Diwrnod Gweithredu | Day of Action

Ddydd Sadwrn 21 Ebrill 2012 - penblwydd Mrs Windsor - fe gynhaliodd Plaid Cymru Ifanc ddiwrnod gweithredu, yn ymgyrchu gydag ymgeisyddion y Blaid yng Nghathays a Phenarth. Cawsom ddiwrnod da o daflenni ac ymgyrchu yn y dau ward, lle mae gan y Blaid chwe ymgeisydd ifanc. Yng Nghathays, mi ein Cadeirydd Cenedlaethol Cerith Rhys Jones yn sefyll wrth ochr ein Is-Gadeirydd Cenedlaethol Emyr Gruffydd, ein Swyddog Cyfathrebiadau Cenedlaethol Glenn Page, ac Andrew Pearc. Ym Mhenarth, mi fydd ein Swyddog Polisi Cenedlaethol Osian Lewis, a'n Cyn-Gadeirydd, sydd bellach yn Llywydd ar Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe Luke James, yn ymgyrchu i ennill y ward oddi wrth y Ceidwadwyr. Fe ymunodd arweinydd newydd Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood AC, gyda ni am sesiwn o daflenni ar brif ffordd siopa Caerdydd, Heol y Frenhines, lle'r oeddem oll yn hapus gyda'r ymateb addawol a gafwyd gan siopwyr Caerdydd.

On Saturday 21 April 2012 - Mrs Windsor's birthday - Plaid Cymru Youth hosted a Day of Action, campaigning with our candidates in Cathays and Penarth. We had a great day leafleting and canvassing in the two wards, in which Plaid will be fielding six young candidates. In Cathays, our National Chair Cerith Rhys Jones will be standing alongside our National VC Emyr Gruffydd, our National Comms Officer Glenn Page, and Andrew Pearce. In Penarth, our National Policy Officer Osian Lewis and former Chair, now President of Swansea SU, Luke James, will be heading up Plaid's campaign against the incumbent Conservatives. The new Leader of Plaid Cymru, Leanne Wood AM, joined us for a leafleting session on Cardiff's main shopping street, Queen Street, and we were all pleased with the positive reaction shown by Cardiff's shoppers. Lluniau / Photos © Kirsten Whitney

A Proper Voice for Young People

This is my first ever blog so I hope you blog addicts approve of it! I will be taking a break from Election talk and will be looking at Funky Dragon.

I have for a long time believed that the Young people of Wales lack a proper, professional and serious forum in which they can voice their concerns and ideas. At the moment the closest thing that young people in Wales have to a proper Youth Parliament is Funky Dragon, an organisation which in my view has had varying degrees of success and lacks credibility. It lacks proper resourcing and funding from the Welsh Government and has not made a big impact amongst young people.

What we need in Wales is something similar to the Scottish Youth Parliament which has run interesting and engaging campaigns and is an organisation which is generally taken seriously by young people and politicians alike!

Members of Plaid Cymru's youth wing have taken the lead in highlighting this issue in the past. Our current chair Cerith Rhys Jones not so long ago highlighted some of the problems with Funky Dragon on S4C. We must now progress the issue and press for a reformed body that young people in Wales will actually take seriously and will want to participate in.

In about 3 weeks time voters across Wales will face local Council elections. This made me realise, who elects the Youth Representatives that make up Funky Dragon and where do they get their mandate to represent Young people?

At the moment local youth forums elect people to represent them on the “National Council”. The first problem I see is that how many people know that these Youth Forums exist and attend their meetings? In order to really have a more meaningful impact and mandate, why doesn’t Funky Dragon engage with Schools and Colleges and find a way for a much broader spectrum of young people to engage in their organisation?

A complete rebrand is required and in particular changing the name is a must! I can only assume that the name Funky Dragon was chosen to try and make it sound cool and fun, however I think it has the opposite effect. I have friends who have been involved with Funky Dragon and are often too embarrassed to tell other people that they belong to an organisation with that name.

Young people want to feel that they are being taken seriously and are treated with respect. A proper Youth Parliament could be leading the campaign against higher tuition fees, Votes at 16, Gay marriage which a lot of young people in the LGBT community feel strongly about, Climate change and the list goes on!

I don’t like comparing Wales to Scotland much but in this case I think we in Wales could really learn from the SYP or Scottish Youth Parliament which has run campaigns on many of the topics above.

YMLAEN!

William Thomas
Non-portfolio Officer

Darlledu ein llwyddiant. Broadcasting our success.

Fe ddarllenais i erthygl Rhuanedd Richards yn y Ddraig Goch ac o ni'n gyffrous ac yn hyderus am neges y Blaid. Llawn pethau cadarnhaol a neges glir i fynd â ni mewn i'r etholiadau lleol. Yn fy marn i, nid oedd y neges hynny wedi cael ei gyfleu yn y darllediad newydd. Mae llawer o bobol dyddiau hyn yn cysylltu'r Blaid gyda hunaniaeth Cymreig a Chymru, does dim angen neulltio darllediad cyfan i hunaniaeth. Dyma ddyfyniad gan gyd aelodau o Blaid Cymru pan ofynnwyd iddynt beth y byddent wedi bod yn well i weld:

"Byddai’n well gennym ni glywed neges am gymunedau Cymru a Chymru ei hun yn sefyll yn gadarn am yr hun rydym yn ei drysori – yn erbyn ymosodiadau SanSteffan i’n trysorau cenedlaethol ni. Clywed am yr ysbryd cymunedol sydd dal gennym ni fan hyn yng Nghymru. Byddwn ni ond wedi hoffi Darllediad Gwleidyddol a fyddai’n dangos bod gan Blaid Cymru hanes o amddiffyn y pethau anniriaethol, anfesuradwy hynny sydd yn diffinio’n Cymru ni fel gwlad unigryw, ac roeddwn yn meddwl y byddai gan Blaid Cymru y soffistigeiddrwydd i wneud rhywbeth felly, ac nid fel y gwelswn y darllediad gwleidyddol.” 

"Dim trafod polisi, prin iawn oedd y sôn am amcanion craidd y blaid. Y frawddeg ‘Os ydych chi’n Gymry dylech chi fod yn pleidleisio i Blaid Cymru’ ond yn ein gwneud ni’n hollol rwystredig.”

Mae Adam Jones o blog banw yn ychwanegu:

"Mae na le i weld diben darllediad Plaid Cymru, hynny yw ei fod e'n ceisio creu rhyw ymdeimlad o Gymreictod i ennill cefnogaeth, ond does dim sylwedd na pholisiau i'r darllediad yn hytrach mae fel bod pwy bynnag oedd yn gyfrifol am y ffilm yn ceisio dynwared rhyw dechneg spielberg a troi gwleidyddiaeth yn rhyw ddiwydiant ffilmio. Diolch i dduw bod 'da ni bobl da yn ymgeisio ac yn ymgyrchu ar lawr gwlad i ennyn cefnogaeth, achos yn gelain mae'r neges yn ein darllediad 'Beth yw Cymru' neu 'Ble mae'n polisi' yn fwy addas efallai?"

Byddwn i, ynghyd ag eraill yn awgrymu newid mewn neges i gyd-fynd â neges etholiad Rhuanedd. Mae rhaid i ni ganolbwyntio ar y llwyddiannau a lledaenu'r addewidion y manifesto. Fel mae Rhuanedd yn dweud mae rhaid i ni ganu clodydd ein hunain trwy sôn am yr hyn rydym wedi cyflawni ar lefel lleol megis y rhai isod:

• Cyhoeddi help gwerth £4 miliwn i 30,000 o bensiynwyr gyda threth y cyngor yn 2010-11; 

• Cynyddu'r arian a roddwyd i gynghorau lleol o 3.2%; 

• Sicrhau bod cynyddiadau yn Nhreth y Cyngor yng Nghymru ar ei hisaf ers dros ddegawd;

Yn y dyfodol mewn bwysig y rydym yn ei roi dros y ffordd yr ydym yn wahaniaethu o bleidiau eraill a pham Plaid Cymru yw'r blaid gorau a dim ond o Gymru. Bwysleisio ein cyflawniadau a llwyddiant mewn cynghorau ar draws Cymru gyfan. Yna gallwn fynd ymlaen gyda hyder ac agwedd gadarnhaol.

                                                           ***********


I recently read Rhuanedd Richards article in The Welsh Nation and i was excited and confident of Plaid's message. Full of positivity and a clear message to take us into the local election. In my opinion, that message did not come across in the new party political broadcast. Many people these days connect Plaid with identity and Wales, there is no need to dedicate a whole broadcast to identity. Here's a quote from fellow Plaid members when asked what they would have preferred to see:

"I'd prefer to hear a message of Wales' communities and Wales as a whole standing up for what they value - against assaults on these values hailing from Westminster. Of an ideal of community spirit that we we still have in Wales. I'd just like a PPB that highlighted that Plaid has a history defending those intangible things of immeasurable value what define Wales for the distinct nation that it is, and that the party has a level of sophistication that is quite dismissed in the PPB I just saw." 

"No talk of policy, barely any talk of core beliefs. The phrase 'if you're Welsh you should be voting Plaid Cymru' just leaves me slapping my forehead in utter disbelief."

Adam Jones from blog banw added:

"There’s room to see where the motive was behind Plaid Cymru’s PPB, which is that it portrays a feeling of Welshness in order to attract support, but there wasn’t any substance to it and no policies were mentioned in the broadcast. Instead it feels that those whom are responsible for the PPB are trying to create some kind of film, some kind of Spielberg strategy of turning politics into a film industry. We’re lucky however that we have great people on the doorstep campaigning across Wales to attract new support, because I’m afraid our political broadcast will fall on deaf ears. ‘What is it to be Welsh’ or perhaps more adequately named ‘Where’s our policy?"

I, along with others would suggest a change in message to correspond with Rhuanedd's election message. We have to concentrate on our achievements and let people know our manifesto promises. As Rhuanedd said we need to blow our own trumpet over our local achievements and here's a couple to name a few:

• announced £4 million to help 30,000 pensioners with council tax in 2010-11;  

• increased the amount of money given to local councils by 3.2%;  

• kept council tax increases in Wales the lowest for more than a decade.

In future, it's important we put over how we differ from other parties and why Plaid Cymru is the best and only party of Wales. Emphasizing our achievements and success in leading councils across Wales. We can then go forward with confidence and a positive attitude. Ymlaen.


Branwen Alaw Evans

Plaid Cymru Ifanc - Cangen Bangor

Gan Mair Rowlands, Ymgeisydd dros y Blaid ym Mangor

Mae’n gyfnod cyffrous ym Mangor ar hyn o bryd gyda cangen myfyrwyr Plaid Cymru yn ail gychwyn yma a hefyd gyda’r ymgyrch etholiadau lleol, lle mae 2 ohonom sy’n aelodau Plaid Cymru Ifanc, Illtud Jones a minnau (Mair Rowlands), yn sefyll yn Ward Menai Bangor. Mae’n dda gweld cymaint o ymgeiswyr ifanc yn sefyll, ac mae gennym griw da o fyfyrwyr ym Mangor sydd wedi bod yn helpu gyda’r ymgyrch.

Mae Menai Bangor yn cael ei gynrychioli ar hyn o bryd gan ddau gynghorwr y Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol. Roedd Plaid Cymru yn agos ati yn yr etholiadau lleol diwethaf, ac gan fod gan y ward boblogaeth uchel o fyfyrwyr gallwn ddisgwyl gostyngiad mawr yn y gefnogaeth i’r Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol. Mae’n rhaid i ni ysgogi cefnogaeth ar draws y ward, ac os ydym am gynyddu y nifer sy’n pleidleisio oedd dim ond yn 19.34% nol yn 2008, mae’n rhaid i ni gael y myfyrwyr allan i bleidleisio trwy bwysleisio bod Plaid Cymru yn blaid a fydd yn ymladd ar eu ran.

Roeddem yn ddigon lwcus i gael cwmni Leanne Wood arweinydd newydd Plaid Cymru ym Mangor nos Lun. Roedd pawb yn gyffrous iawn i’w chael hi yno - roedd o’n hawdd iawn siarad â hi, ac mae hi’n bendant yn apelio at bobl ifanc. Bu trafodaeth ddiddorol iawn ynglŷn a pob math o faterion; materion lleol, sefyllfa’r economi a diweithdra, Wylfa B, ynni adnewyddadwy a llawer mwy cyn i ni fynd allan i ganfasio. Mae’n rhaid i mi gyfaddef bo fi heb gael llawer o brofiad blaenorol o ganfasio ond roedd cael Leanne yna gyda ni yn hwb mawr. Roedd yr ymateb gan y mwyafrif yn gadarnhaol a chefnogol, ac roedd y ffaith bod Leanne yno gyda ni wedi creu argraff.

Gyda dim ond ychydig dros bythefnos i fynd tan ddiwrnod yr Etholiadau rydym am wneud popeth a allem i ledaenu neges Plaid Cymru a pwysleisio fod pleidlais i’r Blaid yn bleidlais dros Gymru well!

Mae cangen myfyrwyr y Blaid ym Mangor wedi trefnu gig sy’n arwain i fyny at yr etholiad fydd ar Nos Wener y 27ain o Ebrill am 8pm - noson o adloniant gyda Crash Disco, Rosary a Yr Ayes yng Nghlwb Rheilffordd Bangor i godi arian i’r Blaid ac i Eisteddfod yr Urdd Glynllifon. Y gobaith ydi y gallwn ddenu criw ifanc newydd i ymwneud â’r Blaid gyda’r math yma o ddigwyddiadau. Mi fyddai’n wych pe byddai modd trefnu digwyddiadau fel hyn ar draws Cymru i ddenu mwy o aelodau ifanc.

The independence mindset

Some people in Plaid Cymru have been calling for a more aggressive stance from our politicians on independence for a long time, most notably an alumnus of this youth wing, Adam Price. It seems that since our sister party's landslide victory last year, that view has been adopted by most in the party, and certainly since the overwhelming endorsement it received in Llandudno last year by the membership, we as a party have been significantly more vocal on the issue.

Although I am certain of my support for an independent Wales, I do not share the view of the majority in our party that we should be moving the independence campaign into top gear just yet. It has been inspirational to witness the SNP's success in Scotland and I believe we have a lot to learn from them, but simply copying and pasting their rhetoric on independence would be a mistake. There are many reasons why Scotland is constitutionally so far ahead of Wales, not least the manner in which it was united with England and its success in preserving a distinct education system, legal jurisdiction and civil society. Wales was not united with England, it was assimilated into England, along with all aspects of civil society. Wales' distinctiveness was almost exclusively cultural for the best part of half a millennium. It is understandable therefore, that civil society in Wales has taken its time to build itself into the intrinsic role within Welsh governance that it now plays.

These differences are such that the SNP have been able to include in their manifestos and indeed, in their programmes of government, a promise to hold a referendum on independence. Only once do I remember any senior figures within Plaid Cymru mentioning such referenda in Wales, and even then it was a promise to hold one after we manage to become the biggest party in the Assembly in two consecutive elections. It begs the question therefore, why are we pushing the independence campaign to the forefront of our message at a time when a Plaid Cymru government would do nothing to deliver on that message?

In my opinion, we need to design that “roadmap” that Elin Jones promised in her leadership campaign. We need to know exactly what we are campaigning for. Simply saying, “We support independence… but not yet” is not good enough. We need to be campaigning for the first step on that road map, something that we could include in our manifesto. In doing that, we would be able to argue effectively, that what we are doing is advancing down a path towards a level of prosperity that would make independence a viable option. If we are going to reach our shared goal of setting our country free from the British puppet strings, we need to make this a priority after the election on May 3rd.

***************************************************

Mae rhai ym Mhlaid Cymru wedi bod yn gofyn am agwedd mwy ymosodol gan ein gwleidyddion ar annibyniaeth ers amser maeth, yn fwy nodweddiadol na phawb yw alumnus o’r mudiad ieuenctid hwn, Adam Price. Mae hi’n ymddangos, ers canlyniad gwefreiddiol ein chwaer-blaid y llynedd, fod y barn hynny wedi’i fabwysiadu gan y rhan fwyaf yn y Blaid, ac yn enwedig ers y cefnogaeth llethol cafwyd yn Llandudno llynedd gan yr aelodaeth, rydym ni fel plaid wedi bod yn llawer mwy lleisiol am y peth.

Er fy mod i’n gadarn fy marn o blaid annibyniaeth, dydw i ddim yn rhannu barn y rhan fwyaf yn y Blaid y dylem rhoi annibyniaeth ar flaen y gad yn ein hymgyrch presennol. Rydym ni gyd wedi ein hysbrydoli gan lwyddiant yr SNP yn yr Alban ac yr wyf yn credu bod gennym lawer i’w ddysgu ganddynt, ond bysai eu copïo gair wrth air yn gamgymeriad. Mae yna lawer o resymau pam fod yr Alban yn gyfansoddiadol mor bell o’n blaenau. Un o'r prif resymau yw natur yr undeb rhwng yr Alban a Lloegr a llwyddiant yr Albanwyr i ddal ymlaen at eu system addysg, awdurdodaeth gyfreithiol a’u cymdeithas sifil. Ni fu undeb rhwng Cymru a Lloegr. Gorchfygu Cymru y gwnaeth Lloegr, gan gynnwys pob agwedd o'n cymdeithas sifil. Mi 'roedd Cymru'n wahanol i Loegr o ran diwylliant yn unig am bron i hanner mileniwm. Mae hi'n ddaelladwy felly, bod gwasanaeth sifil yng Nghymru wedi cymryd ei amser i ddatblygu mewn i'r rol ganolog y mae yn eu chwarae heddiw o fewn proses llywodraethu Cymru.

Mae'r gwhaniaethau yma mor ddwys, y bod yr SNP wedi gallu cynnwys addewid yn eu manifesto, ac wrth gwrs, yn eu rahglenni llywodraethu, i gynnal refferendwm ar annibyniaeth. Dim ond unwaith yr wyf yn cofio aelod uwch yn y Blaid yn son am fath refferendwm, ac mi oedd hyd yn oed yr aelod hynny yn son o fewn cyd-destyn o Blaid Cymru'n llwyddo ennill mwy o seddi nac unrhyw blaid arall, ddwywaith yn olynol. Ac felly, mae'r cwestiwn yn codi, pam gwthio'n hymgrych am annibyniaeth mewn adeg lle bysai llywodraeth Plaid Cymru yn gwneud dim byd i wireddu'r ymgyrch hynny?

Yn fy marn i, mae angen dylunio'r "map" hwnnw yr oedd Elin Jones yn son amdano yn ystod ei hymgyrch arweinyddol. Mae angen i ni wybod yn union am beth yr ydym yn ymgyrchu. Dydy dweud yn syml, "rydym yn cefnogi annibyniaeth... ond ddim eto" ddim yn ddigon da. Mae angen i ni allu dadlau yn effeithiol mai yr hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud yw symyd Cymru fyny llwybr tuag at lefel ffyniant mor uchel, bod annibyniaeth yn opsiwn go iawn i'r niferoedd. Os ydym am gyrraedd ein nod o rhyddhau ein cenedl o ddwylo'r Saeson, wedyn mae rhaid i ni wneud dylunio'r map yma yn flaenoriaeth ar ol Mai y 3ydd.


Osian Lewis

Diwrnod Gweithredu | Day of Action

Ar Ddydd Sadwrn yr 21ain o Ebrill, bydd Plaid Cymru Ifanc yn cynnal Diwrnod Gweithredu. Bydd nifer ohonom ar y Pwyllgor Gwaith yn treulio’r diwrnod yn ymgyrchu yng Nghaerdydd. Mae 4 aelod o Blaid Cymru Ifanc yn ymgeisyddion yn ward Cathays, ac mae’n dda gen i’i ddweud bod nifer helaeth o ymgeisyddion ifainc gyda Phlaid Cymru ar draws y wlad. Mae’r etholiad hwn yn hollbwysig i Blaid Cymru ac i’r wlad; dyma’n cyfle ni i ethol byddin o bencampwyr lleol i amddiffyn cymunedau ledled Cymru a’u gwasanaethau cyhoeddus.

Bydd Llywydd EFAy, sef adain ieuenctid Cynghrair Rhydd Ewrop, y blaid y mae Plaid Cymru’n perthyn iddi yn Ewrop, yn ymuno â ni yn y Brifddinas ar yr 21ain. Os hoffech chi ymuno â ni, byddwn yn cwrdd am 10.30 y.b. o flaen Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Caerdydd ar Blas y Parc. O’r fan honno, byddwn yn canfasio o amgylch Cathays hyd nes 13.00, pan gawn cinio. Yna, am 14.30, byddwn yn symud i lawr i Benarth i helpu canfasio lle mae Osian Lewis, sy’n aelod o’r Pwyllgor Gwaith, a Luke James, sy’n gyn-gadeirydd ar fudiad ieuenctid y Blaid a nawr yn Lywydd ar Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe, yn ymgeisyddion dros y Blaid.

Os nad ydych chi’n gallu ymuno â ni yng Nghaerdydd, ‘dw i’n eich annog i ymgyrchu yn eich cymuned leol chi. Mae’n bwysig dros ben ein bod yn lledaenu neges y Blaid yn ystod yr etholiad hwn lle bynnag, pryd bynnag ac at bwy bynnag y gallwn!

On Saturday 21 April, Plaid Cymru Youth will be holding a Day of Action. Many of us who are NEC members will spend the day campaigning in Cardiff. Four Plaid Cymru Youth members are candidates in the Cathays ward and I’m happy to say that Plaid Cymru has a large number of other young candidates all across Wales. This election is extremely important for Plaid Cymru and for the country; here’s our chance to elect an army of local champion to protect communities across Wales and the local services they value so much.

The President of EFAy, which is the youth wing of the European Free Alliance, to which Plaid Cymru is affiliated in Europe, will be joining us in the Capital on the 21st. If you’d like to join us, we’ll be meeting at 10.30 am outside Cardiff University Students’ Union on Park Place. From there, we’ll be canvassing in the Cathays ward until 13.00, when we’ll stop for lunch. Then, at around 14.30, we’ll move down to Penarth to help canvass with Plaid Cymru’s candidates there – Osian Lewis, who’s a member of our NEC, and Luke James, our former Chair who is now President of Swansea University Students’ Union.

If you’re not able to join us in Cardiff, I encourage you to campaign in your own community. It’s essential that we spread Plaid Cymru’s message for this election wherever, whenever and to whomever we can!

Yng ngeiriau ein arweinydd / In the words of our leader - YMLAEN!

Cerith Rhys Jones
Cadeirydd Cenedlaethol | National Chair

Plaid Cymru Cathays

Nominations for local elections officially closed on Wednesday 04/04/12. In the Cathays ward of Cardiff 3 members of the Plaid Cymru Youth national executive have put their names forward, myself (Glenn Page), Cerith Rhys Jones, Emyr Gruffydd and Andrew Pearce all of whom are under 30 and are active members of Plaid Cymru’s student and youth movement. Elsewhere across Wales numerous young candidates have come forward to represent Plaid Cymru, from Menai-Bangor to Penarth.

In total there are 563 Plaid Cymru candidates hoping to represent our communities from May 3rd, 18 of whom have already been elected unopposed. This constitutes the largest number of Plaid Cymru local election candidates ever put forward, indeed, there is no record of this many candidates standing for Plaid Cymru in any election, a clear indication of the growing support and momentum behind our Party.

Cathays is currently represented by four liberal democrat councillors. If the 2011 local elections are anything to go by we can expect the Lib Dem’s will suffer huge defeats. Indeed, Nick Clegg himself has admitted that the elections are going to be “tough”. Perhaps in Cathays especially, an area populated mainly by students, we can expect a large decrease in Lib Dem support. What we need to do in Cathays is to show disaffected students that Plaid Cymru is a party that will fight for them. We must galvanise support across the ward if we are to increase turnout, which sadly was only 16.35% in 2008.

Regardless of what happens in Westminster these elections are local elections and they should be fought on local issues. In Cathays there are plenty of issues that need our attention. Recycling and litter is still a problem that hasn’t been solved. My sympathies to those of you who have been unfortunate enough to walk through Cathays on a Wednesday morning, you no doubt watched your step. Terraced houses, such as those located off Cathays terrace, are without black containers for their litter bins, with black bins being collected once a fortnight people often resort to storing their litter in their gardens which inevitably attracts rodents. Supplying terraced houses with containers for their back gardens would be a simple yet practical solution, which Myself, Andrew, Cerith and Emyr would support.

One issue that I firmly believe needs our immediate attention is that of student housing, an issue largely ignored by Cathays councillors. Having lived in Cardiff now for almost 3 years I can say with first-hand experience that students are being exploited by letting agencies. Over-priced rent, extortionate late fees and poor service are but some of the realities that students can expect when they leave university-owned accommodation. As a solution I would propose the creation of a support group that could offer independent specialist advice to students on how best to act, whether it is legal advice or simply which company is best suited to their needs.

With just over 3 weeks to Election Day it is vital that candidates, activists and supporters of Plaid Cymru continue to do all that they can to support our communities. Together I have no doubt that we can improve our areas and the lives of ordinary people. We ask that you join with us and support our campaign to help us deliver for you, your family and for your community.

Glenn Page

EFAy General Assembly in Friesland / Cynhadledd Flynyddol EFAy yn Ffrisia

Emyr Gruffydd, Is-Gadeirydd Cenedlaethol / National Vice-Chair

English version below

Yr wythnos diwethaf ces i'r cyfle i gynrychioli Plaid Cymru Ifanc yng Nghynhadledd Flynyddol EFAy, neu Ieuenctid Cynghrair Rhydd Ewrop. Cynhaliwyd y gynhadledd yn Ljouwert, sef prifddinas Ffrisia. Yng Ngogledd yr Iseldiroedd y lleolir Ffrisia, ac mae iddi ei hiaith, ei thraddodiadau a'i senedd ei hunan. Cyhaliwyd y gynhadledd yr un pryd â Chynhadledd Flynyddol EFA, a welodd dros 150 o bobl yn dod at ei gilydd o dros 30 mudiad gwleidyddol o bob rhan o Ewrop.

Roedd y cyfle i gwrdd a nifer o gynrychiolwyr ifanc o bleidiau ar draws Ewrop yn un gwych. Bum yn siarad a chymdeithasu gyda phobl ifanc o Gatalwnia, Fflandrys, yr Alban, Mallorca, Ffrisia, Corisca ac o leifafrifoedd ieithyddol megis Daniaid yr Almaen. Cafwyd cyfle i rannu ein profiadau fel ymgyrchwyr ifanc, gan gymharu technegau ymgyrchu a sefyllfaoedd presennol ein mudiadau ieuenctid. Yn wir, roedd hi'n ddiddorol gweld bod rhai gwledydd ymhell ar y blaen, yn ymgyrchu dros annibyniaeth, (megis yr Alban a Chatalonia) ag eraill dal heb sicrhau statws swyddogol i'w hiaith (fel y Ffrisiaid). I mi, prif fwriad y gynhadledd oedd i ddysgu rhywbeth oddi wrth ein gilydd. Dyliai'r rhai hynny sydd yn dal i frwydro dros statws swyddogol i'w hiaith neu i'w lleiafrif allu dibynnu ar gefnogaeth y gwledydd bychain mwy llwyddiannus o fewn EFAy - y rhai hynny sy'n brwydro dros gyrraedd annibyniaeth, hynny yw.

Roedd y gynhadledd yn diddorol yn ei hun - er hynny, credaf y gallai mwy o amser wedi cael ei rhoi i drafod cynllun gwleidyddol hir-dymor i'r sefydliad, a buasai'n dda bod wedi gweld rhagor o gynigion a thrafodaeth arnynt. Y flwyddyn neaf, buaswn i'n hoffi gweld hyd yn oed mwy o gynrychiolaeth o ystod ehangach o fudiadau gwleidyddol ifanc ar draws Ewrop yn dod i'r gynhadledd, gan ychwanegu at ddyfnder y drafodaeth.

Er hynny, does dim amheuaeth bod EFAy ac EFA yn werthfawr iawn fel mudiadau. Er ein bod ni, er engrhaifft, yn gallu dysgu llawer oddi wrth Gatalwnia, lle mae'r iaith yn ffynnu a'r achos genedlaethol yn blodeuo, neu oddi wrth yr Alban lle y bydd refferendwm dros annibynniaeth yn cael ei chynnal ymhen ychydig flynyddoedd, mae'n hollbwysig nodi ein bod yn medru dysgu oddi wrth y rhai hynny sydd yn dal i frwydro yn erbyn talcen caled iawn. Roedd gweld dycnwch y Ffrisiaid i sicrhau statws gyfartal i'w hiaith a brwdfrydedd Daniaid yr Almaen i ddiogelu eu diwylliant wir yn ysbrydoliaeth i mi fel Cymro ac ymgyrchwr. Mae'n ddigon rhwydd i'n cenhedlaeth ni anghofio am yr aberth mawr a wnaethpwyd i sicrhau llwyddiant ein hachos genedlaethol a'n hiaith heddiw - rhai fel Gwynfor, DJ Davies, Saunders Lewis a Jennie Eirian - a'n bod yn anwybyddu’r ffaith ein bod ni hefyd arfer bod yn yr un sefyllfa â llawer o’n cymrodyr Ewropeaidd heddiw.

Felly iawn - mae'n bwysig i edrych i'r Alban am ysbrydoliaeth weithiau - ond dylid cofio nad ydynt yn dal yr atebion i bopeth, wedi'r cyfan!


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Last weekend I had the opportunity to represent Plaid Cymru Youth in the EFAy General Assembly, (European Free Alliance Youth). The conference was held in Ljouwert, the capital city of Friesland. Friesland is situated in the north of the Dutch State, and it has its own language, traditions, and parliament. The GA was held in conjunction with the EFA Conference, which saw over 150 people come together representing 30 different political organisations from across Europe.

The opportunity to meet young political activists from all over Europe was excellent. I met and socialised with young people from nations such as Catalonia, Flanders, Scotland, Mallorca, Friesland, and Corsica and from linguistic minorities such as the Danish speaking minority in Germany. We had the opportunity to share our experiences as young activists, comparing campaign techniques and sharing the present situation of our youth movements. It was quite interesting to note that some countries seem to be well ahead in their national cause (such as the Scots and the Catalans who are campaigning for independence) where other nations are still fighting for equal status for their languages or nations (like the Friesians). I believe that those who are still fighting for equal status or recognition should be able to depend on the support of more successful parties within EFAy – i.e, those who are fighting for independence for their nation.

The conference in itself was interesting- however, I do believe that more time could have been put aside to discuss a long-term political plan for the organization, and it would have been good to see more varied motions and broader discussion. Next year, I would like to see even more representation from youth political organisations from across Europe, adding scope and depth to the discussion.

However, there is no doubt that EFAy and EFA are both valuable organisations. Although we in Wales, for example, can learn a lot from Catalonia, where the language is thriving and the national cause is in full swing, or from Scotland where a referendum on independence will be held in a few year, we must never forget that we can also learn from those nations and minorities who are still battling on the coalface. Seeing the Friesians’ determination to ensure an equal status for their language, and the enthusiasm of the Danish minority in Germany for their culture really inspired me as a Welshman and an activist. It is easy for our generation to ignore the sacrifice made by past generations to advance our national cause - figures such as Gwynfor, DJ Davies, Saunders Lewis and Jennie Eirian – forgetting that we were once in that difficult situation that many of our European comrades are faced with today.

So OK – it is important to look to Scotland now and again for a bit of inspiration – but we must remember that they do not hold the answers to everything, after all!