Cynnydd has secured additional ESF funding to help young people across South West Wales.

The Cynnydd Project, which was launched in September 2016 has secured extra funding to run until December 2022.

The £35 million project is part-funded by the European Social Fund and will work with an estimated 7,500 young people across South West Wales.

For Neath Port Talbot (NPT), this additional funding means that the Cynnydd project has a further £3 million to work with a total of 1,102 young people across the lifetime of the project.

Cynnydd is led by Pembrokeshire County Council and delivered in partnership with local authorities and FE Colleges along with Careers Wales in Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Private and third sector training providers are also involved.

The aim of the project is to work with those aged between 11 and 24 years old who are at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training).

NPTCynnydd provides Youth Engagement Worker support to young people aged 11-16. Our workers are linked to all secondary schools within NPT including Ysgol Hendrefelin and also provides funding for additional support with the MEAS (Minority Ethnic Achievement Support) team.Cynnydd is an extension of the Wellbeing and Behaviour Team and sits within Support for Inclusion.

We are currently working with over 400 young people to help them to overcome or manage any issues that are contributing to their disengagement from mainstream education.

Our Youth Engagement Workers offer a range of interventions which are tailored to the individual needs of the young people and are fundamental to the success of the project.

71% of young people who have now left the project, have gained a qualification as a result of Cynnydd support.

88.5% of young people who have now left the project have gained a positive outcome, including an increase in Wellbeing, through Cynnyddsupport and as a result, are at a reduced risk of becoming NEET.

The above figures show that Cynnydd is having a positive impact, but what do the young people say?

“My mother says thank you for saving me, as I don’t know where I would be if you hadn’t helped me in school, and got me onto work placement, she is really happy that she has her daughter back”.

“Our talks about my anxiety have helped me so much and opened my eyes”.

 “I feel proud of how far I have come over the past few months. I’m happy about not being nervous when I leave the house. I still feel nervous going to school sometimes but other times I don’t”. 

“If I hadn’t worked with him I don’t know where I would be today, maybe not even here”.

Aled Evans, the Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning said:

“We have seen the positive impact Cynnydd has had on our young people, helping to remove some of the barriers which have prevented them from engaging in education, employment and training. As a result of this additional funding, this work will now continue and we will be able to support more young people across Neath Port Talbot”.

Cllr Peter Rees, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Culture also commented on the secured funding:

“This is exciting news for our community. This extra EU funding will help to continue to boost the skills and prospects of our young people in Neath Port Talbot and across South West Wales.”

Cynnydd wedi sicrhau cyllid ychwanegol gan Gronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop er mwyn helpu pobl ar draws de-orllewin Cymru

Mae Prosiect Cynnydd, a sefydlwyd ym mis Medi 2016, wedi sicrhau cyllid ychwanegol er mwyn gallu ei gynnal hyd at fis Rhagfyr 2022.

Mae’r prosiect £35 miliwn wedi’i ariannu’n rhannol gan Gronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop a bydd yn gweithio gydag oddeutu 7,500 o bobl ifanc ar draws de-orllewin Cymru.

Ar gyfer Castell-nedd Port Talbot, mae’r cyllid ychwanegol hwn yn golygu bod gan y Prosiect Cynnydd £3 miliwn yn fwy i’w wario ar gyfanswm o 1,102 o bobl ifanc yn ystod y prosiect.

Arweinir Cynnydd gan Gyngor Sir Penfro ac mae’n cael ei gyflwyno mewn partneriaeth ag awdurdodau lleol a Cholegau AB ynghyd â Gyrfa Cymru yng Ngheredigion, Sir Benfro, Sir Gâr, Abertawe a Chastell-nedd Port Talbot. Mae darparwyr hyfforddiant y sector preifat a’r trydydd sector hefyd yn cymryd rhan.

Bydd y prosiect yn gweithio gyda’r rheiny rhwng 11 a 24 oed sydd mewn perygl o fod yn NEET (heb fod mewn cyflogaeth, addysg na hyfforddiant).

Mae Cynnydd CNPT yn darparu cefnogaeth gan Weithiwr Cynnwys Ieuenctid i bobl ifanc rhwng 11 ac 16 oed. Mae ein gweithwyr i gyd yn gysylltiedig â’r holl ysgolion uwchradd yn CNPT, gan gynnwys Ysgol Hendrefelin, ac mae hefyd yn darparu cyllid ar gyfer cefnogaeth ychwanegol o fewn y tîm MEAS (Tîm Cefnogi Cyflawniad Lleiafrifoedd Ethnig). Mae Cynnydd yn gysylltiedig â’r Tîm Lles ac Ymddygiad o fewn yr adran Cefnogaeth ar gyfer Cynhwysiad.

Rydym yn gweithio gyda 400 o bobl ifanc ar hyn o bryd er mwyn eu helpu i oresgyn neu reoli unrhyw broblemau sy’n cyfrannu at eu diffyg diddordeb mewn addysg prif ffrwd.

Mae ein Gweithwyr Cynnwys Ieuenctid yn cynnig amrywiaeth o ymyriadau sy’n addas at anghenion unigol y bobl ifanc ac maent yn hanfodol i lwyddiant y prosiect.

Mae 71% o bobl ifanc sydd wedi gadael y prosiect wedi ennill cymhwyster o ganlyniad i gefnogaeth gan Cynnydd erbyn hyn.

Mae 88.5% o bobl ifanc sydd wedi gadael y prosiect wedi cael canlyniad cadarnhaol erbyn hyn, gan gynnwys gwelliant yn eu lles oherwydd cefnogaeth gan Cynnydd ac, o ganlyniad, maent mewn llai o berygl o fod yn NEET.

Mae’r ffigurau uchod yn dangos bod Cynnydd yn cael effaith gadarnhaol, ond beth mae’r bobl ifanc yn ei ddweud?

“Mae fy mam am ddiolch i chi am fy achub, oherwydd ni fyddwn i wedi cael cymaint o lwyddiant pe na fyddech wedi fy helpu yn yr ysgol, ac wedi trefnu lleoliad gwaith ar fy nghyfer, ac mae’n hapus iawn ei bod wedi cael ei merch yn ôl”.

 “Mae ein sgyrsiau am orbryder wedi fy helpu cymaint ac wedi agor fy llygaid”.

 “Rydw i’n falch o’r hyn rwyf wedi ei gyflawni dros y misoedd diwethaf. Rwy’n hapus iawn nad ydw i’n nerfus pan fyddaf yn gadael y tŷ mwyach. Rwy’n teimlo’n nerfus wrth fynd i’r ysgol o hyd ond weithiau, rwy’n fwy hyderus”.

 “Pe na fyddwn wedi gweithio gydag ef, nid wyf yn gwybod sut fyddai fy sefyllfa heddiw, efallai na fyddwn i yma o gwbl”.

Meddai Aled Evans, y Cyfarwyddwr Addysg, Hamdden a Dysgu Gydol Oes,

“Rydym wedi gweld yr effaith gadarnhaol y mae Cynnydd yn ei chael ar ein pobl ifanc, gan eu helpu i gael gwared ar rai o’r rhwystrau sy’n eu hatal rhag cael eu cynnwys mewn addysg, cyflogaeth a hyfforddiant. O ganlyniad i’r cyllid ychwanegol hwn, bydd y gwaith hwn yn parhau a byddwn yn gallu cefnogi mwy o bobl ifanc ar draws Castell-nedd Port Talbot”.

Meddai’r Cyng. Peter Rees, Aelod y Cabinet dros Addysg, Sgiliau a Diwylliant ynghylch yr arian a sicrhawyd,

“Mae’n newyddion gwych i’n cymuned. Bydd y cyllid ychwanegol hwn gan yr UE yn helpu i barhau i wella sgiliau a disgwyliadau pobl ifanc yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot ac ar draws de-orllewin Cymru”.