Since launching in 2022, Taith – the Welsh Government’s
international learning exchange programme – has awarded funding
to allow over 11,000 people to learn, study and volunteer all
over the world.
Taith provides opportunities for learners, young people and staff
in every type of education and youth setting to travel abroad to
learn, as well as allowing organisations to invite their
international partners to come and visit Wales.
Since its launch in February last year, Taith has enabled:
- opportunities for over 11,000 people to take part in
transformative learning exchange trips,
- exchanges between Wales and more than 90 countries,
- 142 projects involving more than 150 organisations from every
local authority in Wales.
One group of young people who have benefitted from Taith funding
are pupils from Oak Field Primary School in Barry who travelled
to Murcia in Spain to take part in a range of educational and
confidence-building activities alongside their Spanish peers.
Teacher Kelly Bladon applied for the funding, which enabled 30
children, aged 9-11, to take part; for many it was the first time
they had left Wales. She said:
“This trip was about making sure the pupils have got
aspirations for life, because how can you aspire to something
that you’ve never experienced? They got to see that there’s a lot
more out there.”
The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, , said:
“It’s fantastic to see the impact Taith is having, enabling us to
break down barriers to international exchange and opening up
opportunities for all.
“I’m so pleased to see such a wide range of education providers
benefitting from the funding.
“Taith is about transformative opportunities for young people to
build confidence, broaden their horizons, and grow their
aspirations. The impact on those from underrepresented groups is
often the highest, and the change we see in them the greatest.”
The funding is not limited to schools, colleges and universities.
In April this year, GISDA, a Caernarfon-based charity working
with homeless and vulnerable young people, took a group to
Finland for a week of cultural and educational exchange. The trip
had a huge impact on the wellbeing of the young people, many of
whom would never have had this kind of experience without Taith.
Lyndsey Thomas, Head of Development at Gisda, said:
“It was life changing. One of the participants wrote us a letter
to say how much they enjoyed the trip and how they had
experienced happiness for the first time in years. The
confidence they gained from the trip was amazing to hear.”
Taith is committed to reaching individuals from underrepresented
groups – including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic
minority groups, disabled people and those with additional
learning needs – who may face barriers to international learning
exchange opportunities.
The majority of schools that have received funding so far are
from the most deprived areas of Wales and the opportunities are
not limited to those in mainstream education providers - two
pupil referral units have recently secured funding.
Susana Galván Hernandez, Executive Director, Taith said:
“It is truly inspiring and rewarding to see the stories of these
opportunities come to life, and the impact these exchanges are
having on its participants – both on those travelling out of
Wales as well as those welcoming participants into Wales.
“This is particularly true when the programme and the
opportunities are reaching out to those with barriers to
participation and who have been underrepresented in international
exchange in the past.
“It is also hugely rewarding to see Taith recognised and embedded
into the education and international exchange landscape in Wales
and internationally – this is something that Wales should truly
be proud of”.
Notes to editors
Taith was established in February 2022 to provide similar
opportunities to the Erasmus scheme which came to an end after
the UK left the European Union.
Information and how to apply: https://www.taith.wales/
Organisations in the schools, youth, further education &
vocational education and training, higher education and adult
education sectors are all eligible to apply. The application
window for the fourth round of Taith funding (Pathway 2) opens on
5 October and closes on 30 November.
