‘Leaders of Now’ goes from strength to strength

We have witnessed SRtRC Wales’ Leaders of Now programme go from strength to strength as the third secondary cohort completed their year-long ambassador scheme – this time in Flintshire and Wrexham, thanks to funding from Flintshire Healthy Schools, Wrexham Healthy Schools, and North East Wales Community Cohesion teams.

Around 100 guests gathered together at Rossett Hall, Wrexham to celebrate the deep and impactful anti-racism work led by pupil ambassadors across 5 schools.

Each school gave a short presentation on the work that they had undertaken over the past academic year with the support of SRtRC and school staff leads. Up first was Ysgol Bryn Alyn aka The United Leaders.

The group shared their progress towards creating a ‘Room of Requirement’ – a multi-use, interfaith room that will serve as a reflection space for anyone in the school that needs it. Well done Ysgol Bryn Alyn!

Next was Flint High School. Flint’s ambassadors decided to focus on representation, undertaking a book audit to get a stronger understanding of how this looks in school. It is only by understanding where we are that we can map out where we need to go. Excellent start Flint!

Castell Alun ambassadors also talked about the need to diversify the stories told in schools and have taken steps towards improving the school’s offering in the library and classrooms and setting up an anti-racism book club whereby pupils can be explicit in their anti-racist learning. Alongside this, they showcased their new dolls’ heads with a range of hair textures that they hope will lead to young people gaining the skills to be much-needed experts in textured hair care and styling in their local area. Da iawn, pawb!

Rhosnesni’s Leaders of Now were up next and this group discussed the hard work they had put in to developing an education booklet to embed anti-racism in the schools curriculum. Guests were lucky enough to view the booklet and consider how they might use and/or add to it. A real achievement Rhosnesni!

The final presentation came from Ysgol Rhiwabon who not only showed an excellent, engaging video promoting their work but discussed the impact they had made around school, from curriculum audits looking at representation of Global Majority as well as pupil voice to their bespoke form time work for each year group which included discussion points designed by group for form tutors to lead and event their creative tree mural which is already provoking discussion in school. Ardderchog, Rhiwabon!

Pupils were asked which part of their work they were most proud of. Responses included:

‘The research- going around to all our teachers and discussing what they have/ can do to shed light on racial communities.’

‘The biggest achievement, as part of this project, would definitely be the painting of a tree mural in our school. It not only shows how much dedication we as a collective have put into this project, but will also strive as a role model for the next Leaders of Now.’

‘I’m most proud of the awareness we’ve shared’

100% of pupils felt the project had had a positive impact in their school and would recommend Leaders of Now to others.

It was also wonderful to see the deep and meaningful conversations had between guests at the final event, prompted by the content covered in the ambassador presentations and we hope this will inspire further action.

Several of the guests commented on how inspirational and well-organised the event was. For example, one guest said: ‘[I am] Feeling so inspired and encouraged by the great work the students are doing.’

Guests also looked to the future with optimism, noting:

‘It will be fantastic to see further schools in Wrexham participate and for the movement to grow’

SRtRC would like to thank all ambassadors and school staff leads for their hard work this year, our funders for being so supportive of this work and all guests who attended the final celebration event to show their support.

Arweinwyr Heddiw yn mynd o nerth i nerth

Mae rhaglen Arweinwyr Heddiw SRtRC wedi mynd o nerth i nerth wrth i’r drydedd garfan uwchradd gwblhau eu cynllun llysgenhadon blwyddyn o hyd, y tro hwn yn Sir y Fflint a Wrecsam, diolch i gyllid gan Ysgolion Iach Sir y Fflint, Ysgolion Iach Wrecsam a thimau Cydlyniant Cymunedol Gogledd-ddwyrain Cymru. Daeth tua 100 o westeion at ei gilydd yn Rossett Hall, Wrecsam i ddathlu’r gwaith gwrth-hiliaeth dwfn ac effeithiol dan arweiniad llysgenhadon disgyblion ar draws 5 ysgol.

Rhoddodd pob ysgol gyflwyniad byr ar y gwaith yr oeddent wedi’i wneud dros y flwyddyn academaidd ddiwethaf gyda chefnogaeth SRtRC ac arweinwyr yr ysgol. Yn gyntaf roedd Ysgol Bryn Alyn sef Yr Arweinwyr Unedig. Bu i’r grŵp rannu eu cynnydd tuag at greu ‘Gofod y Gofynion’ – ystafell aml-ddefnydd, rhyng-ffydd a fydd yn ofod myfyrio i unrhyw un yn yr ysgol sydd ei angen. Da iawn Ysgol Bryn Alyn!

Nesaf oedd Ysgol Uwchradd Y Fflint. Penderfynodd llysgenhadon y Fflint ganolbwyntio ar gynrychiolaeth, gan gynnal archwiliad llyfrau i gael dealltwriaeth gryfach o sut mae hyn yn edrych yn yr ysgol. Dim ond drwy ddeall lle’r ydym ni y gallwn ni fapio lle mae angen inni fynd. Dechrau ardderchog y Fflint!

Bu i lysgenhadon Castell Alun hefyd siarad am yr angen i arallgyfeirio’r straeon gaiff eu hadrodd mewn ysgolion ac maent wedi dilyn camau tuag at wella cynnig yr ysgol yn y llyfrgell a’r ystafelloedd dosbarth a sefydlu clwb llyfrau gwrth-hiliaeth lle gall disgyblion fod yn benodol yn eu dysgu gwrth-hiliol. Ochr yn ochr â hyn, fe wnaethant arddangos eu pennau doliau newydd gydag ystod o weadau gwallt y maent yn gobeithio bydd yn arwain at bobl ifanc yn ennill sgiliau i fod yn arbenigwyr mawr eu hangen mewn gofal gwallt gweadog a steilio yn eu hardal leol. Da iawn, pawb!

Arweinwyr Heddiw Rhosnesni oedd nesaf a bu i’r grŵp hwn drafod y gwaith caled yr oeddent wedi’i wneud i ddatblygu llyfryn addysg i ymgorffori gwrth-hiliaeth yng nghwricwlwm yr ysgol. Roedd y gwesteion yn ddigon ffodus i weld y llyfryn ac ystyried sut y gallent ei ddefnyddio a/neu ychwanegu ato. Dyma ichi wir gyflawniad, Rhosnesni!

Daeth y cyflwyniad olaf gan Ysgol Rhiwabon wnaeth nid yn unig ddangos fideo ardderchog a diddorol oedd yn hyrwyddo eu gwaith, ond hefyd trafod yr effaith maent wedi’i gwneud o gwmpas yr ysgol, o archwiliadau cwricwlwm sy’n edrych ar gynrychioliaeth y Mwyafrif Byd-eang yn ogystal â llais y disgybl i’w gwaith amser cofrestru penodol ar gyfer pob grŵp blwyddyn oedd yn cynnwys pwyntiau trafod wedi’u llunio gan y grŵp i diwtoriaid dosbarth eu harwain yn ogystal â’u murlun coeden greadigol sydd eisoes yn ysgogi trafodaeth yn yr ysgol. Ardderchog, Rhiwabon!

Gofynnwyd i’r disgyblion pa ran o’u gwaith yr oeddent fwyaf balch ohoni. Roedd yr ymatebion yn cynnwys:

‘Yr ymchwil – mynd o gwmpas yr holl athrawon a thrafod beth maent wedi/ yn gallu ei wneud i daflu goleuni ar gymunedau hiliol.’

‘Y cyflawniad mwyaf, fel rhan o’r prosiect hwn, fyddai peintio murlun coeden yn ein hysgol. Nid yn unig y mae’n dangos faint o ymroddiad yr ydym ni fel cydweithfa wedi’i roi i’r prosiect hwn, ond bydd hefyd yn gweithredu fel model rôl ar gyfer yr Arweinwyr Heddiw nesaf.’

‘Rydw i’n falch iawn o’r ymwybyddiaeth rydym ni wedi’i rannu’

Roedd 100% o ddisgyblion yn teimlo bod y prosiect wedi cael effaith gadarnhaol ar eu hysgol a byddent yn argymell Arweinwyr Nawr i eraill.

Roedd hefyd yn wych gweld y sgyrsiau dwfn ac ystyrlon oedd yn digwydd rhwng y gwesteion yn y digwyddiad olaf, wedi’u hysgogi gan y cynnwys a drafodwyd yn y cyflwyniadau gan y llysgenhadon ac rydym yn gobeithio y bydd hyn yn ysbrydoli gweithredu pellach.

Dywedodd nifer o’r gwesteion pa mor drefnus ac yn llawn ysbrydoliaeth oedd y digwyddiad. Er enghraifft, dywedodd un gwestai: ‘[Rydw i’n] Teimlo wedi fy ysbrydoli a’m hannog gymaint gan y gwaith gwych y mae’r disgyblion yn ei wneud’.

Roedd y gwesteion hefyd yn edrych i’r dyfodol gydag optimistiaeth, gan nodi:

‘Bydd yn wych gweld rhagor o ysgolion yn Wrecsam yn cymryd rhan ac i’r mudiad dyfu’

Dymuna SRtRC ddiolch i’r holl lysgenhadon ac arweinwyr ysgolion am eu gwaith caled eleni, ein cyllidwyr am fod mor gefnogol o’r gwaith hwn a’r holl westeion a fynychodd y digwyddiad dathlu olaf i ddangos eu cefnogaeth.