Three Caerphilly County Borough youth groups, who turned their frustration with life in the classroom and on the streets into eye-catching short videos, have been recognised with top awards in an all-Wales contest for aspiring film-makers.
The groups from New Tredegar, Hengoed and Lewis School, Pengam also earned themselves a meeting with First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones and Marc Evans, one of the country’s top film directors.
New Tredegar Youth Group scooped the top prize after they filmed a time-travelling story of how the formation of their group dispelled boredom and tackled antisocial behaviour on local streets.
Their work won them the top prizes of £1,000 each in the competition ‘Your Future Your Feature,’ which was organised to promote the Welsh Assembly Government’s Pupil Voice Wales website.
Youth leader Emma Griffiths, from New Tredegar, said: “The video was designed to highlight the way that, at times, through boredom, they used to take part in anti-social behaviour. Thanks to the group they changed and made more positive decisions.
“The group gives them somewhere to discuss their problems, if they don’t want to confide in a teacher or parent. It also acts as a voice. They can speak to the leaders about anything they like and the group can take if further for them.”
Lewis School Pengam and Hengoed Youth Group were runners-up in the competition.
Congratulating the youngsters the First Minister said: “The Pupil Voice Wales site is your site and we would like children and young people across Wales to use it to share examples of how they have been involved in improving things for themselves, their friends and their classmates.”