

It involved youngsters working with the youth justice team to build picnic benches for primary schools in the Gwendraeth Valley as part of their reparation work, so that teachers and pupils had more space for outdoor learning.

The judges praised the project for its partnership working, the skills of youngsters, benefits to the community and schools in light of outdoor learning and how this had all been done in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Building the picnic benches, as part of their reparation work, saw the young people learning carpentry, entrepreneurship and employability skills, as they were involved in all stages of the process - from measuring to cutting the wood, assembling the benches and quality management of the product.

The award was presented virtually to the team by Keith Towler, Youth Justice Board Member for Wales.

Also present was Angela Lodwick, vice-chair of the Youth Justice Team Management Board, Carmarthenshire Council’s director of education and Children Gareth Morgans, and cabinet member for education and children’s services Cllr Glynog Davies.

Cllr Davies, who is also a member of the Youth Justice Team Management Board, said: “This project not only allowed for the development of numeracy , literacy and practical skills, but also allowed for the young people to make amends for the good of the community.

“Our youth justice staff work tirelessly and creatively to inspire, motivate and support young people to live crime free lives and achieve.

“I am delighted that their efforts have been recognised by the Youth Justice Board’s Hwb Doeth Awards and I would like to congratulate everyone involved for all their hard work.”