LLI Youth Activities Team
Following the challenges of Covid, Learning Links International volunteers started to develop an informal youth work initiative to support the integration of young people with a range of challenges and limited opportunities, and their parents – undertaking a range of activities that followed the five pillars of youth work: educative, expressive, participative, inclusive and empowering. The aim was to create opportunities engaging the young people in a truly participatory way. By developing a range of activities designed by and for these young people and their parents, those involved focussed on those areas they most wanted to explore, learn and develop.
LLI Youth Programme Manager, Martha Bothros has mixed heritage, with a Jamaican Dad. Martha is a qualified teacher, specialising in creative arts, and more recently was commissioned a Minister. She moved from London to Wales to give her twin daughters the opportunity to undertake their secondary schooling in the place she loved from her holidays - Colwyn Bay. Supporting her children to integrate and settle was her first priority and with other parents, who also had children with challenges, and the idea of YAWN was born!
'Don't YAWN, get up, get out' is their motto.
All this has been undertaken by Martha, as one of the volunteer team supporting Learning Links International's work to explore the shared history between Jamaica and Wales, as well as our endeavours to build bridges between the 2 countries. Marthaa is also an active member of the North Wales Jamaica Socisety, which is also supported by Learning Links International.
Martha always wanted to visit Jamaica, but the challenges she faced over the years made that difficult. Now she feels is her time to organise an exchange visit to Jamaica, and she has been exploring possibilities with support from the Directors of Learning Links International. Now she has prepared a proposal now submitted under the Welsh Government's Taith initiative to enable a small group of young people, with the support of a group of adult volunteers, to participate in a truely transformative exchange abroad, which will deliver positive impacts on their personal lives, impact of their learning outcomes and employability, particularly focused on those with fewer opportunities, with a specific focus to engage people from underrepresented groups – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minority backgrounds, Disabled people and people with additional learning needs.
The Learning Links International Directors are delighted to support Martha with her endeavors and especially with the opportunites offered by Taith.