PLANED’s “CWBR Youth” project is delighted to have been granted £20,000, following a successful application to the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales ACES Grant Scheme.

ACES, or Adverse Childhood Experiences, are traumatic events, particularly in early childhood that significantly affect people’s health and well-being in later life. The CWBR Youth project works to give young people more of a voice in their communities, and in this initiative will bring Town and Community Councillors together with local young people to raise awareness of ACES, and co-design ways that they can help tackle them; for example by providing opportunities for positive experiences and building the resilience of individuals, families and the wider community.

CWBR Youth Project Coordinator Tom Moses explained: “Young people that CWBR Youth are working with in communities across Pembrokeshire have rightly pointed out that meaningful engagement with their local Councils needs to be enjoyable and accessible. This funding will help address ACES in six communities, bringing Councillors and young people together for a series of community art projects, events and activities. Positive engagement will provide the foundation for ongoing connection and for young people’s voices to be heard more effectively, building community cohesion and increased resilience in the long term”

CEO of PLANED, Iwan Thomas added, “Working with our communities and delivering on our organisational Vision of Empowering Communities, this means all areas and cohorts within those communities. Therefore, we are extremely grateful to be awarded this significant sum to work with ACES here in Pembrokeshire via our existing and successful CWBR Youth Project, which brings young people, and those local elected representatives together, to make sure the voices of our future generations are heard, listened to, and supported.”

If you would like to be involved in the CWBR Youth project or would like more information, see www.planed.org.uk/projects/cwbr-youth/ or contact: Tom Moses ([email protected])