Welsh universities are helping to tackle poverty in communities across Wales

Lynnette Thomas, speaking at a lecturn in the Senedd

On Tuesday 27 June, The Open University in Wales took part in a showcase at the Senedd to demonstrate how universities are tackling poverty in Wales.

Convened by the Universities Wales Civic Mission Network, the event showed the work Welsh universities are doing to help alleviate poverty of different kinds – from tackling health inequalities and food poverty, to working with disadvantaged groups to improve access to culture and the arts.

Among the projects discussed by the OU in Wales was Wales REACH, a creative arts project supporting people in five communities in Wales to explore connections with the histories of their local areas. The team have worked with local partners including community leaders, housing associations and Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.

The communities involved include:

people living in Butetown, Cardiff, one the UK’s oldest multicultural communities
the Sandfields area of Port Talbot, a town that has been at the heart of Wales’s industrial history
several semi-rural areas across Pembrokeshire
people with a learning disability living in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan
areas of Gwynedd with links to quarrying and slate mining.

‘Our universities have an important role to play in communities across Wales, beyond their traditional remit of learning, teaching and research,’ said OU in Wales deputy director Lynnette Thomas, who is also chair of Universities Wales’ Civic Mission Network.

‘Poverty is an increasingly urgent challenge facing the people and places of Wales. By working in partnership with communities, businesses and other agencies, universities are having a significant impact in this area, finding innovative solutions to challenges and making a tangible difference to people’s lives right across the country.’

‘Today’s event shows what can be achieved through collaboration and creative thinking, and I look forward to seeing what more we can achieve when we work together.’

The event comes two years following the launch of the Civic Mission Framework for Wales, which has allowed universities to collaborate with partners to deliver against the goals of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

‘While there is always more to do, I am proud that Wales’s Higher Education sector is leading the way with our Civic Mission Framework.’, added Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language.

‘Universities and higher education institutions have a critical role to play in addressing poverty, as they have unique resources and capabilities that can make a significant impact. It’s excellent to see the sector’s commitment to this.

‘The Commission for Tertiary Education and Research will encourage institutions to reach beyond the campus and ensure this good practice continues, develops and grow in importance over time.’