Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

Today I hosted an event at the Assembly of a new dvd produced by Barnardo’s Cymru alongside A Thousand Pictures Video Production Company of a film by young people in Wrexham, who are struggling to live their lives on benefits or on a minimum wage, while supporting a family of their own, or caring for others.

 The event was well attended, and successful. The young people talked about the challenges of living on the bread line, and their hopes and aspirations for the future. Of course, this agenda fits perfectly within the child poverty agenda, but it is very frustrating that we do not have the financial levers here in Wales to change the system.  I met with the young people, who travelled down to the Assembly today from Wrexham, and they were passionate about raising their concerns with decision-makers here, and at a Westminster level. They said that nobody should have to live in such poverty, and one actually said ‘I’d challenge an MP to live how I live for a week.’  We’ve proposed that they meet with candidates of all political parties for the Westminster election in their area, to discuss their main concerns, and why they feel that more young people should be supported.

Given that young people under 25 are the cohort of people who have been largely affected by this recession, especially given that they are unable to find jobs, or fund a University degree, we must take the views of the young people affected on board. Disparities in the minimum wage must be changed also. I say this, in full knowledge that if the Tories get in to power in Westminster, the benefits system will change dramatically. Their ideas on incapacity benefits are already very worrying indeed. Nonetheless, today was another wake up call that we can’t be complacent as politicians, and while its all well and good for us to have the United Nations Rights of a Child enshrined in all of the Welsh Government’s strategies, this must be reflected on the ground.

As the young people themselves said, they want to talk about these issues, as they do not want to see their own children living in poverty in years to come- of deciding whether to eat, or to heat their house.

Here is a link to the Barnardo’s web page, where you can view the video.