Month: April 2026

An Update on the National Body for Youth Work in Wales 

• Representatives from across the voluntary and maintained sectors and others have been invited by the Cabinet Secretary for Education to join the National Body for Youth Work Delivery Board to work with Welsh Government on shaping and establishing this national body. The terms of reference for the Delivery Board membership details and, in due course, minutes from meetings are all available online (National Body for Youth Work Delivery Board | GOV.WALES).
• The meetings to date have focused on plans for engaging with practitioners and others across the sector, other sectors and organisations with an interest in securing the best outcomes for young people, as well as young people themselves to ensure everyone has an opportunity to share their views. The overall programme timeline has also been discussed as has setting up subgroups to progress key workstreams.
• No decision has yet been made on the role and remit of a national body, but the focus is on developing an organisation that supports and enables stronger collaboration, more innovative practice and builds capacity within the sector whilst not cutting across organisations’ own arrangements for the design and delivery of youth work – a key aspect of how youth work works. A proposed list of functions for the national body has been developed with Delivery Board members (Annex A). This list will be updated as further work is undertaken to refine the functions and consider in detail the alignment between the functions of the new body and other organisations.
• The current estimated timeline for establishing a national body for youth work is approximately 18-24 months. This timeframe allows for listening to views across the sector, building these views into decisions on the precise form and function of a national body, as well as getting the relevant governance and staffing arrangements in place to ensure the national body can deliver on its remit.
• Two subgroups – which are being tasked with looking in detail at issues in relation to governance and accountability, and finance and resources – have been established. We’re grateful for everyone who’s expressed an interest in joining these groups.
• The subgroups will operate in an advisory capacity to support the Delivery Board’s discussions by identifying short, practical options to feed into the ongoing development of a National Body for Youth Work.
• Each subgroup is being chaired by a Board member, and will meet regularly over the next few months to work at pace to explore agreed areas of focus. The work of the subgroups will inform subsequent Board discussions and the development of proposals for a formal public consultation planned for later in 2026.

Draft role and remit for National Body for Youth Work

• Provide strategic leadership to support the local delivery of youth work across voluntary organisations, local authorities and other partners across Wales.
• Facilitate collaboration across the youth work sector, promoting a joined-up and co-ordinated approach to the design and delivery of youth work in Wales.
• Support and advocate on behalf of the youth work sector, providing a single coherent voice on behalf of the sector in Wales.
• Undertake marketing and communication activity aimed at championing youth work within Wales and internationally, raising its profile and building a better understanding of its value within broader education and policy contexts, as well build an awareness of how organisations across the sector contribute to youth work in Wales.
• Undertake and commission research relating to youth work.
• Contribute to policy development both where it impacts youth work and where youth work can contribute to other policy aims.
• Act as a hub for sharing best practice among those involved in the design and delivery of youth work in Wales.
• Co-ordinate a cross-sector workforce development programme, including a training and accreditation framework.
• Raise awareness, within the sector and beyond, of any changes which may impact on the design and delivery of youth work in Wales, including supporting the implementation of the statutory framework for youth work (currently in draft form).
• Support innovation and the continuous improvement of youth work in Wales, including supporting programmes such as the Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales
• Strengthen the Welsh-medium youth work offer for young people in Wales by supporting existing provision and developing new opportunities, approaches and partnerships
• Support and champion youth work’s role in challenging discriminatory attitudes and behaviours within society, as well as taking action to help ensure all young people, regardless of background or circumstance, can access youth work.
• Co-ordinate specific initiatives and projects, which could include a youth information exchange and a Young Person’s Entitlement Scheme.

Following the closure of Challenge Wales in Oct 25, The Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT) have taken over the brilliant Challenge72 Challenge Wales, now known as Challenger 5.

As part of her move to TSYT, we have committed to continue the great work of Challenge Wales, supporting young people across Wales!

To develop this, we have received £40k of funding to directly support young people in Wales to develop their sailing and teamwork skills on a TSYT voyage.

The 40k funding covers young people across Wales that would like to join any of the voyages listed in the link below:
Book as an individual on one of our Wales voyages: https://tallships.org/voyages/?_sft_voyage_type=wales-regional-hub-voyages

Alternatively, we can also taylor a voyage if they would like to charter a whole boat as a group (youth groups, schools, organisations).
They can get in touch with us by emailing info@tallships.org.

As previously mentioned, funding is available and if needed, they can apply using the link below:
https://tallships.org/bursary-application/

Find out more here; UK Youth Poll 2026 – John Smith Centre

Young people in Wales are set to benefit from expanded employment support through a further 12 new Youth Hubs as the Government continues to provide opportunity across the country.

• 12 new Youth Hub locations have been confirmed in Wales, as part of 80 launching across Great Britain.
• The UK government has set out plans to devolve non-Jobcentre Plus employment support funding to the Welsh Government.
• An initial £20 million has already been handed to Wales to fund Economic Inactivity Trailblazers, with a longer-term plan now agreed.

Youth Hubs bring together Jobcentre Plus, local authority services, employers and training providers under one roof to support young people aged 16 to 24.

As part of this expansion, every Youth Hub will meet a set of minimum standards, ensuring young people can access on-site jobcentre support alongside mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities, careers guidance and direct connections to employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.

More here; Major boost for young people in Wales with 12 new Youth Hubs and devolved employment support funding announced – GOV.UK

STAND North Wales CIC Youth Conference is a full day conference on Thursday 21st May 2026 focused on practical, evidence‑informed strategies to support neurodivergent young people across youth work and youth justice settings.

Suitable for Youth Workers and Managers, Youth Justice Practitioners, Social Workers working with young people, and any professional supporting neurodivergent young people

Find out more here; Poster – Youth conference english v2

Places are limited so early booking is advised by emailing admin@standnw.org

Cwmbran Centre for Young People have a vacancy for a Centre Manager

An exciting opportunity for a person who is passionate about developing the skills, achievements, social development and well-being of young people. Trustees of Cwmbran Centre for Young People (CCYP) wish to recruit a Manager for the Centre. The ideal candidate would be experienced in youth work & management.

CCYP presently offers training and learning during the daytime and evening drop-in sessions for local young people. It has a committed and skilled team of staff to deliver the work from a purpose-built youth facility owned by Cwmbran Community Council and located just outside Cwmbran’s Shopping Centre. The Cwmbran and Llanyrafon and Croesyceiliog Councils are active both as funders and Trustees. Excellent partnerships are maintained with Education, Social Services, Torfaen County Borough Council, Health Services and the Police. CCYP requires a person who can take it forward to a new phase and ensure it makes an increasingly positive impact on the lives of even more young people in Cwmbran.

Salary £40,500

Application is by submitting a CV and covering letter to the email address info@ccyp.org.uk, with special reference to demonstrate the required skills as laid out in the job description. Application must be sent in by 12pm on 5th May 2026.

Cwmbran Centre for Young People

Job Description: Centre Manager

Contract: full-time, 37 hours per week

Salary: £40,500

Leave: 5.6 weeks + Bank Holidays

Accountable to: Chair of the Board of Trustees (with regular reporting to Board of Trustees and relevant sub-committees).

Location: Cwmbran Centre for Young People base + community venues (outreach/pop-ups as required)

Working pattern: Must include evenings/weekends (unsocial hours)

Pre-employment checks: Enhanced DBS, references, right to work

Find out more; Centre Manager for Cwmbran Centre for Young People – Cwmbran NP44 1QS – Indeed.com

Cadets are young members of the community, aged between 13 and 18, that are involved in a wide range of activities and events. As well as learning about police procedures and the law, cadets also play a vital role in community events, engaging with members of the public and educating them on crime prevention.

They will accept applications from young people who are starting in year 9 of high school in the September following the recruitment campaign.

Applicants can apply directly here ; Volunteer Police Cadets Apply

As part of the ongoing implementation of the new Youth Work Statutory Framework, the Welsh Government require all Local Authority youth work teams to submit a Strategic Plan by September of this year.

This is in advance of the Framework becoming embedded across the sector from 1 April 2027.

Here you can find a template of the Strategic Plan for your information;

Youth work strategic plan Template_ENG

We know many of our members work closely with colleagues in the Statutory Youth Sector in Wales and you may have already started to be contacted by your local Principal Youth Officer (PYO) as part of the development of these plans.

We recently shared contact details for the Principal Youth Officers by Local Authority in Wales if any of you wanted to get in touch with your local PYO to discuss upcoming plans.

Llandovery Youth and Community Centre have a Vacancy for a Project Development Assistant, post to commence in May 2026, a Job Share may be a possibility

Job Description;

• Promote and support the health and wellbeing of local community members by acting as a “listening ear for enquirers who need help, directing them to the most appropriate activity/activities or signposting to other organisations where applicable, including Citizens Advice and the Williams Memorial Church Drop In. Act as part of the team to welcome visitors to the building.

• Dealing with telephone enquiries.

• Production of a weekly programme for the Getaway Club (After School) and helping with art/craf/games activities on all school days.

• Management of the food bank and fundraising for it.

• Ordering refreshments for visitors and workshops/activities.

• A driving licence which includes permission to drive a mini-bus would be an advantage.

• Undertake photography for activities and regularly update the LYCC Facebook Group page.

• Help members of the public with job searches, CV preparation, job applications and other general IT support in relation to equipment including laptops, phones, tablets.

• Making applications for grants as applicable.

• The ability to speak some Welsh would be an advantage.

Salary: £22,600 per annum for a 35 hour week. Working hours to be agreed.

This post is funded by the National Lottery until the end of August 2027 although applications for further funding will be made.

The closing date to apply is the 24th of April 2026.

For an application for or further information, please contact Jill Tatman on jilltatman@yahoo.com

Llandovery Youth and Community Centre
Gerwyn House, Market Square, Llandovery, SA20 0AB
01550 721499

Young people will soon be able to take part in youth exchanges, volunteering opportunities, periods of study or work across Europe again, as the UK and EU sign the legal text in Brussels to formally bring the UK into Erasmus+ in 2027.

Less advantaged students who studied abroad had better long-term career prospects than those who did not – and so the reopening is said to support the UK government’s wider drive to expand young people’s opportunities, regardless of background. The benefits to young people in participating in cross-border projects and meeting people from different countries and cultures is multi-faceted and long-lasting.

The British Council will act as the UK’s National Agency for the programme.
This follows British Council’s work as the Erasmus+ UK National Agency, between 2014 and 2020, where they oversaw more than 8,000 projects, engaging more than 580,000 participants and awarding around €1.1 billion to UK organisations.

CWVYS hope that the good relationship we built with the British Council in that time will continue on in this next chapter of European work and opportunities for young people here in Wales.

You can find out more here; UK and EU finalise agreement to bring UK into Erasmus+ in 2027 – GOV.UK