Steff (he/him) is a multidisciplinary artist and researcher from Aberteifi. Among his current projects is the development of the theatre piece, Pan elo adar, which explores the relationship between the decline of nature and the Welsh language. He is also working on his first pamphlet of poems.
Earlier in 2023 he was a mentor for the school round of the Y Talwrn competition series on BBC Radio Cymru. He will start a doctorate in the field of film poetry at Aberystwyth University in 2024.
“I hope that over the year I will develop as a facilitator – building skills, seeing my confidence increase, and gaining valuable and constructive experiences.
Being able to work closely with a mentor is extremely exciting and I hope to be able to take advantage of their expertise and knowledge, especially when planning and carrying out activities with a variety of vulnerable groups and people.
This program is an investment in us the facilitators but further than that, in the participants with whom we will collaborate during the year and beyond.”
Steffan’s Project
Project Title: Sgwennu Ni
Participants: Year 7 pupils from Ysgol Bro Preseli receiving ELSA’s emotional support
Partner: Ysgol Bro Preseli, Urdd
Project description
A week-long creative writing project that took place in July 2024 with a select group of year 7 pupils from Ysgol Bro Preseli, Pembrokeshire. The week was a combination of writing exercises, outdoor activities, and creating a zine. The project was conducted in Welsh. The aim of the project was to increase the confidence and self-worth of the participants, to enjoy each other’s company, and to create a safe space for the young people to express themselves and explore their emotions creatively.
Feedback
“I’m not usually very fond of creative writing, but this project gave me the confidence to do it, and gave us things to write about.”
“I was happy to be part of the project. It was nice to do something with new people and learn new things.” – Pupils
“I am very pleased that the school has had the opportunity to be part of this special project. It can be a challenge, due to factors such as funding and curriculum requirements, for us to be able to offer an extracurricular activity on this scale to our pupils. It was clear that the group enjoyed the week and benefited so much from the project. I saw a difference in them during the week, with their confidence increasing, and they were eager to talk about their adventures in Pentre Ifan to me in the schoolyard. I thank Steffan mainly for devising an interesting and diverse project that had the welfare of the young people at its core. It was easy to work with him and I would love to do it again. I am sure that the experience will stay with the young people for a long time and be a boon to them in the future.” – Assistant Headteacher
“The Sgwennu Ni project at Ysgol Bro Preseli was one of my favorite projects from 2024, not only because of the quality of the content that was created but also the reaction of the pupils and teachers.” – Teaching Assistant