URDD ANNUAL 3 GOBAITH REPORT CYMRU 2015–16 CONTENTS This Year in Brief 4–5 Chief Executive’s Report 6 Chair’s Report 7 Case Study 1 – Megan Elias 8–9 Community Activities 10 Communications Department 10 Eisteddfod and the Arts Department 11 Sports Department 11 Case Study 2 – 12–13 Outdoor Activity Service Gwersyll Llangrannog 14 Gwersyll Glan-llyn 14 Gwersyll Caerdydd 15 Case Study 3 – Sian Elin Williams 16–17 Treasurer’s Report 18 Sponsors 19 External Funding Sources 20–21 Financial Information 22–26 urdd.cymru Over 60% of those THE YEAR attending sports IN BRIEF clubs are girls Over 43,000 have 98 new clubs have stayed in our been developed over Residential Centres the year Over 90,000 visited the Eisteddfod Turnover of 11,000 activities £9.6 million were organised in the community 2.2 million Twitter 273 members accounts have seen of staff #urdd2016 more at 53,318 members urdd.cymru URDD ANNUAL 6 URDD ANNUAL 7 GOBAITH REPORT GOBAITH REPORT CYMRU 2015–16 CYMRU 2015–16 ChieF EXecutiVE’S Report Chair’S Report Sioned Hughes Tudur Dylan Jones I knew that I had made one of the As Chair of the Urdd, it gives me great best decisions of my life coming to pleasure to report that over 53,000 work for the Urdd when I heard for children and young people became the first time the stamping of feet members of this unique organisation and children’s laughter in the corridors over the last year. The Flintshire Urdd of the Centre in Cardiff. And since National Eisteddfod saw the highest that first week back in January, I have number of visitors since 2012, and the been experiencing a powerful mixture three residential centres continue to of ‘privilege’ and ‘challenge’ to be very busy. Obviously much of the be leading Urdd Gobaith Cymru. thanks for this success goes to the 273 members of staff under the steady The success of the past year show We were very fortunate to have The obvious privilege of being involved leadership of the new Chief Executive, that the Urdd is going from strength Dan Rowbotham, Urdd President, with Wales’s biggest youth organisation, Sioned Hughes. to strength with the membership keeping as Chair of Bwrdd Syr IfanC this year. an organisation that has carved fond at a consistent level of around 53,000. Dan is an extremely active young person, memories and pride in the Welsh With regards to the Central Boards who, during his year as Urdd President, language in the hearts of hundreds within the Urdd, I must thank all the The Urdd National Eisteddfod in Flintshire was also elected President of Trinity of thousands of people over the years volunteers who give of their time to lead was a great success and the welcome and St David’s Student Union, was rewarded in Wales and beyond and then the the organisation and also to the national support given by the local communities with the Merêd Award from Coleg challenge of making sure that in future, youth forum, Bwrdd Syr IfanC, for their continued beyond the Eisteddfod week Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, and has been we continue to meet the aim of creating fresh and contemporary ideas. itself. Our offer of activities is expanding joint leader of Aelwyd Myrddin opportunities, experiences and memories especially in the sports domain. A new and Aelwyd y Drindod. for the children and young people of A number of ideas from Bwrdd Syr IfanC partnership with Aberystwyth University Wales through the medium of Welsh, have been approved through the central has given us the opportunity to make and attracting more of them to use the Boards during the last year, ideas such plans for the next five years and For the year ahead, language, whether natural speakers as having a gig and bar on site for the ‘Gemau Cymru’ has raised the profile or learners, if we wish to ensure the future final Saturday of the Eisteddfod and a I look forward to of future champions while our of the language in our communities. designated area for young people on apprenticeship programme continues seeing the organisation the Eisteddfod ‘Maes’. Bwrdd Syr IfanC to grow. More about the Urdd’s successes This is why I launched our conversation is made up of representatives from all grow from strength follows in the report. Urdd 2022 focusing on that year as the the regional forums and a number of Urdd will be celebrating its centenary. the ideas have grown from discussions to strength. With the I would also like to thank Mai Parry- I want to ensure that the whole of Wales at a local level, thank you all. A number Roberts, my Deputy and the Urdd’s regular guidance of and beyond will celebrate with us, but of external organisations have also held Director of Business and Personnel, for more importantly, I need to ensure that discussions with our members, including the busy staff together her diligent work over the years and we as an organisation continue to the Language Commissioner who to wish her well in her retirement. with the activity of the innovate, to move with the digital age attended one of their meetings, and S4C. while keeping to our aim. During the unflagging volunteers, Looking to the future, I am confident that coming year we will be having discussions we as an organisation will be able to turn I am confident that our with children, young people, leaders, every challenge into an opportunity and volunteers, area and regional committees, young people will once every opportunity a provision for our schools, parents and stakeholders youth. To make sure that we continue to – I want to hear your views. again benefit from do so, we must understand our members, be at the forefront of developments and a service of the highest How can we improve support our staff and volunteers. Most standard. importantly, we must be flexible and experiences, increase adaptable, not only in order to respond opportunities, extend to changes but to foresee them and to our reach, and give increase our partnerships across Wales. I would like to thank everyone for their better support support and I look forward to the period centrally to facilitate ahead of us. the work taking place in our communities across Wales? urdd.cymru urdd.cymru URDD ANNUAL 8 URDD ANNUAL 9 GOBAITH REPORT GOBAITH REPORT CYMRU 2015–16 CYMRU 2015–16 “The Urdd has Megan is now on her third year in Bangor and has decided to resurrect ‘Cymdeithas “The Urdd has changed my liFE” Llywelyn’, a society for Welsh learners at definitely changed Megan Elias Bangor University. During the first week of term, 130 students came to see her, all my life and has Ten years ago, Megan Elias was a year wishing to learn Welsh. She says, “I was opened the door 6 pupil in Old Colwyn School and could really surprised – I expected about 10 to hardly say more than ‘bore da’ in Welsh. register but we had 130! Most of them to another world.” At present, she is on her third year didn’t know how to say hello or anything. studying for a degree in Welsh and is completely fluent in the language – and “The reason I wanted to revive the Megan thanks the Urdd for that. Society was to give learners an opportunity to use Welsh socially and She first came into contact with the in conversation over a cuppa in sessions Urdd in 2012, when she went on a day that were fun. The Urdd gave me the trip with the school to the Meirionnydd chance to talk in Welsh, something Her experience with the Urdd had such Urdd National Eisteddfod. At the time, I couldn’t do in the area I was brought an effect on Megan that she turned down Eirias High School was part of the Urdd’s up in, and now I want to provide the an unconditional offer to study Finance at ‘Cymraeg bob Dydd’ scheme, working same opportunity for other learners.” Lancaster University, and opted instead with fifteen secondary school to offer to go through the clearing system to opportunities for learners to practice study Welsh at Bangor University. their Welsh. After starting her course at Bangor, Megan began volunteering with the Branwen Haf was in charge of the Urdd team in Conwy and Eryri, and she scheme at the time, and Megan volunteered on a trip to Paris. This trip remembers that unforgettable day gave Megan another opportunity to talk that she visited the Urdd Eisteddfod and socialise with children and adults for the first time. She says, “I had through the medium of Welsh. never been to an Eisteddfod before and everything was totally amazing. One of the highlights of her second I remember watching the Learners’ Medal year at University was winning the Ceremony and I had no idea what was Learners’ Medal at the Flintshire National going on! But after that visit, I decided Eisteddfod. The competition had been that I wanted to learn Welsh properly. revamped substantially with a lot more emphasis on verbal skills as opposed “Branwen suggested that I go to be a to written ones. Megan adds, “I was ‘swog’ on a Welsh Everyday residential so nervous on the judging day at the course in Glan-llyn and that experience Eisteddfod. There were three of us in of spending a week in a completely Welsh the final round, being given various environment, with all the staff speaking challenges to do during the day such Welsh, helped me a great deal.” as being interviewed by the press and talking to visitors in the Welcome Pavilion.