Students at Coleg Gwent’s Torfaen Learning Zone gave Natasha Asghar MS an insight into three important projects they have been working on this week.
As part of their Advanced Skills Baccalaureate qualification studies, the 16–18-year-olds had to engage with the Welsh Wellbeing goals and complete 15 hours’ worth of becoming an active citizen.
This involved the students identifying a problem in their local area and going out into the community to help bring about a positive change.
Students picked food poverty, lack of access to digital devices and littering as their problems and set about looking deeper into the issues.
This week the students presented Natasha Asghar MS, who represents South East Wales, and other local dignitaries with their findings and to discuss solutions.
In a bid to tackle the littering issue, students are hoping to launch a Deposit Return Scheme in their campus – a move introduced in countries around the world.
Their scheme would see students earn points, which would then translate into rewards, for returning their plastic bottles and cans.
In response to the lack of access to digital devices, students want to see new or refurbished devices introduced for them to loan out in order to complete their work.
At the moment, all of the available laptops are in use and there are fears students who cannot access devices at home are being severely disadvantaged.
Another group of students have been exploring different ways of tackling food poverty.
Natasha Asghar MS said:
“Seeing the passion and effort the students put into this important piece of work was amazing and it was an absolute pleasure to meet with them to find out more.
“They picked three vital areas to explore and came up with some brilliant solutions, which I can hopefully play a part in implementing.
“Every time I visit Coleg Gwent I am always blown away by the students’ attitude, dedication and high-quality work, and this was no different. Everyone involved in this project should be incredibly proud.”
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Rhoddodd myfyrwyr ym Mharth Dysgu Torfaen Coleg Gwent flas i Natasha Asghar AS ar dri phrosiect pwysig y maen nhw wedi bod yn gweithio arnyn nhw’r wythnos hon.
Fel rhan o'u hastudiaethau ar gyfer y cymhwyster Bagloriaeth Sgiliau Uwch, roedd yn rhaid i'r myfyrwyr 16–18 oed ymgysylltu â nodau Llesiant Cymru a chwblhau gwerth 15 awr o ddod yn ddinasyddion gweithredol.
Roedd hyn yn cynnwys y myfyrwyr yn nodi problem yn eu hardal leol a mynd allan i'r gymuned i helpu i sicrhau newid cadarnhaol.
Dewisodd y myfyrwyr dlodi bwyd, diffyg mynediad at ddyfeisiau digidol a thaflu sbwriel fel eu problemau, ac aethant ati i edrych yn fwy treiddgar i’r materion hyn.
Yr wythnos hon cyflwynodd y myfyrwyr eu canfyddiadau i Natasha Asghar AS, sy'n cynrychioli Dwyrain De Cymru, ac arloeswyr lleol eraill a buont yn trafod atebion posibl.
Mewn ymgais i fynd i'r afael â'r broblem sbwriel, mae myfyrwyr yn gobeithio lansio Cynllun Dychwelyd Ernes yn eu campws - cam a gyflwynwyd mewn gwledydd ledled y byd.
Byddai eu cynllun yn golygu bod myfyrwyr yn ennill pwyntiau, a fyddai wedyn yn troi'n wobrau, am ddychwelyd eu poteli a chaniau plastig.
Mewn ymateb i'r diffyg mynediad at ddyfeisiau digidol, mae myfyrwyr eisiau gweld dyfeisiau newydd neu ddyfeisiau wedi'u hadnewyddu yn cael eu cyflwyno iddyn nhw gael eu benthyg er mwyn cwblhau eu gwaith.
Ar hyn o bryd, mae'r holl liniaduron sydd ar gael yn cael eu defnyddio ac mae ofnau bod myfyrwyr nad ydyn nhw’n gallu cyrchu dyfeisiau gartref yn dioddef anfantais ddifrifol.
Mae grŵp arall o fyfyrwyr wedi bod yn archwilio ffyrdd gwahanol o fynd i'r afael â thlodi bwyd.
Meddai Natasha Asghar AS:
"Roedd gweld yr angerdd a'r ymdrech a roddodd y myfyrwyr i’r darn pwysig hwn o waith yn anhygoel ac roedd yn bleser pur cwrdd â nhw i ddysgu mwy.
"Fe wnaethon nhw ddewis tri maes hanfodol ac fe wnaethon nhw feddwl am atebion gwych. Rwy’n gobeithio y gallaf gyfrannu i’w rhoi ar waith.
"Bob tro rwy'n ymweld â Choleg Gwent, rwyf bob amser wedi fy syfrdanu gan agweddau ac ymroddiad y myfyrwyr a’u gwaith o safon uchel, a doedd y tro hwn ddim yn wahanol. Dylai pawb sy'n rhan o'r prosiect hwn fod yn hynod falch."
