Shadowing Executive Board Member

A Carmarthen school pupil has spent the day shadowing a leading Carmarthenshire County Councillor to get a flavour of his work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Youth Council member and Ysgol Bro Myrddin pupil Kai Silverthorne took part in a Take Over Day last Friday when he shadowed executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kai met Cllr Jones at Llanelli Town Hall, who then took him on a tour of the Trading Standards, Animal Health, Public Protection and Licensing departments in the Llanelli offices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After lunch Kai accompanied Cllr Jones for a seminar and question and answer session with the housing group Pobl. To finish off the day Kai accompanied Cllr Jones to the East Gate enforcement offices. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Throughout the day Kai had an opportunity to meet councillors and council staff and to ask questions of the various departments he visited so that he can feed the information he gathered back to the Youth Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Kai said: “Shadowing Cllr Jim Jones was a very interesting experience for me. It enabled me to gain an insight on a day in the life of a member of Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I believe this experience will help strengthen the Carmarthenshire Youth Council’s link with the council’s executive board members, allowing us to do more to help the youth in the community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jim Jones said: “The Take Over Day was very worthwhile. Kai had the opportunity to learn more about what we do and the executive board will receive valuable feedback from the Youth Council.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This is one of many Take Over days that will see young people spend the day with Carmarthenshire County Council executive board members over the next two months. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The project was developed as young people are keen to make a real difference in their local communities and projects such as Councillor Shadowing is a great opportunity for them to share their concerns and aspirations with local leaders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By engaging with young people in this way, Carmarthenshire County Council Councillors will be exposed to young people’s genuine enthusiasm to learn and get a better understanding and involvement in local democracy, coupled with the positive things Carmarthenshire Youth Council members are involved in locally. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​