Pause, Play, Fast-Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales

Pause, Play, Fast-Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales: The Children’s Rights Book Written by Young People, For Young People 

On Thursday 7th March 2024, we are celebrating our 30th anniversary at the Senedd with a special event that is kindly sponsored by Jane Dodds, MS. Our celebratory book, Pause, Play, Fast-Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales, which was written by our young people, is officially being launched on this day.  

Our Chief Executive Officer, Hugh Russell said: 

“This book, written by young people, charts the history of the organisation and our campaign for children’s rights to be placed at the centre of policymaking in Wales. It’s a joy and a privilege to be able to support young people to have their voices heard at this event, while also providing a platform for our elected representatives to pledge to continue to keep children’s rights at the forefront of their minds.” 

Pause, Play, Fast-Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales offers a unique way to reach children and young people directly, speaking in their language to help raise awareness of The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). As the book was written by our young volunteers, it presents children’s rights in their own words, bringing them to life to ensure they are engaging and easy to understand.  

Arthur Templeman-Lilley, one of the young volunteers who worked on the book, said: 

"Pause, Play, Fast Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales is a celebration of the progress that we have made in regard to children’s rights over the past 30 years and making a commitment to continue to advocate for change moving forward. The book has been created by young people, where they had the opportunity to feed into all aspects of the process. It is my hope that as a result, it will feel more like a conversation between rights holders that is transparent, accessible, and engaging.” 

“We want to support young people to understand their rights, empower them to claim their rights, and where they can, stand up for the rights of others. Today’s world can be difficult to navigate, but if we encourage everyone to look through a child right’s lens then maybe we can make a positive difference for young people now and in the future." 

The young volunteers who worked on the project wanted to create a book that would reach and empower other young people, educating them on the rights that everyone is guaranteed and deserves. We developed it to be used as an interactive and bilingual resource, with additional posters that can be physically printed. 

Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services stated in the book itself: 

“The Welsh Government is totally committed to ensuring that children’s rights are respected. They are not optional. They are absolutely a part of the fabric of society in Wales and we want to do all that we possibly can to ensure that all the children in Wales have the best experience of life.” 

Designed by Cactus Design and illustrated by Matt Joyce, the book depicts the story of Children in Wales as well as the history of children’s rights. We break down the general principles of the UNCRC, explaining how they each relate to young people and why they are so important. Interactive quizzes and activities are also included to keep children and young people engaged, ensuring they fully absorb the content.  

You can now view and download Pause, Play, Fast-Forward: The Journey of Children in Wales using this link. 

To be able to claim your rights, you must first understand what rights you have. We hope this book will help educate and empower children and young people to ensure their rights are all fulfilled.