Pioneering Assembly and Local Government mentoring scheme gets top award
17 June 2010
The Step Up Cymru Scheme has been recognised at a Wales-wide award ceremony.
Adam Rees, co-ordinator of the Assembly’s innovative Step Up Cymru scheme won the Active Citizen award at last night’s (15 June) Inspire Wales event
Step Up Cymru encouraged people from underrepresented groups, such as Lesbian Gay and Bisexual people as well as ethnic minority groups, to get involved in Welsh democracy by pairing them with local councillors and Assembly Members over a six-month period.
“I am delighted with this award, it was a real surprise but a welcome justification of all the hard work the mentees and mentors put into Step Up Cymru,” said Adam.
“This recognition is really a result of the way they engaged with the scheme and I hope it inspires other people from underrepresented groups to get involved and affect real change in their lives.”
Step Up Cymru was run by the National Assembly in conjunction with the Welsh Government and Welsh Local Government Association.
“Adam did an excellent job of running Step Up Cymru and this is a well-deserved acknowledgement of all his hard work,” said Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM, Presiding Officer for the National Assembly for Wales.
“His leadership and inspiration has led many of the mentees to pursue a career in politics while others have pledged to make more use of the democratic process in Wales to give a stronger voice to their communities.
“It also demonstrates the National Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that all the people of Wales are represented in the work we do here by getting people to take part in the political process.”
“I am so pleased for Adam after all the hard work he has put in but I also feel this achievement reflects exactly what the National Assembly is constantly striving for as an organisation,” said Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly Claire Clancy.
“Equality, inclusiveness and transparency are key areas we consider in all that we do so that people from all communities in Wales can understand and get involved with the democratic process.”
“This award comes shortly after the Assembly joined an elite group of gold standard investors in people in the UK and is further testament to the work we are doing.”