Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has praised the work of a Wrexham organisation helping young people who have fallen through the gaps.
Mr Rowlands recently met with members of WeMindTheGap, based in Wrexham, which was set up for those who are not in employment, education or training to develop life skills that many take for granted, preparing them for the world of work and creating a sense of belonging.
He said:
I was delighted last week to have the opportunity to visit the Wrexham WeConnect Hub in the city centre and meet up with some of the inspirational people behind this fantastic initiative.
They carry out an amazing job and it was great to see that earlier this year the charity was awarded £4.9m worth of funding for use over five years from the National Lottery Community Fund to help sustain and grow WeMindTheGap programmes.
It was great to catch up with some of the team who I met when I attended a meeting of the Wrexham Leadership Alliance Group where concern was expressed about the transport links to and from the Wrexham Industrial Estate and its effect on recruitment.
As Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport I have raised the issue several times in Welsh Parliament and will continue to do so.
I do have to congratulate everyone involved with this charity, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, for making this wonderful idea such a success. It is quite clear that many young people have already benefitted from WeMindtheGap and certainly the signs are extremely positive for the future.
WeMindTheGap, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary bringing together current and former participants, trustees, funders, community leaders and supporters, honouring a decade of positive impact on young people who are not in employment, education, or training.
Since its founding in 2014, WeMindTheGap has grown from supporting eight young women in its first year to now working with over 160 young people each week across North Wales and the North West of England.
The charity, founded by Rachel Clacher and supported by Diane Aplin, offers a range of tailored programmes focused on life skills, coaching, emotional support and work readiness, all designed to help young people build confidence, independence, and brighter futures.
Sam Rowlands AS yn ymweld ag elusen sy'n helpu pobl ifanc yn y Gogledd
Mae Sam Rowlands, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros y Gogledd, wedi canmol gwaith sefydliad o Wrecsam sy'n helpu pobl ifanc sydd wedi syrthio drwy'r bylchau.
Yn ddiweddar, cyfarfu Mr Rowlands ag aelodau o WeMindTheGap, sydd wedi'i leoli yn Wrecsam, a sefydlwyd ar gyfer y rhai nad ydyn nhw mewn cyflogaeth, addysg na hyfforddiant, gyda’r nod o ddatblygu sgiliau bywyd y mae llawer yn eu cymryd yn ganiataol, gan eu paratoi ar gyfer y byd gwaith a chreu ymdeimlad o berthyn.
Meddai:
Roeddwn wrth fy modd yr wythnos diwethaf i ymweld â Hwb WeConnect Wrecsam yng nghanol y ddinas a chwrdd â rhai o'r bobl ysbrydoledig y tu ôl i'r fenter wych hon.
Maen nhw'n gwneud gwaith anhygoel ac roedd hi’n wych gweld bod yr elusen wedi derbyn gwerth £4.9m o gyllid i'w ddefnyddio dros bum mlynedd yn gynharach eleni gan Gronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol i helpu i gynnal a datblygu rhaglenni WeMindTheGap.
Roedd hi’n wych dal i fyny â rhai o'r tîm y gwnes i gyfarfod â nhw pan fynychais gyfarfod o Grŵp Cynghrair Arweinyddiaeth Wrecsam lle mynegwyd pryder am y cysylltiadau trafnidiaeth i ac o Stad Ddiwydiannol Wrecsam a'i effaith ar recriwtio.
Fel Ysgrifennydd Cabinet yr Wrthblaid dros Drafnidiaeth, rydw i wedi codi'r mater droeon yn y Senedd a byddaf yn parhau i wneud hynny.
Mae'n rhaid i mi longyfarch pawb sy'n ymwneud â'r elusen hon, a ddathlodd ei degfed pen-blwydd yn ddiweddar, am sicrhau llwyddiant y syniad gwych hwn. Mae'n eithaf amlwg bod llawer o bobl ifanc eisoes wedi elwa ar WeMindtheGap ac yn sicr mae'r arwyddion yn hynod gadarnhaol ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Yn ddiweddar, dathlodd WeMindTheGap ei ben-blwydd yn 10 oed gan ddod â chyfranogwyr presennol a chyn-gyfranogwyr, ymddiriedolwyr, cyllidwyr, arweinwyr cymunedol a chefnogwyr at ei gilydd, i nodi degawd o effaith gadarnhaol ar bobl ifanc nad ydyn nhw mewn cyflogaeth, addysg na hyfforddiant.
Ers ei sefydlu yn 2014, mae WeMindTheGap wedi tyfu o gefnogi wyth menyw ifanc yn ei flwyddyn gyntaf i weithio gyda dros 160 o bobl ifanc bob wythnos ar draws Gogledd Cymru a Gogledd Orllewin Lloegr.
Mae'r elusen, a sefydlwyd gan Rachel Clacher gyda chefnogaeth Diane Aplin, yn cynnig ystod o raglenni wedi'u teilwra sy'n canolbwyntio ar sgiliau bywyd, coetsio, cymorth emosiynol a pharodrwydd i weithio, i gyd wedi'u cynllunio i helpu pobl ifanc i fagu hyder, annibyniaeth a dyfodol mwy disglair.
