Neath Port Talbot inaugurates first ever youth mayor

“Building the confidence, respect, equality and aspirations of young people is my passion, and I will do my utmost to empower children and young people to participate fully in decision making in all matters that affect them.”

This was the message delivered by Neath Port Talbot’s first-ever Youth Mayor at an inauguration ceremony in Port Talbot last week.

Abi Price, aged 18 from Tonna, will be taking up the role of Youth Mayor for a one-year term. The former pupil and head girl at Dyffryn Comprehensive School was inaugurated at Port Talbot Civic Centre on Wednesday 18th September. The Youth Mayor will act as the voice for all children and young people across the county borough, and will shadow the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Councillor Scott Jones, at a number of pre-determined Civic duties.

Since joining her school council, Abi grew a passion for ensuring young people are listened to and are able to have their say. This led to Abi playing a pivotal role in advocating the move of Sandfields Youth Club to its new location at Ysgol Bae Baglan on behalf of its young members. Abi is also an active member of the BA (Bae Abertawe) Youth and was also involved in a focus group that campaigned for local skaters to have eco-friendly drains installed in a park to prevent flooding.

Abi was elected to become Youth Mayor of Neath Port Talbot in July of this year. The election process involved four candidates aged between 13 and 19 submitting a manifesto to their peers on the Youth Council. Members then cast a vote for their chosen candidate in which Abi received the highest number of votes.

Councillor Scott Jones, Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, who spoke about the role of Youth Mayor at the ceremony, said:

“I am extremely pleased to announce Abi as the first-ever Youth Mayor of Neath Port Talbot”

“It is so important that we hear the views, ideas and voices of children and young people across the council. As our Youth Mayor, I’m sure Abi will shine a spotlight on the issues that young people care passionately about, and this will serve and demonstrate the importance of acting on what young people have to say.”

The ceremony also included the inauguration of the Deputy Youth Mayor, Erin Sandison, who received the second-highest number of votes. Erin, aged 17 from Waunceirch, attended Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School where she was a mental health ambassador. Erin has also been a member of the Neath Port Talbot Youth Council since 2017.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erin said:

“I pledge to campaign and raise awareness for the need for more accessible mental health services in schools, colleges and our local communities for children and young people.

“Working with our partners Public Health Wales, I will provide young people in Neath Port Talbot with education on health issues affecting them and information on where they can access support.”

Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn urddo’u maer ieuenctid

cyntaf erioed

“Rwy’n credu’n angerddol mewn meithrin hyder, parch, cydraddoldeb a dyheadau pobl ifanc, a byddaf yn ymdrechu i’r eithaf i rymuso plant a phobl ifanc i gyfranogi’n llawn mewn penderfyniadau ar bob mater sy’n effeithio arnyn nhw.”

 Dyma’r neges a gyflwynwyd gan y Maer Ieuenctid cyntaf erioed i Gastell-nedd Port Talbot yn y seremoni urddo ym Mhort Talbot yr wythnos ddiwethaf.

Bydd Abi Price, sy’n 18 oed ac yn dod o Tonna, yn ymgymryd â rôl y Maer Ieuenctid am gyfnod o flwyddyn. Mae’n gyn-ddisgybl a Phrif Ferch o Ysgol Gyfun y Dyffryn ym Margam, a chafodd ei hurddo yng Nghanolfan Ddinesig Port Talbot ddydd Mercher 18 Medi. Bydd y Maer Ieuenctid yn llais i’r holl blant a phobl ifanc ar draws y fwrdeistref sirol, a bydd yn cysgodi Maer Castell-nedd Port Talbot, y Cynghorydd Scott Jones, mewn nifer o ddyletswyddau Dinesig a bennwyd ymlaen llaw.

Ers iddi ymuno â’i chyngor ysgol, mae Abi wedi dod i gredu’n angerddol mewn sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yn cael gwrandawiad ac yn gallu lleisio barn. Arweiniodd hynny ati’n chwarae rhan allweddol wrth ddadlau o blaid symud Clwb Ieuenctid Sandfields i’w leoliad newydd yn Ysgol Bae Baglan, ar ran yr aelodau ifanc. Mae Abi hefyd yn aelod gweithredol o Fwrdd Iechyd Ieuenctid Bae Abertawe (ABMU), a bu hefyd yn ymwneud â grŵp ffocws a fu’n ymgyrchu dros osod draeniau eco-gyfeillgar mewn parc i sglefrwyr lleol, i atal llifogydd.

Mae diogelu’r amgylchedd wedi bod ar frig yr agenda, a bu Abi’n cwrdd â Swyddogion a chynghorydd o’r awdurdod lleol i drafod llygredd plastig a chael y newyddion diweddaraf ynghylch cynnydd yr awdurdod. Rhannodd Abi bersbectif y cyngor ieuenctid ar sut gall pobl ifanc chwarae rhan.

Cafodd Abi ei hethol yn ddarpar Faer Ieuenctid Castell-nedd Port Talbot ym mis Gorffennaf eleni. Roedd proses yr etholiad yn gofyn bod pedwar ymgeisydd rhwng 13 ac 19 oed yn cyflwyno maniffesto i’w cyfoedion ar y Cyngor Ysgol. Yna bu’r aelodau’n pleidleisio dros eu hoff ymgeisydd, ac Abi gafodd y nifer uchaf o bleidleisiau.

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Scott Jones, Maer Castell-nedd Port Talbot, a soniodd am rôl y Maer Ieuenctid yn y seremoni:

“Rwy’n eithriadol falch o gyhoeddi mai Abi yw’r Maer Ieuenctid cyntaf erioed yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot”

“Mae mor bwysig ein bod ni’n clywed barn, syniadau a lleisiau plant a phobl ifanc ar draws y cyngor. Fel Maer Ieuenctid, rwy’n siŵr y bydd Abi’n amlygu’r materion sydd o’r pwys mwyaf i bobl ifanc, ac y bydd hynny’n dangos pwysigrwydd gweithredu ar sail yr hyn sydd gan bobl ifanc i’w ddweud.”

Rhan arall o’r seremoni oedd urddo’r Dirprwy Faer Ieuenctid, Erin Sandison, a gafodd yr ail nifer uchaf o bleidleisiau. Aeth Erin, sy’n 17 oed ac yn dod o Waunceirch, i Ysgol Gyfun Dŵr-y-Felin, lle roedd hi’n llysgennad iechyd meddwl. Mae Erin hefyd wedi bod yn aelod o Gyngor Ieuenctid Castell-nedd Port Talbot ers 2017.

Yn y seremoni, dywedodd Erin:

“Rwy’n addo ymgyrchu a chynyddu ymwybyddiaeth o’r angen am wasanaethau iechyd meddwl mwy hygyrch yn ein hysgolion, ein colegau a’n cymunedau lleol ar gyfer plant a phobl ifanc.

“Drwy weithio gyda’n partneriaid Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru, bydda i’n sicrhau bod pobl ifanc yng Nghastell-nedd Port Talbot yn cael eu haddysgu am y materion iechyd sy’n effeithio arnyn nhw, ac yn cael gwybod ble mae cefnogaeth ar gael.”