Co-producing project work is not a new concept in the third sector where many funding streams insist on its inclusion in applications. Nor is it a new way of working, in general, across Carmarthenshire, as partners strive to create the best outcomes.
“The relationship where professionals and citizens share power to design, plan, assess and deliver support together. It recognises that everyone has a vital contribution to make in order to improve quality of life for people and communities”.
New economics foundation (NEF)
Sir Gâr Kindness Mural project
The ‘Sir Gâr Kindness Mural project’ was borne out of the kindness art project, undertaken across Carmarthenshire, and an extension to the Connect to Kindness within school model.
Communities have been supported over the past two years to promote and celebrate the kindness that happens around them; individuals, groups and projects who have shared a moment of kindness with others in their communities have been celebrated. This project continues to spread the key message across three pre-defined areas.
The Premise
* Offer an opportunity for younger people to voice how they feel about kindness and why it is important to them, tying in with work that they already do in school. We would hope that this would help pupils identify how they can make a change for themselves and how they can make a difference not just at school but in their wider community.
* Support the development of a co-produced project/plan on how young people can use their skills and ideas to introduce more kindness in the classroom, the playground, at home and in their community. This will give pupils a real-life experience of how their ideas can be developed to support others and highlight the benefits of working together with others.
All of this sits alongside the Kindness in Schools work recently embedded on y Hwb and would culminate in a community mural designed by pupils, parents, wider community, and school partners, showcasing what is important for promoting kindness and wellbeing.
Each school received an invitation to participate, an agreement form and were required to provide a written acceptance. Funds of £1,000 per group were then allocated to support the creation of the work
All schools were very eager to join this co-production pilot and explore a multi-generational approach to illustrating their community’s attitude towards kindness.
Following an exploratory meeting on March 7th 2022 each school accepted the challenge and were keen to work with the children, and their communities, to produce a mural. This would fit perfectly with curriculum developments and act as a public reminder of their connections and community resilience.
