Overview of Regional Infrastructure Projects

In December 2007 BIG Lottery announced the successful applicants to the first round of the Child's Play Programme grants that, across Wales, total £2.2 million.

Infrastructure projects update: September 2009

Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan

Re-create

For 20 years Re-create has operated as a play resource centre. Now, as a result of the BIG Lottery funding they are able to expand their services to include: an increased customer base; promoting the importance of quality play provision and; participate in the strategic development of play, ensuring the views and experiences of the play and community sector are heard.

During the first year of the project an Executive Officer has been recruited to strengthen and promote the organisation and to engage with partnership planning across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

The work of the organisation over the coming year will involve the facilitation of play sector events and to continue to support the sector to engage with the strategic planning process.

Contact - Chris Southern

Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire

Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire Play Partnership

The infrastructure project is at present facilitating local and regional networks across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire in order to develop a mechanism of support for play organisations across the region.

During the first year a successful play conference was held and this in turn has led to an interest in the establishment of a Play Association.

As a result the focus of the project for the coming year will be to fully establish the association in order to facilitate support structures and promote play across the region.

Contact - Tim Moss

Ceredigion

RAY Ceredigion Child's Play Project

RAY Ceredigion is the lead organisation for the Ceredigion Child's Play Project to date the project has completed an audit of current play facilities, conducted a joint survey with the Local Authority planning office and reviewed the existing play strategy.

Plans for the coming year include implementing the updated play strategy, building on the existing infrastructure and the creation of an independent play association for the region.

Contact - Gill Byrne

Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) and Bridgend

RCT Play Association Branching Out Project

As a result of the Branching Out Project strategic links have been made between RCT and Bridgend. Currently a play network and cross county training event are being planned. The Executive Officer is currently working at a strategic level across both regions.

The focus for the coming year will be to strengthen, develop and sustain the existing Play Association, ensuring it can continue to offer support for play provision and providers across both regions.

Contact - Ben Greenaway

Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot

Play Right

Since receiving BIG Lottery funding, Play Right, the play association for Swansea Neath Port Talbot, has employed a director and finance officer in order to provide a strong managerial base for the organisation. In addition to this, seats have been established on the strategic partnerships across the regions and a successful inclusive playwork and provision conference was held.

The next year will focus support on the existing adventure play projects and to continue to expand the associations services to existing and new members.

Contact - Patricia Evans

Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly

Tri County Play Association

The Tri County Play Association covers Caerphilly, Merthyr and Blaenau Gwent, offering support to play providers, individuals and organisations across the region. Within the first year the Tri County People Network has been established and its role is to support and share good practice between playwork teams across the region.

The focus for the coming year will be to sustain and build on the work of the Association across the three areas and to put in place support structures for strategic play projects.

Contact - Paula Harris

Ynys Môn, Gwynedd and Conwy

North West Wales Play Forum

The project employs two regional play development officers to work with the three local authorities to create a constituted North West Wales Play Forum. The forum now has a comprehensive audit of play provision for the three counties.

The focus for the coming year will be to continue to raise the awareness and profile of play across the three counties. The continuing development of the play forum will support the sustainability of new and emerging play projects.

Contact - Dafydd Myrddin Hughes and Kelly Bee

Torfaen, Newport and Monmouthshire

3 Counties Play

The project has created a cross-county partnership in order to develop a play association and implement a strong play infrastructure across the three counties of Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen.

To date the project has successfully completed a comprehensive Play Provision Audit and held Play Forum meetings in Newport, Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

The focus of the project over the next year will be to establish a 3 County Play Association, complete a workforce needs analysis and develop a cross county play forum.

Contact - Peter Kennedy

Flintshire, Denbighshire and Wrexham

NEW Play

NEW Play is an organisation that has been set up to develop the play infrastructure across North East Wales, comprising the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.  The members, and the staff team of two, are working collectively to advise, support, provide and plan for children's play across the region.

To date the project has completed the first regional audit of play provision. This document contains who is providing for play, how it is funded, what those resources are spent on, what space there is for play, what staffed play provision exists.  It also highlights models of good practice as well as identifying where gaps exist in provision.  This is now being used to develop future priorities for action to improve opportunities for children to play. 

The  focus of the project over the next year is to identlfy the legal structure the organisation will become, improve communication between communities and strategic decision makers and   develop a strategic approach to workforce development and supporting quality playwork provision.

Contact - Simon Bazley

Powys

Powys Strategic Play Development Project

Since receiving BIG Lottery funding two Play Development Officers have been recruited.

The focus of the project for the coming year will include: the vision for play will be implemented by the play delivery plan, which will be updated annually to incorporate recommended actions, relating policies and strategic developments. The plan will also be reviewed at six month intervals to evaluate and support the implementation.

Contact: Angela Leonard

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