Hi, my name is Lacie. And I am here today to speak about something that has truly changed my life: from being a young person not knowing what a youth worker was to now inspiring to become one. Youth work takes young people from where they are and gives them the opportunity to grow into who they have the potential to become.
Credu Young Carers were the first organisation to show me what the world of Youth Work was. Credu have given me so many opportunities to speak about my own caring responsibilities and speak out for young carers. From Bangor residentials, young carer festival to speeches with university nurses and council members. I have been able to find my home away from home. Through working with young carers, I have been able to meet so many other organisations such as Reaching wider mentoring, Mojo schools, The art and soul youth tribe, Children in Wales and Carers Trust. Reaching wider have given me the opportunity to join their Young Carers Mentoring programme to support my decisions in university through being able to speak to young carers who are already at uni. By doing everything I do I have been able to meet some many amazing people like Senedd Members and the Children Commissioner for Wales. Some of the amazing events I have been a part of are The Baton of hope, which is a suicide prevention campaign, where I had the privilege to do a speech at young people being resilient enough to be able to know about mental health struggles. A Young Carers action day where I was a part of a panel in the Senedd being asked about my own experience of being a young carer. And a re-imagining education event, where I helped plan, run on the day and write the report up for which was a lovely event capturing everyone's voices about the education system. Being a part of all this, has really showed me the power that my voice has and how change doesn't always have to be such a scary thing.
I first got involved with Youth Cymru when I was 15. At that time in my life, I was juggling my home situation, being a young carer to a lot of people, school and my own mental health. I didn’t realise it then, but attending my young carers group on a random Tuesday and meeting Shannon would be the best decision I ever made. I was a very closed off young person, that wouldn’t really speak. Through my session, Shannon would keep checking up on me and wouldn’t leave me alone for too long. Something clicked in me that day. This youth worker cared about me and made me feel like it was okay to open up. And look now, she can't get rid of me. Shannon showed me the kind of youth worker I want to be – the youth worker who never gives up on the quiet young people. She is a role model to me and has inspired me to make young people feel how I feel safe and comfortable when speaking to them. Youth work gave me something I didn’t want to realise I needed. It gave me the opportunity to put myself first and be supported. Instead of supporting everyone else.
Youth work is important, and they didn't just support me, they helped me gain valuable skills and find my voice for my needs. Instead of feeling like 1 – 30 which in most schools' settings that is how schools make you feel. Youth work makes you feel like the one. In the moment, everything else slips away and you feel like the most important person. Youth workers take time and give you the opportunity to open whereas teachers and schools have so many students that attempting this is hard. Youth work is about building relationship, trust and giving young people a safe place. Something that I really needed. The more i get involved within the youth worker sector the more I realise this is not just one organisation this is happening across Wales and across the nations. Youth work shapes policy and decisions that affect young people day in day out. Youth Cymru and Youth workers gave me the stability I need when things in my life where very uncertain. I never really knew what each day of my life would entail but what I did know was Shannon would also be there for me to open up to. This is why youth work and what Youth Cymru do for young people is so vital.
From being able to develop on these skills in a safe and comfortable environment. Youth Cymru have given me so many amazing opportunities. Opportunities that I never imagined I’d have or even deserved. From doing mentoring programmes, farm visits, young leaders programme and trips to here, South Wales for different events to gaining accreditations to now sitting on Cross Nations Boards representing young people in Wales. Which to me, is still a bit crazy. But these opportunities, have given me lifelong friendships with a range of like-minded young people and a real passion for change. If you would ask 15-year-old me, where I would want to be at 17. She would never say doing speeches at AGM or anywhere really.
To me, Youth Cymru is more than just an organisation – it's a community that has changed my life completely. A place where I feel most like myself. It showed me how important Youth Work is. And it taught me that young people can make a real difference when someone believes in them and gives them the chance. I am proud of how far I’ve come and I’m grateful for Shannon and everyone at Youth Cymru who has supported me through along the way. As I continue this journey, to obtain my Youth Work degree at university and continuing to work with Youth Cymru. I hope I can support young people, how youth workers have supported me. This is only the begging of my journey in youth work and I am excited to keep making change and having an impact. Thank you.
Lacie Jones - Wrexham