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Two fantastic Ambassadors events in June 2011

We held two events in June 2011 one in Margam Orangery in Port Talbot, South Wales and one in the North Coast Centre in Towyn, North Wales.

Both events were held so that Keith could hear all about the work our ambassadors have been doing all across Wales in 2010/2011. We also wanted everyone to have fun and to share ideas. On top of all of this as we are celebrating 10years as an office it was a great opportunity to celebrate this with our ambassadors; many of whom are also 10!

All of the children took part in a range of workshops throughout the day. There was a special projects workshop, cake decorating, parachute games, arty card making and even a bouncy castle to let off some steam!

In the special projects workshop Keith listened to all the groups of ambassadors as they took part. If you wonder if the scheme makes a difference in school you just had to hear the list of projects the Ambassadors have taken on. They included sorting out the toilets, making and handing out a pamphlet on children’s rights, helping to improve school dinners, finding safe places to play, gathering children’s views about a new school proposal, fundraising for play equipment, getting involved in environmental projects including energy saving in school, creating a garden for people with special needs, recycling in school, healthy eating in break times, setting up Commissioner Ambassador notice boards, holding assemblies in schools and putting together PowerPoint presentations about the UNCRC.

Over lunch we lit a special 10th Anniversary cake complete with our colourful logo and ten candles, everyone joined in to sing happy birthday and tuck in to a lovely piece of cake for pudding.

In Margam there was a treasure hunt in the grounds with lots of activities to do along the way. Some activities collected information and other activities helped the ambassadors to think about their jobs in schools. Everyone had a lot of fun racing to collect the clues and stickers. Children stopped at a willow walkway where we asked them to write ‘what was great about being ten’ on a piece of coloured card and then tie the messages to the willow tree, it looked beautiful and here are just some of the comments:

• “There are a lot of child friendly places to go and play”

• “Being 10 is great and I love it because I’m in the top of the class. Woo!”

• “Being old enough to go on rides”

• “You are in year 6 and you have the opportunity of being an ambassador”

• “Getting ready for the senior school”

• “Being 10 is awesome because you can have as much fun doing whatever you want until you turn into a teenager”

• “Being a children’s commissioner for Wales Ambassador!”

In Towyn the ambassadors worked in the afternoon with Poet Martin Dawes, to write a brilliant rap poem about children’s rights, the group all worked together on the chorus and then split into smaller groups to write the verses. Here’s the finished rap.

Chorus
It’s not about me, it’s about everybody
It’s not about money it’s about being free.
It’s not about fear it’s about feeling safe
Whoever you are, whatever your age or race.

If you want to talk you need someone to listen
if you speak out loud just feel proud.
Don’t be scared to make your self heard.
When you’re in a crowd, just be loud.

When you’re ill it’s Calpol every day,
When you’re well you go out and play.
Go to the doctors, get his prediction
Then off to the chemist for your free prescription.

Everybody needs clothes to keep nice and warm,
From summer to winter, from dusk to dawn.
Cotton to wool, leather to plastic
Never forget elastic’s fantastic.

How do we keep everyone safe?
Make people happy around you -Play with everybody
Not misbehaving around people.
Looking after each other,
Respecting each other,
Understand each other.

Don’t be blue we need to be green.
Working together to keep our world clean.
Otherwise the world will explode so everyone will die,
I know it’s hard but we have to try.

Regional Ambassadors Meetings in May 2010

RAM’s are one of the ways we get feedback form Ambassadors and Teachers about how they feel about being part of the scheme. We listen to what everyone has to say so that we can make the scheme even better.

Thanks to everyone who travelled to Bodelwyddan in North Wales and Parc Y Scarletts, Llanelli in South Wales. Both meetings were a great success!

‘It was fun today I love being an Ambassador and I wish we could have more meetings like today!!’

Fun making canvas art with a message…

During the RAM’s we asked the ambassadors to make canvass art which was also a way for us to get feedback about the scheme. We asked them questions like:

• What have you learnt by being an ambassador?
• What has been really good about being an ambassador?
• What ideas have you got to make the scheme even better? 

Our ambassadors told us:

‘I’ve learnt more about children’s rights and democracy’

‘Meeting Children’s Commissioner of Wales and all the other ambassadors’

‘Feeling special and important’

‘I love making changes in our school because it means that I have done something for the benefit of them’

‘The good thing about being an ambassador is thinking about good ideas’

‘we should have more meetings!’

‘We could have more meetings Get little kids involved to help them when they are older’

The next regional Ambassadors Meetings will be in June 2011 we hope all our ambassadors can come along!