Welsh Labour’s Member of the Senedd for Gower, Rebecca Evans MS, has welcomed the launch of the Welsh Labour Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee.
 
The Young Person’s Guarantee, one of Welsh Labour’s key election pledges, will help ensure there is no lost generation in Wales following the COVID-19 pandemic by providing everyone under 25 with the offer of work, education, training, or self-employment.
 
The comprehensive package is designed to provide the right support at the right time and meet the diverse needs of young people across Wales. This includes new user-friendly services to help young people find opportunities more easily.
 
Phase one of the Guarantee will provide young people aged 16 to 24 in Wales with access to: one simple route to access the Young Person’s Guarantee via the Working Wales service - support and advice from advisers will be provided in a range of ways, including virtually, on the high street and through improved outreach facilities across Wales; self-employment advice and support; traineeships which provide work experience and training; training and wage incentives via the ReAct programme; a place on one of the Welsh Government’s outreach Community Employability programmes; help to find an apprenticeship; a new course search platform, for those wanting to enter further education or higher education, to make it easier to find their choice; a referral to one of the programmes funded by other partners, such as DWP and Local Authorities.
 
Welcoming the ambitious plans, Rebecca Evans MS said:
 
“At the Senedd election in May I stood on a platform that promised to ensure that no young person would be left behind as a result of the pandemic, so I’m really pleased that our Welsh Labour Government is already delivering on this key commitment to the people of Wales.
 
“This support is crucial to young people as they navigate their way into the world of work and decide what they want to do next – we know that they hold the key to Wales’ future success.
 
“It is more important than ever that young people are supported to gain the skills and experience they need to succeed, whether that’s in employment, education, or starting their own business. The Young Person’s Guarantee will make a real difference.”
 
As part of the plan, Working Wales (https://workingwales.gov.wales/) has become the single gateway for every 16 to 24 year old in Wales to access the Guarantee. This builds on the already strong and successful model of delivering careers guidance and signposting support. They are also trialling a new Job Matching service, to assist young people with securing employment and to help employers fill vacancies.
 
The Welsh Government has said the next steps in the development of the guarantee will include: Regional Skills Partnerships will hold engagement events to shape the provision of the Young Person’s Guarantee within their area of responsibility; and a series of focus groups will be held with young people between now and December to help understand how they view the support available, what they want to see and the barriers they face.
 

Welsh Labour’s Member of the Senedd for Gower, Rebecca Evans MS, has welcomed a new five-year plan which aims to ensure a good quality of life for all animals in Wales.
 
The Animal Welfare Plan for Wales, published by Welsh Labour’s Minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths MS, builds on what has already been achieved by the Welsh Government since it gained powers to legislate on animal welfare in 2006.
 
It outlines how the Welsh Labour Government will take forward its election pledges in this area and put in place other measures to further improve animal welfare.
 
Welcoming the plan, Rebecca Evans MS, said:
 
“As a long-term campaigner for higher animal welfare standards, I’m very proud of what Welsh Labour has achieved so far in Wales on animal welfare but there is more to do on this. My long term ambition is for every animal in Wales to have a good quality of life and I am glad that the Welsh Labour Government’s plan outlines steps towards achieving that ambition.
 
“The Minister has confirmed that the Welsh Government will work with partners to take forward these ambitious commitments – partnership working will be key to the success of the plan.
 
“Achieving a good quality of life for all animals is ambitious, but that is what the Welsh Government must aim for.”
 
The plan also includes a broad range of ongoing animal welfare policy work, including statutory guidance for existing regulations, licensing of animal exhibits, welfare of animals in transport, and Codes of Practice. Finally, it describes how the Welsh Government will work collaboratively with the other UK governments to further the animal welfare agenda, for example through the forthcoming Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill.
 
The Programme for Government commitments in the plan are: To develop a national model for the regulation of animal welfare, introducing registration for animal welfare establishments, commercial breeders for pets or for shooting, and animal exhibits; To Improve the qualifications for animal welfare inspectors to raise their professional status; To require CCTV in all slaughterhouses; and to restrict the use of cages for farmed animals.