Two important events coming to RCT and Merthyr Tydfil in the next few weeks that will be of interest regarding adult learning specifically and access to higher education in SE Wales.

The events are as follows:

• Friday 12 May at the Feelgood Factory in Mountain Ash, RCT, CF45 4XZ.
• Friday 19 May at the Redhouse Cymru in Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AE.

Please register here to attend: Reaching Wider in RCT & Merthyr Tydfil

Both events are designed to bring all stakeholders together to both inform the Reaching Wider adult learning provision for the next academic year, and to celebrate the previous successes of this innovative programme.

Both events run from 10am to 3pm and the agenda includes:

• Reaching Wider – the Story So Far Chris Webb Director, Reaching Wider
• Good Practice & Good Partnerships Natalie Kendrick Doyle – Manager, Reaching Wider
• 2023/24 – Priorities & Partnerships Jamie Grundy – Adult Officer, Reaching Wider

The afternoon will then include facilitation and exploration of shared priorities and potential partnerships across the region for the forthcoming academic year.

Reaching Wider is a partnership of universities, schools and colleges working together to improve social mobility by widening access to all forms of higher education.

This national programme, funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), aims to increase higher education participation from under-represented groups by raising educational aspirations and skills, and creating innovative study opportunities and learning pathways to higher education.

Our new Blog is up and running, you are now able to subscribe which will keep you up to date with all the latest news that is happening in Merthyr Tydfil.

Please click on the link https://vamt.net/en/updates/ and scroll to the bottom of the page, enter your email address and click subscribe.  Any questions please email frances.barry@vamt.net

Are you 18+?

Do you want to experience the sporting industry and get involved in sport and volunteering?

Do you have spare time and would be interested in helping a local sports/physical activity club?

We can provide you with the qualifications to enable you to confidently undertake a positive role within the community.

You would receive free training to the following:

• Level 2 Community Sports Leaders Course starting April 29th & 30th
• First Aid Qualification
• Safeguarding and Children Protection Qualification
• Disability Inclusion Training

As part of this programme you will need to undertake a minimum of 20 hours volunteering in a local sports/physical activity club. We can support you to find the most suitable place for you.

Please contact Vikki Jones at Vikki.jones@merthyr.gov.uk to book on or for any further information.

Cyfarthfa Castle and Park have played a huge role in the history and heritage of Merthyr Tydfil. It’s been a place of industry with the Iron Works, as well as a school, a museum, a park, a place to explore, find out about nature and even make art. But the building is now in poor repair and a foundation has been set up to help Merthyr Tydfil secure the future of this important site and its beautiful green spaces. 

This survey aims to quickly capture how your organisation / community group currently feels about the site, its possible future as a location for a Gallery, as well as the Museum and Park. It should only take 10 minutes to complete and will stay open until 14 April. The survey is covered by this privacy policy and the responses will only be used for the purposes of this exercise and anonymised. 

We would also love you to come and tell us what you think over a cup of tea at one of the following drop-in consultation sessions. We’d like to know what historic and current stories about Cyfarthfa are important to you? What are the most significant objects in the town’s archives? How do you want to be involved in making the plan happen? 

 Tuesday 18^th April 

TREHARRIS LIBRARY HUB – 11AM-1PM      

Treharris Community Centre, Perrott Street, Treharris CF46 5ET 

 ABERFAN COMMUNITY LIBRARY – 2PM-5PM         

Aberfan Community Centre, Pantglas Road, Aberfan CF48 4QE 

 Wednesday 19^th April 

DOWLAIS LIBRARY – 2PM-5PM 

Church Street, Dowlais. CF48 3HS 

 MERTHYR CENTRAL LIBRARY – 6PM-9PM 

High Street, Merthyr Tydfil. CF47 8AF 

For more details, please contact Mari Lowe, Project Coordinator, Cyfarthfa Foundation at mlowe@cyfarthfafoundation.wales

Volunteers have always been the lifeblood of our communities in Wales, with one in three people typically volunteering at any one time.

National Volunteer’s Week is an annual UK wide celebration of volunteers taking place each year between 1 – 7 June.

This year marks 39 years of recognising volunteers during this special week in June.

The overarching focus agreed by UK partners for Volunteers’ Week 2023 will be ‘Celebrate and inspire’.

We are encouraging a focus for this year on some of the aspects that we want to celebrate about volunteering across the UK. These are:

Our diversity is our strength

There’s more than one way of volunteering

Being the change we want to see

Click here for more information.

https://wcva.cymru/launching-volunteers-week-2023-in-wales/